Behind the Scenes of My Internship

Reflections on my Summer Internship in Melbourne 

by Ryan, University of Kansas, Summer 2025

“During my time in Australia, be it personally or professionally I have grown in many ways as an individual. When I first started on this trip, I told myself that I was going to walk into this internship program with an open mind and to try as many new things as possible. Looking back at it now, I could not be happier with my decision. There are so many experiences, food, music, activities that I would have never gotten to experience at home that Melbourne gave me as a result of this internship opportunity. 

At the beginning of my internship, I set personal and professional goals for myself to complete throughout the course of my time here. My first goal was to improve my skills with technology and the application of different software and tech. Not only have I been able to increase my understanding but I have also been able to use my newfound knowledge towards more creative solutions.

My second goal was to develop my teamwork skills, which I have seen noticeable improvement in. I have been challenged to complete projects and accomplish tasks as part of a team. A major skill that I have saw myself develop was my ability to learn from the work that my co-workers were doing and being able to incorporate this into my own work.

The final goal was to broaden my critical thinking skills and capabilities, especially when it came to outside of the box thinking and being creative. This area of expertise is where I think I have seen consistent improvement. 

Most importantly my internship experience helped me to develop a better understanding of what an ideal working culture looks like. One of my greatest learnings from this experience has been being able to tackle complex problem solving; to look at a problem from multiple angles, and to consider the viewpoints and opinions of those around me. 

Learning to appreciate cultures other than my own is one of my biggest takes from this experience and I hope that it is a skill that I am able to take forward for the rest of my life.