Welcome to the latest edition of the IDP Inquirer, which highlights the experiences of IDP programs students, instructors, internship employers, and graduates. We hope it helps you get acquainted with our programs, Berkeley, and what it's like to live and study here.
Student Voices: The Best of Berkeley
The Overall Experience
“I really enjoyed being an IDP student. The program not only taught me the intricacies of being an effective project manager, but also exposed me to cultures from around the world. It is rare to find such a combination in a professional program. The exposure has been one of the greatest learning experiences of my life. It truly made me understand the meaning of the word 'globalization' and allowed me to make friends around the globe.
The Bay Area is a perfect place to live and visit. It has a blend of people, food, entertainment, and everything else. There is so much to do and see! In my last eight months I have never felt that I have seen or done it all.”
The Benefits of an Internship
“My three-month internship opened so many doors for me in terms of opportunity, valuable experience, and learning. World of Good is one of the leading social enterprises in the Bay Area. It is a wholesale and retail supplier of ethically produced fair trade jewelry, gift products, and housewares from artisan communities in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. I was fortunate to have found an internship with a company that was exactly what I was looking for in terms of fit and opportunity.”
IDP Success Story: Neha Taleja
Neha Taleja came to the IDP programs from India to determine a new professional direction. She found that and much more.
In her native country, Neha had already experienced considerable career success as a journalist with the Times of India and as an account manager with Weber Shandwick, one of the world's leading global public relations and communications firms. She wanted to rise to a more senior role, perhaps in another field, but what would be next?
Her search led to Berkeley and the IDP programs, where she turned to her instructors for guidance. Neha says, “I give them credit for whatever I'm able to do. They've been supportive not just in teaching the curriculum but in helping me find a career direction and understanding what I want to do.”
Following her instructors' advice, Neha completed both the International Business and Finance IDPs. She also held an internship as a financial analyst in the private wealth management division of Merrill Lynch. Now Neha has moved on to her next step: a full-time position combining her background in journalism and finance. In February, she became a financial technical writer for Aplia, an education technology firm in Belmont, California.
“IDP is a great program,” says Neha. “I feel more knowledgeable. I feel more confident and a part of the global intellectual community. And I see growth in my career.”
Meet an Instructor: Kathy Schueler
Over the course of 28 years in sales in the banking industry, Kathy Schueler made countless presentations to international groups. Her work involving foreign currency and trading called for substantial public speaking. Now she's sharing what she learned from her experience with another international audience: UC Berkeley Extension's IDP students.
Schueler teaches the Global Business Communication course. She instructs IDP students in the skills they can use in every course they take and in the workplace, covering everything from impromptu speaking to effective Power Point presentations. She also discusses cover letters, résumés, and interviewing—communications that can help students obtain the jobs they want.
Schueler's course is designed to prepare her students for career success. She explains, “I try to mimic situations they would encounter in the business world, including writing e-mails about sensitive topics. Or I might say, 'your boss has just asked you to make a presentation on a topic. You have five minutes.'”
The projects she assigns provide another way for students to combine effective communication and real-world situations. Students make presentations on a topic of their choosing, addressing the international credit crisis, the revival of the Japanese economy, how to promote tourism in Iceland, what really happened to AIG, and a variety of other issues.
“I strive for minimum lecturing and maximum participation on the students' part. I'm there to help them write and speak a better business English,” Schueler says. “I've seen a transformation in students as they learn to organize their ideas, get up in a room with confidence, and speak to a point.”
Working in the USA:
Aaron Marcus and Associates
Aaron Marcus and Associates may not be a familiar name, but its clients are well-known, ranging from Apple Computer, AT&T, and BMW to Visa, Virgin America, and Xerox. Everyone from Fortune 500 companies to small start-ups has turned to this Berkeley consulting firm for user-interface design and information visualization. And Aaron Marcus—a recognized expert in the field—turns to UC Berkeley Extension's IDP programs for interns who can make important contributions to his company's work.
At Aaron Marcus and Associates, IDP interns have participated in sales and project meetings, conducted research, updated marketing materials, created databases, streamlined processes, and contributed to published papers. They also have met company clients, including the presidents and other senior executives of U.S. and international corporations.
“As part of a small service company working with large organizations, our interns get to see large companies close up yet get a full range of responsibilities. They get a very substantial introduction to American business practices,” says Aaron Marcus, the company president who shares supervision of the students.
Marcus considers the internships beneficial to his company and the students alike. For example, he learned a lot about Japanese business methods from an IDP student and says that at the same time, “We helped him position himself as a provider of unique insights to his parent company in Japan. I think this is the catalyst for the next phase of his career.”
In recent years, as many as three students have interned at Aaron Marcus and Associates during the same term. Marcus says, “Learning about this program has been a blessing. I appreciate our opportunity to participate, and we've been pleased with the results. I think the students like us, too.”