Employers today are looking for a lot more than a degree. They want confident and experienced candidates who can thrive in a multicultural world. One way that UCI students can gain such experience and skills is by getting an internship while they study abroad! Priscilla Tenggara of UC Irvine, did just that. In fact, she did so well that she won the University of California Education Abroad Program (UCEAP) Internship Award.

The purpose of the award is to recognize students like Priscilla, who have distinguished themselves through internships conducted while abroad on UCEAP and to encourage other students to take part in internships abroad.

The UCEAP honors award winners with a $500 prize and the opportunity to have their experiences shared with the UCEAP community.

Join us in learning more about Priscilla’s story:

Priscilla Tenggara selected Berlin as her study abroad destination due to the city’s rich history and culture but also because it afforded her the opportunity to be immersed in one of Europe’s fastest growing startup and tech scenes. At the encouragement of her host mother, she attended a networking event at a local coffee shop for local entrepreneurs, investors, and tech enthusiasts called Silicon Allee.

After some initial intimidation, Priscilla found herself easily integrating into the community of techies who were open to people with a wide range of backgrounds, and shortly thereafter she interviewed and secured her spot as the Global Marketing Intern for Factory, a startup that builds tech campuses for entrepreneurs. As the Global Marketing Intern, Priscilla’s goal was to help the company grow through marketing practices while seeking opportunities of expansion in various European cities. She was able to build social value by fostering relationships with Factory’s global network and local partners through the company’s social media.

Through her hard work she was able to increase the Twitter Impressions for her company by 255%. However, managing the social media accounts wasn’t enough for Priscilla. She wanted to make sure that the groundwork she laid for the company was carried through to future interns. As a result, she created a 25-page Twitter Marketing Manual that details the strategies that future interns can use and also provides helpful ways they can grow Factory’s online brand without making the same mistakes she did. She is especially proud of the project because it signifies her imprint in the company, not just as an intern but as someone who pushed herself outside her comfort zone to enter the male-dominated tech startup scene of Germany.

“Throughout my experience interning abroad, one word to describe the most valuable skill I’ve learned is adaptability. Moving into a new country is not easy, let alone working in a new culture where business norms differ. There were times in my internship where cultural clashes and misunderstandings occurred but I learned to view these nuances as chances for me to adapt out of my comfort zone. Working abroad has not only given me multicultural knowledge about marketing but has also reshaped my communication skills and views on work culture. Willingly adapting to new surroundings opened my mind and enabled me to fully immerse myself in the Berlin tech scene without preconceived judgements.”