UCD Quinn Summer Internship Program

What first drew me to the UCD Summer Program was the internship component. I thought it would be a great experience to study and intern abroad. I wanted to gain new perspectives on the business world and have the chance to apply classroom concepts to the real world. The UCD Summer Internship Program gave me the opportunity to do those things and so much more. I have always wanted to travel to Ireland. The country has so much to offer, from the big city of Dublin to the Cliffs of Moher, to smaller farming communities, and to the beautiful coastal scenery. I felt it would be the perfect place to spend my summer.

I was able to intern with Nomos Productions, a small video production firm. I was a digital media and communications intern. Through my role, I was able to see all parts of the video marketing production process, from idea concept to final video editing. I was also able to perform a digital audit on Nomos’s social media accounts and then create a 6-month plan to enhance their social media presence. Through this internship, I was able to learn so much about digital marketing and social media. This internship has added a great deal to my resume and will definitely set me apart from my fellow students. My favorite part of my internship was being able to learn the behind-the-scenes of video production. There was so much to the process that I did not know about!

I really enjoyed the academic portion of the summer program. I was able to take a core module about the Irish Business Environment, it was very interesting to learn about the growing rate of multinational corporations in Ireland. I also was able to take the Digital Marketing module, I really enjoyed this course. It applied directly to my internship and I was able to take things I learned from class and immediately apply them in the workplace. It was truly a great addition to the internship component and I feel I was more successful in my internship because of the academic component.

I enjoyed the cultural program that was organized by the Quinn School of Business. It had a variety of trips that appealed to many different students. I attended the Causey farm trip, the Cliffs of Moher trip, and the Wicklow hike. These excursions were so fun. It was great to see the other areas of Ireland, although Dublin is a great city. Ireland has such variety all across the country and I loved getting to see some of it. Ireland is a very beautiful country. Other than the trips organized by the Quinn School of Business, I also visited Belfast and Cork. Both were great cities and easily accessed by train. Overall, I was able to see much of Ireland and I would recommend a trip to any of these destinations!

I would recommend the Summer Internship Program because it has helped me become a more competitive and independent student. It also has helped me meet so many amazing individuals and expand my network across the globe.

It is difficult to properly sum up my 2 months spent at UCD because it was one of the most exciting, beneficial, challenging and incredible times that I have had.

I initially decided on doing the UCD Summer Internship Program because of the Internship component. The internship I had, working in a finance department for a private hospital, was an amazing learning experience for me both professionally and personally. I gained so much more from my internship than I could have ever expected or wanted. UCD did a fantastic job of taking my goals and skills and pairing me with an employer who was capable of helping me achieve them with a meaningful project assignment. I can honestly say that my internship through UCD was a turning point for me in my professional pursuits and will be an experience I reflect and talk about for the rest of my life.

What is amazing about the UCD program is that, on top of an incredible internship experience, it offers so much more. Getting to live on an Irish college campus with 80 other students was a blast. I got to meet students from all over America, and truly made lifelong friends. UCD did a great job making everyone feel welcome, and helped introduce us to each other.

Taking two classes was also a perk of this program, as they both transfer back to my home university. The 6 credit hours they offer will help me finish my degree back home. Beyond the credit hours, the classes were a learning experience on many levels. First, they taught you about Irish culture, the Irish business environment and overall improved my knowledge on Ireland. The elective classes offered were broad enough that every student had the ability to pursue an area that they are interested in.

Finally, the UCD program offered many opportunities to travel around Ireland and Europe. The program organized trips almost every weekend, including trips to a farm (which was my favorite!), a trip to the Cliffs of Moher, and a hiking trip in the nearby mountains. These trips were a great way to get to know Ireland and get to know other students in the program. I also was able to see parts of Europe, such as London, Amsterdam and Portugal, because Ireland is such an easy place to travel from.

Overall, the UCD program offered an endless list of beneficial opportunities, ranging from valuable international work experience, to educational classes, to incredible trips throughout Ireland. It took a lot of courage for me to decide to do this program, as I was so nervous to be away from home for 2 months in a program that I didn't know many people in. However, I would encourage people to embrace this opportunity to be outside of your comfort zone because I would not trade this summer for anything!

Really cool way to gain internship experience and have a fun summer abroad. Would recommend to do before summer after junior year (college) as the internships will probably not lead to full employment after. Students work Monday-Thursday, so there is plenty of time to explore the city, country, and surrounding areas. A good number of other students, mostly American, enroll in the program, meaning that there is no shortage of people to go out with in the evenings. A highlight of my trip was spending a weekend at Castlepalooza, a music festival held at Charleville Castle.