20 Students Named Weissman Interns

Twenty undergraduates will pursue overseas internship projects thanks to support from the Paul M. and Harriet L. Weissman International Internship Program.

The program was created in 1994 through the vision of Paul M. Weissman Õ52 and his wife, Harriet L. Weissman. The goal of the program is to help students gain firsthand understanding of the global community and international issues as they work alongside the host country's citizens. A unique aspect of the program is its focus on providing support to sophomores and juniors. These students will return to campus to share their experiences with the rest of the Harvard community as well as to utilize their knowledge and expertise specifically in the classroom.

Including this year's interns, 74 students have received financial support from the Weissman International Internship Program since its inception.

An increase in applications each year reveals a growing interest on the part of students seeking international internships, not only to learn about other cultures, but also to broaden their academic experience and explore career options in a global context.

To be selected as a Weissman intern, students arrange their own internships and submit a proposal addressing how the internship will enhance their professional, intellectual, and personal growth. Students are selected by a faculty committee based on their proposal as well as their academic and personal accomplishments. The internships can be located in any geographic region and be in any field or industry and can vary in length from a summer to a term, depending on the nature of the proposal.

Some of this year's interns will be working with street children and refugees in India, performing historical research at a feature film company in Argentina, and exploring health care issues among Latin American women immigrants in Spain.

The 1998 Weissman International Interns will represent Harvard on every continent this summer.

The program is administered by the International Experience Program at the Office of Career Services.