intelligentimp

Are there any MIT programs that allow freshman to intern/work abroad? especially programs with an emphasis on leadership?
I believe most of MISTI's programs don't deal with leadership or am I mistaken? also MISTI tend not to take freshmen?

Star*

MISTI definitely takes freshmen (I know a number who have done it), but I'm not so sure about the whole leadership aspect...

LauraN

What exactly do you mean by "leadership"? I don't know of ANY internship program which promotes leadership exactly....being an intern is sort of the opposite of being a leader, really.

There are several programs that involve teaching abroad (MEET, CETI, Highlights for High Schools) if that's the kind of thing you mean...

It might be slightly harder to get an internship as a freshman through MISTI, but all grades are welcomed and encouraged to apply.

la montagne

I know several people who have gotten internships through MISTI as freshmen; just put the work and research in and you should be able to find something. I, too, am confused about the leadership thing.

intelligentimp

I apologize for the vagueness of the term, examples of what I mean by leadership: I had a friend who organized 30 people for a community project that serviced several NGOs in South America and another who worked in project management at a finance company in France- both were rising sophomores/graduating freshman when they did this through a program at their school.

@La montagne: when you say research, do you mean doing actual research with a professor or researching the MISTI?
@La montagne and Star: Were the people did MISTI as freshmen really exceptional academically or foreign language wise?

thanks for the replies

la montagne

I meant research on the program.

I don't think they were really exceptional...

Star*

Foreign language wise, some MISTI programs require language proficiency and other don't. I know a freshman who did MISTI Israel, for example, which doesn't require a language component, so she didn't know any Hebrew at all when she went. Other countries, like Japan, require you to have completed Japanese IV (I think) or have the equivalent language skills.

As for academic ability, sure they were smart, but not ridiculously so. They were just committed to participating in MISTI, so they spent the time looking into it and finding places who would accept them as freshmen. It helps to have previous experience in whatever field you're looking into (maybe a previous internship, or participating in a UROP during your freshmen year).

LauraN

To clarify, what MISTI does is send your resume out to some companies that they have contacts with. Getting an internship through MISTI as a freshman is "harder" in the sense that it can be harder to get any internship as a freshman when you don't really have much experience yet. Also, the programs do have something of a quota in the sense that most companies will have a limit on how many interns they can take and each MISTI program can really only know so many companies. So in a sense you're competing against other MIT students and upperclassmen who are also applying.

I say this just to clarify what I meant, not to give the impression that it's super hard to do. I'd say if you go to MISTI as an upperclassman you're almost guaranteed to get something....as a freshman, there's a chance you'd be disappointed. But definitely go for it if you're interested.

As for the kinds of leadership stuff you're talking about, the PSC provides funding for students who want to go do projects on their own...but you'd have to have the brilliant idea and do most of the organizing yourself. They'll help you pay for it, but they're mostly looking for students who are coming in with plans formed already.