Marketing senior finds meaningful internship overseas
Thursday, February 5, 2009
(February 5, 2008 Stillwater, OK) - One OSU student will have the chance to serve his country while helping another country in need this summer. Michael Criswell, a marketing senior, will work as an intern with the U.S. State Department.
Criswell will be assigned to the economic and political science department of the U.S. embassy in Abjua, Nigeria for 10 weeks this summer. “Nigeria is one of the world’s less developed countries and the chance to help people there is what excites me the most,” Criswell said.
Criswell, from Spencer, Oklahoma, spent a semester in France studying the European Union and French American relations in OSU’s study abroad program. He said his time overseas made him want to find an internship abroad as well.
For Criswell, the State Department offers a unique way to help those in need. “It is a way for me to serve my country and help people in a way other than joining the military,” He said.
The internship is a part of the U.S. State Department’s Distinguished Intern Program. Criswell was one of thousands of students who applied for one of 700 positions, only 25 of which are paid positions. Not only did Criswell get the internship, he also landed one of the paid positions.
Criswell hopes to work full-time for the State Department when he graduates next December and is eager to get started in Nigeria this summer. “The job starts May 15th,” Criswell said, “I just can’t wait to get started helping people.”