Applying Intern Research to Academic Affairs

By Alexandra Wood

For the past seven years, CIEE has welcomed talented and enthusiastic CIEE Study Abroad alumni to our Portland, Maine and Boston, Massachusetts offices for nine-week internships working on challenging, strategic projects across multiple departments. Interns engage in mentoring with CIEE staff, personal leadership seminars, and fun local outings to make a truly meaningful summer. So far, the program has hosted 78 interns from 55 schools who studied at 31 different CIEE study centers.

The three students interning with Academic Affairs this summer conducted research on topics related to online learning, language assessment, and service learning. Their findings, analyses, and recommendations will help us design strategies and best practices for applying innovations to the CIEE academic experience.

Learn more about the three interns we had with us in Academic Affairs and the projects they conducted this summer:

Name: Tyler Boyle
School: Vassar College
Graduation Date: Spring 2019
Major: Sociology
Studied with CIEE in: Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Fall 2017

Under mentorship of Ryan Richards, Academic Director of Online Learning,Tyler conducted research about sending schools’ credit transfer policies in order to define standards and best practices for online course syllabus content. This work supports the development of a work plan for executing an online course strategy with initial focus on the Global Institute Open Campus Program, which offers a unique opportunity to deliver fully online or hybrid courses across three regions – Africa, Europe, and Latin America.

Tyler identified that giving students the option of taking online courses expands the portfolio of courses available to them at any location, which increases the chance of a student getting the courses they need at the location they want. Overall, the effort to include online learning will increase access and reduce barriers so students can progress on their degrees no matter where they go.

Name: Madina Khudaynazar
School: Denison University
Graduation Date: Spring 2019
Majors: International Studies, Communication
Studied with CIEE in: Haifa, Israel, Spring 2018

Under mentorship of Ray Casserly, Ph.D., Academic Director of the Global Institutes, Madina conducted research about language assessment, alignment with ACTFL standards, mechanisms for developing and disseminating best practices in language learning, including LinguaFolio.. Madina’s work this summer supports the development of a work plan for executing a language learning strategy, with initial focus on the Global Institutes, contributes to CIEE’s development of industry leading applications of language learning and assessment models.

Name: Christina Harpold
School: Vanderbilt University
Graduation Date: Spring 2019
Majors: Human and Organizational Development
Studied with CIEE in: Cape Town, South Africa, Fall 2017

Under the mentorship of Kathy Martin, Registrar and Director of Academic Policies, Christina conducted research about Service Learning policies in order to define academic standards and requisite syllabus content for Service Learning courses across CIEE locations. Christina’s research helped identify innovative ways that CIEE can prepare students for ethical service with their host community, leading to more impactful Service Learning experiences.