What is your favorite travel memory?

This is an incredibly hard question! Honestly all my travel memories are amazing (even the ones that did not go as planned). However I would have to say it would be my Summer camping trip around the Isle of Skye. We were meant to be up in Scotland for a volunteer trip but due to unforeseen circumstances (cough cough covid) we were not able to volunteer and planned a 5 day camping trip around the Isle of Skye. We quickly sent out messages to the local village group chat and were able to piece together all of the supplies we needed. The drive was gorgeous and we stopped at some beautiful beaches along the way. The best moment of the trip was finally seeing highland cows (I may have shed a few tears). Pro tip if you are planning on camping bring sleeping bags, and learn how to use a camping stove before you leave.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

Since joining the team at Beyond Academy I have become so much more confident in myself and my ability to work as a member of a larger team. Not only is my team incredible but watching our interns go through their own journey of self discovery and growth inspires me everyday to continue to push my boundaries and take on new challenges within my role. The dynamic nature of our program has taught me a lot about thinking on my feet and being ready to step in and support my team and our interns at a moment's notice.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

This is an easy one. A few programs back we had two interns who were placed at the same host company. They quickly became close friends on the program, and still stay in touch to this day. They were on their program during Harry Styles LOVE ON TOUR tour and were actually at the same show I was at! Their internship manager then turned around and gave them extra tickets to see him again a few nights later! While seeing Harry Styles twice was a huge bonus I would have to say the friendship that was made between the interns was by far the best part. The friends you meet when moving abroad are truly the best, they are right there with you as you embrace the adventure of starting a new job and moving to a new country.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

I would have to say our Tokyo program. Japan and Japanese culture has always been fascinating to me, and what better way to immerse myself in the culture than working for a Japanese company! The kawaii culture in Japan is especially interesting, and I would love to get to visit all the animal cafes and local markets around the city. I would be especially excited for the day trip to Mount Fuji. Although I have moved abroad, I have not moved to a country where their native language is not my own. Having the community team in Tokyo would make moving to Japan less stressful, and daunting as I know I would be supported from the moment my plan lands.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

The authenticity of our programs and level of service and support we offer to our interns is unmatched. Every Beyond Academy employee an intern comes into contact with during their onboarding is routing for them and works incredibly hard to ensure they have a great time on their program. We want every intern to land the perfect internship and grow as a professional and individual while they are on the program. I am especially proud of my team in the level of support and guidance we offer the interns. Whether it be helping them buy a metrocard, supporting them through their internship, and leading fun events our team is looking out for our interns for their entire program.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

Communication and having a supportive team are key to a company's success. Working for a company that has multiple departments that are all reliant on one another I have learned the importance of cross departmental communication and collaboration. Every new team member that is onboarded is fully versed on the workings of each department. I am incredibly grateful for my team at Beyond Academy, and attribute a lot of my growth and success in my role to them.

Being able to have fun with your colleagues and team is also incredibly important. We have monthly virtual coffee chats, and always find time in our meetings to check in and chat with each other before diving into business. We often end up speaking about the latest Harry Potter news ;).