One of the core missions of WDI is to provide support for international projects both at the Ross School of Business and the university as a whole.  To that end, WDI provides high quality action learning opportunities for University of Michigan graduate students to work with international organizations, while at the same time providing meaningful business assistance and support to those global organizations. 

WDI internships are:

• Located in emerging markets
• For 12 weeks - typically starting mid May until mid August
• Involves full-time work that is valuable to the host organization
• Well-defined projects with large, medium, or small organizations 

WDI offers two types of Internships:

• Student-Initiated Global Impact Internships  are with organizations doing innovative work in emerging market economies identified by the applicants, such as development-oriented NGOs.  Applicants are responsible for contacting the organization, co-defining the opportunity, and obtaining a written commitment from the sponsor before submitting a proposal to WDI. Proposals focusing on Base of the Pyramid and the Business of Healthcare are encouraged.  Student-Initiated internships allow students to work on internship projects based on their personal interests and expertise within the WDI context.  WDI will review proposals for fellowships up to $10,000. 
• WDI-Partnership Global Impact Internships  are with organizations identified by WDI. These internships typically fall under the Base of the Pyramid or the Business of Healthcare core research initiatives.
  WDI will post these internship opportunities on a rolling basis as they become available, with a complete description of projects by mid January.  WDI awards fellowships of up to $10,000 and up to $1500 airfare reimbursement for direct travel to/from the internship location.

WDI research initiatives

WDI gives precedence to internship projects under the following initiatives: 

• Market-based approaches to poverty alleviation at the Base of the Pyramid
• Healthcare in Emerging Markets 

GENERAL Intern Qualifications

Applicants must be a full-time enrolled student in a Master’s level degree program at the University of Michigan and returning in the Fall following their internship to complete their program of study full-time.  Ideal candidates must also show:

• Commitment to the Davidson Institute mission
• Excellent academic and professional record
• Ability and willingness to be flexible in dealing with ambiguity and open to new experiences
• Cultural sensitivity
• Ability to work with managers and employees operating in a different cultural and business environment
• Ability to build relationships
• Strong initiative
• Creative problem solving
• Previous international development or business experience and knowledge of a foreign language are desirable, but not required.

Individual projects will have additional specific requirements and qualifications.

 

The above images are attributed to the following WDI Fellows: Sara Blumenthal (MPP/MPH '12), Emily Friedberg (MBA '09), Sean Killian (MBA/MS '11), Eva Luo (MD '13), Lauren Miller (MBA '11), Tim Polkowski (MBA/MPP '10), Richard Thompson (JD/MBA '12), and Greg Thorne (MBA/MPP '12).