Sydney in New York
By: Scott Klein, Wharton ’24
A Zoom breakout room of a Business in Sydney social event. Featured snacks include Tim Tams, Cherry Ripe, and Vegemite.
bronID – Sydney, Australia
Coming to Penn, I knew that I wanted to have an international experience before graduating. Since most students study abroad in the latter half of their college experience, I looked for an internship opportunity this summer. When I learned about GRIP from a Penn senior and how it offered an internship abroad, it sounded like a perfect combination. So I applied for GRIP’s Business in Sydney program because, in addition to experiencing Sydney’s bustling startup culture, I would have academic opportunities and a cohort of Penn peers in the city.
When I found out that GRIP would be online this summer due to COVID-19 precautions, I was disappointed. For me, a significant appeal of studying abroad is that it’s immersive. While English is the most spoken language in Australia, there are numerous cultural aspects that I would have had to adapt to. Ultimately, I decided to move forward with the GRIP program because I knew that Business in Sydney was an established program. Therefore, I was reassured when I learned about the measures they were taking for an online experience.
Two weeks into my program, GRIP has been better than I imagined. When I came home from campus in the spring, I found a package at my door from Sydney. They’d sent me a care package! Inside, I found University of Sydney swag, including a shirt, water bottle, stuffed kookaburra (it’s a bird), and many Aussie snacks. I’m interning at bronID, which is a regulatory technology company focused on anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing. Here, I have the opportunity to learn directly from the founder of the company about critical concerns all modern financial companies deal with daily. Every week, I attend a workshop hosted by an instructor at the University of Sydney, where I learn about fundamental concerns when interning abroad. These workshops are supplemented with social events attended by current University of Sydney students and students studying abroad. I’ve included a photo from the snack tasting event this week!
Although I hoped to be in Sydney this summer, a virtual internship has its benefits. With most of my work done asynchronously, I have time to enjoy my first summer of college home in New York. In addition, I’ve been able to go on trips with my friends and family and work on personal projects at home. I’m grateful that I can spend this summer reflecting and learning, and I look forward to the day I can visit Sydney in person.
The Global Research and Internship Program (GRIP) provides outstanding undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to intern or conduct research abroad for 8 to 12 weeks over the summer. Participants gain career-enhancing experience and global exposure that is essential in a global workforce.Â