December 17, 2023

By Haley Dittbrenner ’25

While living and working abroad, Eric Stein ’69 came to appreciate the importance of global business competency and cultural experiences. Prior to his death in 2006, he created the Eric Stein Fund for International Experience, which allows students in the Sigmund Weis School of Business to intern with companies around the globe. This past year, 12 students were named Stein Fellows and spent their summers working abroad.

Tatiana Perez ’25, a double major in management and communications from Ridgefield, New Jersey, has always been drawn to the allure of travel. For her, traveling meant fulfilling opportunities that her parents might not have had.

“Growing up, my parents, who originated from rural Spain, courageously moved to New York with limited means during their late teens,” Perez said. “Embarking on a journey like this to Australia was unimaginable for my parents. Boarding the flight allowed me to fulfill their unrealized dreams.”

Perez interned with ARIA Research, a Sydney, Australia-based startup company that provides sound-focused assistive technology for blind individuals. She took on a variety of assignments, including data organization and distribution, and conducted field research.

“My internship experience has taught me the valuable lesson that ‘what you put into something is what you get out of it.’ I have witnessed the direct relationship between my personal effort and the quality of my outcomes,” Perez said.

After graduation, Perez hopes to work in research and product development, especially in the fields of fashion and cosmetics.

International business major Eli Markle ’25, of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, interned in Spain with Sponsify, a network dedicated to connecting advertisers with customers. As a communications and business advocate, Markle said his main role was gathering information on potential customers.

Other assignments included creating customer profiles, preparing presentations and working with his team to create materials for customers.

Since he was in high school, Markle said he had a fascination with Spain and its culture. “I have always been intrigued when learning about the culture of Spain. With such a rich history and a vibrant culture, Barcelona has been an amazing place to live.”

He credits his Global Opportunities and international business courses he’s taken at Susquehanna for building his confidence and preparing him to work abroad. After graduating, Markle hopes to pursue a graduate program in business administration.

“I am most grateful for the valuable insight into the professional field,” Markle said of his internship. “Being able to get an up-close look at how people communicate and articulate ideas is an exposure I am thankful for. I want to thank the Stein family for their incredible generosity and support that gives me and other students opportunities to learn these valuable lessons.”

Lauren Imhoof ’24, an international business major from Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, spent her summer in Berlin, Germany, as the first intern at Rua Madeira, a sustainable furniture company. She worked closely with the owners took on a multitude of tasks, including editing, business development, sales, marketing and client outreach.

Rua Maderia is an international company, with ties spanning across Europe and Brazil. “I didn’t realize how international and cosmopolitan Berlin is,” Imhoof said. “I appreciated how many cultures go into making this company successful. It was truly an international internship experience.”

Imhoof aspires to lead in an international company, noting that her experience in Berlin has prepared her for success in a global business market.

Marketing major Mirra Neilson ’25, of Wyalusing, Pennsylvania, promised herself as a child that she would travel in Australia by the time she reached her 20s. The Stein Fellowship made her dream a reality by giving her the opportunity to intern in Sydney, Australia, with Decarbify, a company that helps organizations regulate their carbon emissions. For Decarbify, Neilson developed the main marketing strategy for the startup company, a project that required her to identify the company’s primary target market, formulate effective pricing strategies, build market traction and enhance Decarbify’s social media.

“This internship has taught me the importance of self-reflection and self-improvement,” Neilson said. “By continually receiving feedback from my supervisors and evaluating my own personal performance, I have gained a better understanding of my own strengths and areas for growth, creating room for further development.”

After graduation, Neilson hopes to work as a marketing professional in the field of sustainability.

Marketing major Nicole Spangler ’24, of Pocomoke City, Maryland, interned with the Pearse Lyons Distillery in Dublin, Ireland. In her role as a business development intern, Spangler spent her workdays analyzing data from social media accounts, preparing promotional materials, updating databases and assisting with distillery events.

