Group Internships

Working with ABROADER has been a delight; their partnership in building a program that works for both our model and local realities has been top notch. Over the last few years, we have worked closely together to open a new location for Northwestern’s Global Engagement Studies Institute (GESI) in Hanoi. This eight-week program sends small groups of Northwestern students to intern directly with community-based organizations in Hanoi to partner on work prioritized by the host organization. ABROADER builds and maintains relationships with a wide variety of organizations that are passionate about their missions, as well as hosting students. Working collectively to prioritize both student learning as well as host organization priorities/community outcomes has been ideal. During their time abroad GESI students also partner with local buddies, peers from local colleges and universities, who work with them as teammates throughout the eight weeks. Working with local buddies has proved invaluable; GESI students have gained a significant depth of perspective of live in Hanoi, both professional and personal, by working as teammates. From work placements and homestays to local buddies and cultural excursions, ABROADER has been not only available, but proactive in facilitating an experience that offers students deep engagement.

My meaningful relationship with Lucy Nguyen goes back to 2014 when I served as a Fulbright Scholar in Hanoi, Vietnam. From that time, I have personally witnessed ABROADER’s stellar trajectory of growth and success. I knew from the moment I met Ms. Nguyen that she was deeply passionate about providing high-value opportunities for students both from outside Vietnam, and domestic. To that end, Lucy created an incredible three-week, highly immersive, multi-faceted learning experience for my College of Business students. We simply couldn’t have asked for more! My students were exposed to various locales in northern Vietnam, a home stay in Sapa, political/cultural/economic knowledge expert presentations, hands-on learning opportunities, a service project, and industry visits and tours…all interwoven with unique and powerful interactions with local student buddies. Ongoing relationships with these Vietnamese buddies have endured long past our parting. Ms. Nguyen covered all bases without a single hitch—spanning from visa procurement to our flight back to the states. Our program was uniquely developed based on my requests and desired outcomes—not retrofitted into some pre-existing travel package. She superbly well communicated with me prior to our departure, during our time in Vietnam, and after our departure. My students returned home enriched and forever changed by their experience. I cannot adequately express my great respect and sincere gratitude for all that Lucy Nguyen created and provided to my students, and to me.

I fell in love in and with Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam all thanks to ABROADER! I was part of the Ohio University Global Engagement team that visited Vietnam in 2019. Lucy and her team made the trip a never-to-forget trip. Though we were a bunch of faculty and staff, not the usual exchange students that ABROADER handles, they still were there for us. Creating meaningful and worthwhile professional and cultural engagement for us. From the stroll in the central market of Ho Chi Minh City, boat-ride down the Mekong Delta, interaction with local business leaders and university faculty – ABROADER did an excellent job! When it comes to groups, exchange students, study-abroad students’ trips to Vietnam intending to have an authentic worthy Vietnamese experience, then without a shade of doubt, I would recommend ABROADER!

I would like to thank you for your leadership, guidance and support of our pre-service teachers on the recent Vietnam International Professional Experience. Your thorough planning, preparation and attention to detail, along with your outstanding leadership during this professional experience, ensured that it was a great success for all concerned. The experiences that you enabled our pre-service teachers to have, and the relationships that you have built with collaborating schools, are vital to the work of the Faculty Education at Monash University. Your wealth of knowledge and experience in support the organization of quality International Professional Experience for our students is highly appreciated and valued. I am sure that the experiences had by all participants in this practicum will remain with them for many years to come.