By Emily Wilaj / Jambar Contributor
Youngstown State University’s Williamson College of Business Administration is entering year 11 of continuing success with the Ohio Export Internship Program.
YSU is one of the few universities to offer a program that matches junior and senior students with paid summer internships in Ohio to gain experience before graduation. Companies that participate in this program include Haltec Inc., Humtown Foundry and GBC Global.
Mousa Kassis, director of OEIP, said this is a two-part program with a spring semester course and a paid full-time internship in the following summer.
“There is a $750 stipend issued by the [Office of the Dean of Students] for any student that relocates in the state during the internship period. They will get reimbursed that amount after proof of receipt for their rental cost,” Kassis said.
According to ysu.edu, the program is a hands-on opportunity for students to take the knowledge they’ve learned in the classroom and apply their skills in real-life situations.
The OEIP focuses heavily on training students on the knowledge and skills of the exporting process, serving as workforce development.
“It’s a specialized class for training, and then that means we supply Ohio companies with a fully trained workforce that is very knowledgeable on the exporting process and international trade,” Kassis said.
The program’s recruiting process begins in the fall, where 10 to 15 students are accepted. The selection process is based on how well students perform in their fundamental business courses.
Dan Belinky, YSU alumnus and former participant of the program, said he found OEIP beneficial and that it shaped his career path.
“I learned about international trade, logistics and regulations. By the end of the program, I had completed an internship, obtained a Certified Global Business Professional certification and made many connections and friends,” Belinky said.
Belinky said the OEIP provided him with skills he uses as a senior operations manager at Versapay.
“The ability to gain credit hours towards your degree, an internship and a professional certification all in one program is extremely rewarding. Being able to collaborate with people of different skill sets is critical to expanding your career,” Belinky said.
Belinky credits Kassis for his support throughout the program and beyond.
“Kassis, who runs the program, continued to be a guiding mentor for me throughout my years at YSU beyond my time in the program,” Belinky said.
Kassis said he sees this program continuing to grow and maintain its strong foundation because of its benefits for students, Ohio businesses and the overall business community.
“This is a very unique program, and I encourage everyone in the business college or engineering to really join in,” Kassis said.
