GRIP Media Submissions

Documenting your internship or research experience is a required component of the GRIP program.

Submitting a GRIP media post

About

Documenting your internship or research experience is an important and required component of the GRIP program. Documenting is a valuable opportunity for you to reflect on a number of different aspects of your summer experience, including your work, your engagement with the world, your identity, and more.

Win big! This year, the Global Research & Internship Program will award a $75.00 cash prize to the top three submissions of each month. Submit by the following dates to be included in that month’s prize pool:

  • June 15
  • July 15
  • August 15

Winners are eligible to reenter!

Additionally, many media posts are featured on the Penn Abroad Blog and social media channels. They serve as an important way to share your experiences with prospective students and future GRIP participants. Prompts have been provided for your consideration, but we encourage you to be creative as you reflect on and write about your summer. We look forward to reading your posts!

Instructions

As a GRIP participant, you are expected to submit one blog post and an additional media submission of your choice in any order. Due to the high volume of submissions, we may not be able to feature your blog or media submission, but we value all content that we receive.

Blog Post

Complete blog posts should be at least 400 words and include at least one photo. You are welcome and encouraged to submit more than one photo!

  • Submit photos of yourself to add a personal element to your post.
  • Use images that feature an aspect of a day in the life of your internship experience, you in your workspace, or some feature of your cultural experience.
  • Make sure you have permission to use photos.

Blog prompts are provided for you to use or consider. Be creative, and feel free to write about another topic that isn’t listed in the prompts section.

Media Submission

The second deliverable is a media submission of your choice. We welcome creativity! Past GRIP participants have submitted the following:

  • Interview with your internship or research supervisor
  • Photo essay of local gems using public transportation or walking
  • A Spotify playlist of songs inspired by your GRIP location
  • Day in the Life reel to be posted on the Penn Abroad Instagram
  • Other Instagram post
  • LinkedIn post
  • Another blog

This list is not exhaustive and we welcome new ideas for deliverables. For more details on what previous GRIP participants have submitted, check out the GRIP Posting Guidelines. If you’re feeling stuck of have questions about your media submission, reach out to intern-abroad@upenn.edu.

Important Notes on Content

  • Your voice is important to us! Please submit blogs and captions using your own writing. It is okay to use generative large language learning models to help think of ideas, but we want all writing materials in your voice. ​
  • Please ask permission of individuals before taking a photo or including them in a media submission, and ensure they know that they may be posted to Penn Abroad social media or website.
  • We cannot post photos of minors. If you must include a photo of a child, please place an emoji or blur out the child’s face. ​
  • We avoid posting images of students handling wild animals for health, safety, and ethical concerns.
  • While participating in protests is a fundamental right, we advise against it from a health and safety perspective when students are abroad. For this reason, we will not post any content that highlights participation in protests on Penn Abroad social media. 

Prompts

Here are some questions to think about as you draft your blog or other media submission.

Internship Experience Prompts

  • Share your feelings or some experiences from your first few days as an intern. Did your first few days go as expected? What are you looking forward to?
  • Describe the kind of project(s) you are working on as part of your internship. Why is the project important to the employer, and what role will you have in contributing to the project?
  • Describe the skills that you are using and/or developing. Is there a specific project or experience that has been part of that development?
  • Describe a surprising or difficult aspect of your internship and how you have faced this challenge. 
  • Is there an aspect of the company or the company’s work culture that you’ve found enriching? Has this made you consider your preferred working style?
  • What role has your work with colleagues played in your experience? Was there a mentor or mentorship component that was particularly impactful?
  • What areas of your own development or accomplishments are you most proud of from your time as an intern?
  •  In what way has your internship experience impacted your career path?

Abroad Experience Prompts

  • So far, have you taken any opportunities to further explore an aspect of the culture or get involved with the local community where your internship is based? Examples could include, local or cultural activities, community service, food, and/or language. How has this enhanced your experience?  
  • Have you fallen in love with your host destination, one of its traditions, or its local language(s)? If so, describe it.
  • Tell a story about a person or people you have met in the local community.
  • How has living abroad been challenging or surprising for you? How have you managed the ups and downs of living in a new place or culture?
  • Tell us about a time you stepped out of your comfort zone in your new environment.

Miscellaneous Prompts

  • Reflect on how your experience has prompted you to think about or consider your own identity or identities.
  • Write a letter to your pre-internship self. What do you wish you had known prior to the start of your GRIP internship or time living abroad?
  • Choose a picture from your experience that best represents your time in your host culture. Describe why you chose it.
  • What are ways in which your internship experience has been impactful for you?
  • Reflect on the skills that you developed during your internship period. In what ways were you able to use your skills to make a meaningful impact at your host organization?
  • Independence. Resilience. Flexibility. Loneliness. Anxiety. Excitement. Hunger. Choose a single word that resonates with you and your summer experience. Write about how it is applicable to your time abroad.
  • Thinking about your GRIP experience holistically, why are global experiences like this important? Give specific examples from your work experience and/or other opportunities you had during the summer.