Gina Ranieri, an international business major at St. Joseph’s University, found a placement within the Italian Parliament, working with Deputies Marco Fedi and Frances La Marca. As part of her role, Ranieri researched American immigration and citizenship policies and international business relations between Italy, Australia, the U.S. and Canada. Mr. Fedi presented her research to students at the University of Rome. Ranieri recalled, “I was able to attend the seminar, and to hear my name acknowledged as the researcher was an amazing feeling.” Ranieri also presented to students there on the American English Language and talked with them about campus life, as well as where they eat, shop and socialize in Rome. This experience really took Ranieri out of her comfort zone: “I never spoke before a large crowd before and the students’ knowledge of English was minimal, so I had to overcome the language barrier, as well as my apprehension of public speaking.” Through this internship, Ranieri asserted, “I was able to gain experience and understanding of how the business and government sectors intertwine.” The experience has caused her to rethink her future career goals—she is now considering working in government one day. Ranieri also learned about Italian cultural differences in the workplace: “I found that going for coffee is a daily activity during the work day to socialize…getting to know your colleagues personally is extremely important.”

As cliché as it sounds, the more you put into your internship, the more you get out of it. I have learned through my work experience, but the people I worked for and with have taught me so much about Italian culture and living.