Ava Gallardo '27 Paris

Ava Gallardo '27 (Marketing & Global Business Minor) interned at Parsons Paris: The New School in Paris, France.

If you worked on a big project during your internship, please describe what you did to help. 

During my internship abroad where I worked in the careers department, I worked on many different projects but the most important task I was given was to gather information and statistics on all students' internships at Parsons Paris, The New School. I was given a spreadsheet with all the internships students have done and I had to gather data on how many internships there were, how many students had internships, how many students in a certain program had internships, etc. It was separated by academic year, so I had to gather all of the information from 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years. Once I completed the statistics tasks I took all of the information I found and created a presentation to show the information I learned and also show how the career department can utilize this to help students get even more internships. 

What did you find most challenging about your internship? 

The thing that I found most challenging about my internship was not the work or the internship but making sure I got enough sleep and having a good balance. When I was abroad working I was working from 10-6 every day and it was more exhausting than I thought it would be. Especially with the commute and also wanting to explore the city after work. I think if I took more days where I just relaxed after work or allowed myself to take a weekend to just stay in the city that would've been beneficial. 

What advice do you have for other students that are also considering interning abroad? 

One piece of advice I would give to other students that are considering going abroad is to not have any expectations and to be very adaptable. The work environment and tasks are mostly very different than anything you have done before but if you come in with an open mind and flexible attitude you will excel. Everyone that I met loved their work you just have to put yourself out there. Another piece of advice would be to not tire yourself out. It’s hard being in a new environment, across the world, in a city you want to explore but you have to give yourself some dedicated times to relax or else you will burn out and not be able to work or enjoy the experience to the best of your ability.

How did Eller (or your previous coursework) prepare you for your internship?

Eller and my previous coursework very much prepared me for this internship. One way it did was with all of my BNAN classes excel work. The Case Assignments really helped me because we had to learn all about excel and the different functions. This was very useful when I had to do all of my statistics. In addition, the Eller classes that taught me about being professional and interview preparation turned out to be very beneficial. It helped me not only get the internship but also gain respect from my co-workers and boss.