November 9, 2021
Student affairs in higher education student completes summer internship
Pallavi Thota completed a summer internship with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the International Student & Scholar Office.
Pallavi Thota is a graduate student in the adult education program’s student affairs in higher education certificate program and will graduate in December 2021. In summer 2021, Pallavi participated in an internship with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the International Student & Scholar Office.
“My aspirations to work in international education are a result of my personal interests and my desire to connect with global student populations,” she said.
During her internship, Pallavi assisted with social media, worked on a new handbook for incoming international students, formed a new exchange student initiative, listened in on student cases around immigration/visas, planned student events, explored the technological/software side of international education, attended a national conference, and helped hire a new team member.
“When you think of ‘interns,’ you think of typical college-aged students,” she said. “Speaking as an older student, this experience made me want to normalize ‘interns’ of all ages. I am sure there are others out there who are suddenly changing career paths or simply trying something new, and I hope people in those situations feel confident in taking the leap after seeing someone like me succeed in the same efforts.”
She added, “I built strong connections, gained new skills/knowledge, and I believe my internship and the Student Affairs in Higher Education certificate program played a major role in the number of job interviews/offers I received over the summer.”
“Pallavi was a perfect match for an internship in International Affairs — especially, when she told me she spoke multiple languages,” said Dr. Phyllis Broughton, her internship instructor. “Pallavi has lived and worked in three different continents since graduating with her undergraduate degree. She understands many of the issues and challenges faced by International Students.”
Pallavi’s career plan at this time is to pursue education policy and to work in an international capacity. She said, “I am grateful to have had experience in Student Affairs; it has given me a unique opportunity to learn about student development and the factors that affect academic performance and social progress outside of the classroom. I can use these firsthand observations and stories to influence more equitable and inclusive policies for students of all ages.”
For more program and certificate information contact Dr. Steven Schmidt, Adult Education Program Coordinator at SCHMIDTST@ecu.edu