Aggies share their out-of-state internship experiences
Aggies everywhere are soaking up the sun, working hard, and some are even on adventures outside of the United States.
One fellow Aggie, Jason Jerman, chose to spend his summer in Europe and Asia. As part of his global communications major, he is required to complete a practicum experience with a culture outside of his own. In doing so, he looked for different opportunities and internships through Utah State University and by himself that would help him fulfill his requirements, and found not just one, but two that will help him in his future.
Jerman, as his name suggests, is versed well in the German culture and language. Upon return from his Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints mission in Germany, he discovered that he had a real passion for the culture, and wanted to continue to learn more about it, which is why he is also studying German as his second major.
“I am looking forward to going back to Germany because I know what to expect, so it will be fun to study while I am there and learn more than just being on a mission,” Jerman said.
Japan on the other hand, will be a completely different and new experience.
“This past school year, I became really good friends with this international student from Japan,” Jerman said. “He invited me to come with him to Japan, do some humanitarian work and be a tour guide for me to experience more of the country than I would be able to if I were on my own.”
In order to prepare for his experience abroad in Japan, Jerman has researched the culture and learned some of the greetings that he will be able to use while he is there. He is excited to see a completely new place and to really embrace the culture of Japan.
Nathan Yost, an electrical engineering student at Utah State, decided to have adventures here in the U.S. He used the internet to his advantage and found a summer internship working at John Deere.
While Yost and his wife were excited for this internship and the opportunities it would bring to their family, they also faced a few challenges along the way. The internship required them to move to Fargo, North Dakota from Logan for the summer.
“We got this internship last minute, so I really wasn’t sure I would get one. We also had to travel 18 hours in a small packed full-to-the-brim car with a five-month-old baby,” Yost said.
At John Deere, Yost works on a team that develops sensors. He grew up on a dairy farm, and has always loved John Deere.
“I help create tests for new sensors and products that haven’t yet been released,” Yost explained. “It is a lot of desk work with lots of different types of equipment to run and I test all of the sensors that come my way.”
Yost’s goals for his internship have included learning all that he can to help benefit the company, which he hopes will eventually play into helping him become a better engineer.
Along with all that he has learned this summer, Yost said he has loved the work environment.
“John Deere is just about the best place you can work if you enjoy good values,” he said. “There is a lot of fun learning and they are very open to ideas to help you work on the things that interest you.”
—kortni.marie.wells@aggiemail.usu.edu
@kortniwells