Elon University senior Alexandria "Lexie" Savic will begin her career in Denmark after securing an internship with the Danish Institute for Study Abroad with help from the Student Professional Development Center.
Savic, an Elon University senior, is a believer that every student should have an opportunity to travel. She also discovered as graduation approached that it can be a challenge convincing a foreign firm to sponsor a visa.
But with help from staff in the Student Professional Development Center, the international business major from Marietta, Ga., recently accepted an internship as a study tours program assistant with the Danish Institute for Study Abroad. In that role, she will help coordinate study tours across Europe for students who enroll in the study abroad program that impacted her life.
Savic is the latest person to be featured during the 2014-15 academic year in a series of E-net profiles on the successes of students and alumni who have used the Student Professional Development Center to find job and internship openings, help with graduate school placements, or prepare for interviews and improve applications with guidance from staff.
She recently answered questions from the SPDC about her experience.
Tell me about your experience in landing a career with Danish Institute for Study Abroad:
I studied in Copenhagen with DIS in Fall 2013 in their international business program. It was an amazing experience and the networking I was able to do there was incredible. I had a Danish family that I became very close to. I knew they offered internships for graduates and knew I wanted to land an international job. I took a risk and applied. It was thanks to the incredible and unique opportunities I have been granted by Elon over the course of my four years that gave me the advantage in the hiring process. Elon’s international opportunities and focus helped me understand the job expectations and the confidence to know that I could exceed in this internship.
How did your interest in the organization develop?
It all started when I studied abroad in Copenhagen. I wanted to pick a unique and different place and program. Paul Geis in the Isabella Cannon Global Education Centre first introduced me to DIS and helped me make my decision. Once I was there, I was so impressed by how well that school is operated and all of the opportunities it provides for its students. I believe that traveling is something every person in the world should have the opportunity to do. DIS has a similar philosophy to their students by including two study tours to places all over Europe. I knew that being a part of the team that helps plan those trips would fall right into my passion and I would be working in the happiest city in the world.
What have you learned from the experience?
Finding an international job is hard work. No one wants to sponsor a visa for an undergraduate. That being said, it is not impossible, and Elon has more resources and connections than you realize. It is important just to keep trying and utilize everything out there. The Elon network expands far past the major U.S. cities, and that is something never to forget. Bottom line, nothing is impossible if you want it enough.
What professionals did you work with in Student Professional Development Center? What help did you receive?
I worked a lot with both Jane Mehringer and Jan Pagoria in the Porter Center. They pushed me to have the courage to go through with the application process, prepared my resume, helped me with my cover letter and made sure that I felt prepared for the Skype interview. In addition, they went out of their way to forward me additional international opportunities because they took the time to learn what I wanted and cared enough to help me achieve my dreams. I couldn’t have done it without them.
Several others helped me decide that this was something I wanted to do, and they assisted with resume and cover letter help, and with interview prep. They then helped me construct my email to accept the job offer. I couldn’t have done it without any of them.
How would you mentor and assist Elon students in achieving their career goals?
I would provide them with the same resources I used, both that were provided by the school and that I found on my own. I would teach them how to make their cover letter geared towards an international job. I would help them make connections abroad. I think one of the most valuable things about graduating from Elon is the extensive and loyal alumni network that is ready to help any fellow Elon student. I want to build that network abroad. I would very much work to get that going. I had an internship in Paris, and I have helped several students apply to that same internship. The more connections we can make abroad and provide for Elon’s network, the better.
What recommendations would you share with other students about the Student Professional Development Center?
If you are looking for something out of the box and you think it’s too out there for SPDC, think again. They know so much more than you could ever know. They can get you in touch with companies you didn’t even know existed and people who could change your professional life. Take advantage. It’s not just about resume edits. The resources and connections are there. All you have to do is ask.