Spangler described a highly welcoming work environment at the distillery. “Everyone is willing to take the time to teach me what they know, and they love what they do,” she said.

Spangler’s studies in marketing at Susquehanna equipped her with the skills that proved helpful in her internship; she came into her position already knowing how to create a marketing plan for a company with no preexisting promotional foundation. After graduating from Susquehanna, Spangler hopes to work in marketing, ideally for a professional basketball team.

Olivia Agnoni ’23, of Muncy, Pennsylvania, an inter-national business major, interned in the human resources department at Global Scout, an international recruitment firm in Seoul, South Korea.

“Interning for a firm with global branches gave me an opportunity to work in the setting my international business degree is preparing me for,” Agnoni said. Her internship in human resources kept her workdays full; daily tasks included entering and organizing client résumés, interviewing executives and designing web pages and other online materials. Outside of the workplace, Agnoni spent her evenings exploring Korean culture to the fullest.

Agnoni explained how Susquehanna’s GO program prepared her for her time in South Korea.

“Because of the research we had to complete on our internship country, I was able to get an outsider view of what South Korean culture was all about,” Agnoni said. “I was still uncomfortable during my first few days in the city, but as I continued to refer back to the research I completed on the country, I found it much easier to digest the culture shock.”

After graduation, Agnoni hopes to return to Southeast Asia and continue working there. “Korea is one of my top goal destinations where I would like to settle down and work one day, so a two-month internship program based in Seoul felt like it was perfect for me to prepare myself for my potential future here.”

Emma Horton ’24, an international business major from Cameron Mills, New York, interned for SSVN Survival Skills Social Enterprise in Vietnam. SSVN is a startup organization dedicated to spreading first-aid knowledge and training. During her internship, Horton connected with partners and sponsors, organized exhibits and marketed wellness courses.

One challenge Horton faced was the language barrier. “Everyone was patient and willing to help me learn,” Horton said. “Everyone is so welcoming; the people I have met in Vietnam have made this such an unbelievable experience.”

Horton hopes to work for more nonprofit organizations in the future.

Marketing major Madison Longenhagen ’24, of Catawissa, Pennsylvania, spent her summer as an intern with CeADAR, a data analytics company in Ireland. She was assigned two main projects — designing an optimized hiring process for CeADAR’s summer interns and creating “personas” that would accurately capture audience needs, behaviors and preferences.

“This experience has helped me prepare for my career goals in several ways,” Longenhagen said. “Studying abroad has enhanced my adaptability skills as I navigated a completely new environment both personally and professionally. My internship has provided me with hands-on work experience, allowing me to tackle real-world projects that have improved my critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.”

After graduating, Longenhagen hopes to work in the field of social media and digital marketing.

Finance major Connor McCormick ’25 interned with CountPlus accounting and advice firms in Australia. He worked closely with the finance team updating company reports and writing data formulas.

“The greatest lesson I learned throughout my internship experience is how people in positions of leadership want to help you succeed and help you accomplish your goals,” McCormick said. “During my internship, I had numerous conversations with the CFO about ways I can accomplish my goals. My boss and other members of the team pitched in and were always willing to help me solve an issue and answer any question I threw at them.”

McCormick, of Center Valley, Pennsylvania, credits the Sigmund Weis School of Business for preparing him for his internship in Sydney. He came into his internship familiar with the material and was able to adapt quickly. McCormick plans to pursue a career in investment banking before transitioning into private equity or the hedge fund sector.

“I know that it will take an insane work ethic and a lot of commitment, but I am excited to see what the future holds,” he said.

Other Stein Fellows were Hannah Getz ’24, an international business major from Pittston, Pennsylvania, who interned in South Korea; Julius Glover ’25, a luxury brand marketing & management major from Philadelphia, who interned in Singapore; and Erin Rowe ’24, a management major from Proctorville, Ohio, who interned in New Zealand.