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Global Impact Internship Program

Overview

An important part of WDI’s mission is to provide opportunities and support for student international projects at the Ross School of Business as well as the other schools and colleges at the University of Michigan. 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 organizations.

WDI summer internships are located in emerging market countries and involve full-time work on projects that are most needed by the host organization. Projects are well-defined substantive business-related projects with large, medium, or small organizations – both for-profits and nonprofits.

WDI offers two types of Internships:

  • WDI-Initiated – These internships are with organizations identified by WDI and typically fall within one of WDI’s initiatives which include: Scaling Impact (Base of the Pyramid), Healthcare, Education, Performance Measurement, or Financial Sector Development.
  • Student-Initiated – These internships are with organizations identified and contacted by the student and may include development-oriented NGOs or social enterprises.  The organizations must be doing innovative work in emerging market economies and be relevant to one of the five WDI Initiatives.  Learn more here.

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

  • Commitment to the William Davidson Institute’s mission and focus
  • Excellent academic and professional record
  • Ability and willingness to be flexible in dealing with ambiguity and open to new experiences
  • Appreciation for regional business practices and cultural nuances
  • Ability to work with all levels of management and staff operating in a different cultural and business environment
  • Ability to build relationships and team oriented
  • Superior communication skills (verbal and written) and cross-cultural sensitivity
  • Strong initiative and can-do attitude
  • Critical thinking and creative problem solving
  • Previous international development or business experience and knowledge of a foreign language are desirable, but not necessarily required.

Individual projects will have additional specific requirements and qualifications.

Global Impact Internships

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