Perry World House's Global Career Week helps students navigate global job opportunities

Perry World House is hosting Global Career Week from Oct. 18 to Oct. 21 with a series of events for students interested in pursuing work opportunities around the world.

The in-person events at PWH include panels on careers in human rights, international development, national security, and foreign policy, as well as sessions focused on international internships, fellowships, and graduate opportunities. They are designed to connect current Penn students with alumni and other professionals who can provide advice on pursuing international careers.

Penn Abroad Global Programs Manager Amy Wei led the “International Internships'' event on Tuesday, Oct. 19. She spoke to 30 to 40 students about international internship and research opportunities, focusing on Penn's Global Research & Internship Program, which provides internship and research positions to Penn students for eight to 12 weeks over the summer. 

The events for the remainder of the week include a “Careers in Foreign Policy and National Security” panel on Oct. 20 at noon and an “International Fellowships and Graduate Opportunities” panel on Oct. 21 at noon.

Wei said global experiences are highly valued by employers because students gain increased cultural awareness and sensitivity, as well as cross-cultural communication skills while working abroad. 

Wei said that due to the program's short-term nature, it is a “low-risk” chance to see a professional environment without requiring commitment to that discipline. GRIP placements from summer 2021 included internships for the World Medical Association in France and social impact projects in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wei said at the event.

Students will find out whether the programs to which they apply are in person or virtual during the spring semester, Wei added.

College sophomore Megha Thomas, who attended the event, is a philosophy, politics, and economics major who is interested in international issues. She said she wants to do a GRIP internship next summer, in part, because COVID-19 has prevented international travel for the past few years. 

“I hope to explore international affairs more in-depth and I think that doing an international internship would be a super cool opportunity to do that,” Thomas said. 

College first year Janice Yoon, an international student from Japan and Korea, said that it is important to her to consider living in places other than the United States after college. Yoon said she wants to utilize the resources and opportunities available to Penn students to pursue global careers. She is particularly interested in living in Ecuador, China, and Argentina.

“Because I am not from here, I am a little bit more aware of how big the world is,” she said.