St. Mike’s students recall ‘life-changing’ internships made possible by Freeman Foundation grant

Each year, just over a dozen students at Saint Michael’s receive funding through the Institute for Global Engagement to engage in an opportunity that impacts their personal and professional trajectories: an international internship in Asia.  

Saint Michael’s is one of only 33 colleges and universities in the country to receive a grant from the Freeman Foundation, which supports the Global Citizenship International Internship program each year.  

The opportunity is fully funded through Saint Michael’s Institute for Global Engagement, and students had the option to complete the internship in either Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam or Seoul, South Korea.  

Students are able to apply for the internship opportunity every fall semester.  A strong academic standing – a GPA of 3.0 or higher – is required to be considered for the program. 

On Oct. 8 in Saint Edmund’s Farrell Room, some of the students who had internships in the summer of 2024 shared stories from the “life-changing experience” they received from the Freeman Foundation International Internship. Jeffrey Ayres, Director of the Institute for Global Engagement, introduced the panelists and asked them to share their majors along with some details on their internship placement.  

Students who were on the panel included Jarrett Sweet ’25, Patrick McGloine ’25, Kathryn Dzambo ’26, and Kathryn Henry ’25 who all completed their internship in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Fellow panelists Kaylan Conliffe ’25 and Delaney Progen ’25 completed their internship in Seoul, South Korea.  

Students who traveled to South Korea and Vietnam for internships thanks to a Freeman Foundation grant describe their experiences during a panel discussion in October 2024. (Photo by Niyo Vainqueur ’28)

Working in another country 

Jarrett Sweet ’25, a double major in Secondary Education and Equity Studies, completed his internship teaching English as a second language for Vietnamese students aged 5-14. He said this presented a bit of a challenge, as he often had to adjust the curriculum to fit the students’ level of English. 

Patrick McGloine ’25, an Environmental Science major, had a different experience with his internship, saying it was very laid back, and he was able to spend a lot of his time traveling and taking in the culture of Vietnam.  

“I sat in on meetings with International advisors in the environmental field,” McGloine said. He also spent time on a bridge taking water samples and handled the environmental care of banana plantations.  

Delaney Progen ’25, center, discusses her experience as an intern abroad through an internship program funded by the Freeman Foundation during a panel in October 2024. (Photo by Niyo Vainqueur ’28)

Katie Dzambo ’26, a Psychology major, worked for a first-aid company in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.  

“I’d go around and show people the proper technique for giving CPR, and I helped out during the safety classes,” she said.   

Dzambo also used technological skills to develop a mental health and first aid app, using skills that she said she learned in her Psychology classes at Saint Michael’s.  

All the panelists agreed that a big portion of their internships went into translating, especially for students working with software.  

How students experienced the culture 

Kathryn Henry ’25, a double major in Elementary Education and Equity Studies, emphasized how amazing it was to be fully immersed in an entirely new culture. She said her favorite part of living in Ho Chi Minh City was taking a moped to her internship at a science education company.  

The panelists who worked in Vietnam said they were pleasantly surprised by the food prices, adding that it was very affordable to have high-quality meals. This allowed them to budget their money effectively while also indulging in traditional Vietnamese food and culture.  

Sweet said that one of his fondest memories from his experience was becoming a regular at restaurants and coffee shops around the city. He formed a close friendship with at least one of the shop’s employees. 

Kaylan Conliffe ’25, second from left, describes her experience as an intern in Seoul, South Korea during a panel in October 2024 featuring Saint Michael’s students who were awarded grants thanks to the Freeman Foundation to intern abroad. (Photo by Niyo Vainqueur ’28)

Why students should apply for the Freeman Foundation internship 

Kaylan Conliffe, ’25, a Data Science major who is also minoring in Art & Design, said that her internship in Seoul, South Korea, helped her figure out potential post-grad career paths. Her internship involved creating software for elementary school students, including working on designs for various apps. 

“They gave me a lot of freedom to try out a lot of different things,” Conliffe said of her internship. “I was able to do computer programming, graphic design, and education. It was very new for me, but a good challenge. I have a much better idea of what I want to do when I graduate now.”  

The Freeman Foundation program holds life-changing experiences for students, the panelists agreed.  

“I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything in the world –  I loved Vietnam,” Dzambo said.  

Students interested in applying for the Freeman Foundation International Internship Program can visit smcvt.edu/academics/study-abroad/freeman-foundation/ or contact Professor Jeffrey Ayres at jayres@smcvt.edu.