Internships for Reggio Emilia, Italy

Due to heightened concerns about student health and safety we are immediately suspending internship placements, volunteer work, and service-learning projects in health care facilities at all USAC program sites for the remainder of the Spring 2020 and Summer 2020 academic terms. We will continue to monitor the situation and make a decision regarding the availability of these placements during the Fall 2020 semester in the coming weeks. If you have any questions, please contact the USAC internship team at internship@usac.edu.

Internships in Reggio Emilia are offered during the summer, semester, and yearlong terms. Those interested in doing a summer internship must attend both summer sessions. Summer internships are limited and only one credit.

Internships are optional and included in your program fees. They range from 1-3 credits and are counted as part of your academic credit load, in addition to the minimum credit requirement. Interns earn credit, but no financial compensation. In addition to professional and academic experience, internships are a great way to immerse yourself in the culture, meet locals, and practice your language skills. You will be working in an authentic local environment, with exposure to the Italian language. While Italian language ability is not necessary to complete an internship, it is helpful.

Internship placements in Reggio Emilia include:

Education:

• Totem Preschool - A preschool following the educational philosophy of Reggio Emilia, TOTEM is the first preschool in Reggio Emilia to offer English classes with a qualified native English-speaking teacher. Students will work with children between 12 months and 6 years old, help teachers with the daily routine, assist teachers in their classrooms, teach basic English vocabulary through games, songs, short stories, learn, and observe and practice the Reggio Emilia educational approach - 5 positions available.
• Blaise Pascal High School and Filippo Re High School - Work with students between 14 and 19 years old, as teacher assistant supporting students with their learning activities, help students improving their English skills with conversation, reading, games, role play, songs as well as assisting teachers in creating English language labs for their students - 3 positions available.
• SOS Dislessia - An after-school program with the aim at helping children with learning difficulties such as dyslexia or attention deficit disorder - 1 position available.

Health:

• Centro Palmer - A private women’s health, physical therapy and osteopathy clinic.  Part of the mission at Centro Palmer is to “protect the health of women and the unborn,” and the services they provide include gynecology, obstetrics, prenatal diagnostics, senology, and sterility/fertility treatments. Lately, the clinic has added many other branches to its center. The new branches include osteopathy, physical therapy, urology, andrology, endocrinology, dermatology, internal medicine, and aesthetic medicine. Students will learn about the Italian medical system, shadow and observe local doctors, conduct research and present the results on assigned topics while developing their analytical and research skills - 1 position available. 
• Luoghi di Prevenzione - A public health research and community center whose mission is to help individuals and groups to begin or deepen reflection on the relationship between imagination, lifestyle, behaviors, environment, and awareness. It offers educational courses to schools, trainings for healthcare professionals and teachers, smoking cessation support groups, and motivational and education courses promoting a healthy lifestyle for pregnant women and infants. Students will conduct research and present the results on assigned topics, observe local experts during their seminars and professional activities, proofread scientific articles in English while developing their research and critical thinking skills and will learn how to discuss and write about scientific topics - 1 position available.

Communication + Business:

• Impact Hub - Impact Hub offers the physical and virtual infrastructure to enable business collaboration for startups, companies, interns, etc. The mission statement is to provide and create a work environment for fostering new connections while also being environmentally friendly. Students will help the staff planning events and workshops, do research and comparisons between the American and Italian way of working, help the staff updating the English website and social media. Students will improve their analytical and theoretical, marketing, and communication skills and will become more aware of the differences and similarities of working in an international company - 2 positions available.
• RENAL - RENAL is a real estate company focusing on customized accommodation partnerships with sports teams, businesses, local and international college associations and employment agencies in Reggio Emilia. Students will help with event planning, social media and web management, and conduct research on the local real estate market. By participating in small business management, students will improve their marketing and management skills - 1 position available.  
• USAC Reggio Emilia Office - Students will help the staff create flyers, brochures, newsletters, and promotional materials such as photos, videos etc. Along with communication and computer skills, interns will improve their organizational skills planning activities with Italian students - 1 position available.

Hospitality:

• Hotel Posta - An historical hotel in the city center of Reggio Emilia. Students will hands-on experience learning how to welcome guests, how to use  software for reservations, check-in, and check-out. They will also observe daily operations, assist the Director of the hotel and staff, learning how to manage a large hospitality business, assist, complete projects and help the staff planning and organizing events - 1 position available.

*Placement with a particular internship provider is not guaranteed.

Eligibility:

• Minimum 3.0 GPA
• Junior standing (at time of internship)
• Foreign language proficiency (some placements)

A $200 refundable fee is charged and returned upon successful completion of the internship. Placement is not guaranteed by USAC; rather it will be determined by your application, supporting materials, and an interview with the internship sponsor on site.