Photo Courtesy of Marcy Lynn Rosen Molecular and cellular biology senior Marcy Lynn Rosen spent the summer in Bronx, New York, doing lab research and visiting family.

Students learn and play on summer internships

"Would you like fries with that?"

The nastiest summer job market in years, with an unemployment rate at the highest it's been in a decade, according to The New York Times, has left many students muttering these words in the daunting summer heat.

But some UA students have looked outside the realm of part-time summer employment to further their rˇsumˇs and educational experience in lieu of a quick buck.

Summer internships abroad are plentiful, regardless of your major or study focus. There's a plethora of opportunities out there÷albeit unpaid, of course.

Students who apply through the Eller College of Business and Public Administration can enter an eight-week summer internship program in London. Most applicants are business students, but anyone can apply, said program coordinator Julie Miranda.

Finance seniors Jeems Lochridge and Travis Olsen spent their summer working at the London Stock Exchange. Olsen took calls from investors and gave the orders to buy and sell, but the experience lacked the hustle and bustle of Wall Street. Olsen said his experience was more like the movie "Office Space." Lochridge made sure he kept occupied outside of work by taking a weekend trip to Barcelona and enjoying life in the city.

"Whether it be the theatre, a concert, Wimbledon, the British Open or just going out with friends, you can find something to do at any hour of the day," he said.

Finance and international business senior Sharjeel Durrani worked as a market research analyst in London. He noted that the city is "always alive" and enjoyed taking walks in Hyde Park and going clubbing in Leceister Square.

"There are people from every country in the world here, so you can be listening to a South African band while having Mongolian food and meeting a group of traveling Spaniards," he said.

"Also, be aware of the fact that most of the world does see things different than you might, so have an open mind and be willing to listen to why they think the way they do," he added.

But the cost of a good time in London can add up. "Be prepared to shell out quite a bit of money if you want to have a good time," he said.

Liberal Arts Senior Kate Vogel opted for lush landscapes in Aix-en-Provence, France, over double-decker buses. This was particularly appropriate because Vogel studied painting at the American Institute in France.

Though her artwork may not end up in the Louvre at the end of the summer, her time was still well spent, Vogel said.

"(The class) teaches you how to appreciate the world around you, not necessarily to turn out a bunch of Monets and Cezannes," she said.

Guava juice, flea markets, and teaching English to elementary school children in Taiwan appealed to biochemistry junior Xuemei Cai.

Cai wasn't the only one to travel outside Western culture. Lauren Giesecke, a Spanish and molecular and cellular biology junior, taught an HIV-education program in Arusha, Tanzania. She also learned how to speak Swahili, live without electricity, and cook local fare from her host family, who made her feel more than welcome.

Giesecke describes her host family fondly.

"My homestay mom is quite a character; she only has one tooth in the front of her mouth and it sticks out at a 60-degree angle. I can feel it when she kisses me on the cheek," she said.

Not all students needed a passport for their summer internships. Marcy Lynn Rosen, a molecular and cellular biology senior, conducted lab experiments at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine in Bronx, New York. Although she spent all day in the lab or at seminars, she did get a chance to take a bite out of the Big Apple÷ she saw "Hairspray" for her 21st birthday and even met the cast of Rent.

Julie Dwyer, a finance, French and economics junior, put in 18-hour days working for a financial firm in Washington, D.C., through a program at Georgetown University.

Along with attending classes, Dwyer also met with the state department, the Supreme Court, and the CIA. The highlight of her summer was when she got to sit in chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve Alan Greenspan's chair.

She learned to use this experience to the full advantage. "Networking is key. Every opportunity I was given when I was there was a result of networking," she said.

Dwyer loved the intensity and excitement of her program so much that at the end of the summer, that she didn't want to leave.

From lab research to landscape painting to teaching HIV prevention and back, summer internships provided worthy and memorable experiences for all that participated.

That sure beats working at the golden arches.