A Taste of Summer

We Admit It!  With move-in last week and Convocation right around the corner, it has been an exciting time for us here at William & Mary. Welcoming in the new students is one of the greatest joys of this job. But as the summer comes to a close, we thought it was a good time to look back at some of the amazing things our students have been doing this summer.

One thing is for sure… Our students have been very active! Perhaps it means studying abroad on the other side of the world like Helen Tariku. Or maybe it means landing in that dream internship in something you are passionate about like Kate Brownfiel. Or even perhaps it means repping that Tribe Pride back home (and working with the head of Athletics!) here at home like Lauren Cunningham. We surveyed some of our students and asked them “What have you been up to this summer?” This is what they told us:

 

My summer so far has been unconventional, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. For one, my July here in the southern hemisphere has been cold and wintry rather than sunny and humid like the Burg. I’m studying at the University of Otago for the fall of my junior year, but another side effect of being in the southern hemisphere is that this is their spring semester and I’m already a month into my classes! New Zealand has always been on my bucket list, so being able to study abroad here, even as a double STEM major, has been a dream come true. Between the beautiful hikes, Lord of the Rings filming locations, and the lovely kiwis (the birds, the fruits, and the wonderful people here), I couldn’t ask for a better “summer.”

-Emily Hall ’21

“This past summer, I interned in Hong Kong through William & Mary’s Freeman Intern Fellowship in Asia within the Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (AMES) and Asian American & Pacific Islander Studies (APIA) departments. I always thought of Hong Kong as a bustling city, and I discovered it was that and so much more. I never expected to be able to hike lush mountains and visit fishing villages just 30 minutes outside the city center, and often I would enjoy a scenic hike followed by a crowded dim sum dinner with friends. Seeing young children and elderly people walk the streets and through the markets was a fantastic reminder for me that at any age, I can pursue what I want in life with enough energy and determination. I was fortunate enough to be in Hong Kong at a pivotal moment in the city’s history, and I learned so much about the people of Hong Kong and the dynamics of tradition, change, and community. While I am not a citizen of Hong Kong, having an opportunity abroad through William & Mary this summer has definitely helped me understand a lot about myself and how I come to understand different cultures. While I really valued the learning opportunity I had working in Asia’s financial center, my biggest takeaways centered on how I could bring the culture of entrepreneurship and innovation that I was exposed to back to campus.

William & Mary has allowed me to achieve both my professional and personal goals, and an adventure that I will remember for the rest of my life.”

-Sean Tran ’21

I was lucky enough to get my dream internship at Penguin Random House this summer. I’m working as a Publicity and Social Media intern for Vintage & Anchor Books! The weekend before I started my internship, I attended BookCon with my mom and became even more excited to work in the industry! The attached picture was taken at BookCon.

-Katie Brownfiel ’20

This summer, I have had the amazing opportunity to partake in a William & Mary study abroad program and study in the fabulous city of Prague in the Czech Republic for 6 weeks! During this time, not only did we get to explore this beautiful country, but through the school, got to go to two other countries: Poland and Austria; and on my own merits got to go to my dream destination — Greece!!! (I finally understand why students who go abroad, once back in the States, never stop talking about it.) Now, back in the States, I’m currently working at the William & Mary Law School’s Office of Career Services as a student assistant while also getting to experience and enjoy the ‘Burg during the summertime with friends.

-Helen Tariku ’21

This summer I am working as research intern at the Center for European Policy Analysis in Washington DC. CEPA is a think tank focused on bolstering ties across the Atlantic, specifically with the Central and Eastern Europe region. I have been able to conduct research about the region, learn about many topics that affect US foreign policy, and collaborate with a lot of very knowledgeable experts. It has also been really fun to tour around DC with a lot of my friends from William & Mary who are spending the summer in DC!

-Maddie Scherer ’21

This summer I am here in Williamsburg, working as the athletics branding intern for the University Advancement Marketing & Communications department. I am assisting with researching, drafting, and putting together a comprehensive brand style guide for William & Mary Athletics. Some of the highlights so far have been getting to write the intro for the manual and giving a presentation on my research to Samantha Huge, the Director of Athletics!

-Lauren Cunningham ’20

Jack Zhang 
Assistant Dean of Admission