Experiential learning opportunities are key when investigating careers focused on foreign languages and cultures, whether through internships, job shadows, or informational interviews. Below is a list of locations where St. Olaf students have completed experiential learning activities related to foreign language and area studies since 2000. Interns’ majors include: Africa and the Americas, Asian Studies, Chinese and China Studies, French, German, Hispanic Studies, Japan Studies, Latin, Latino/Latin American Studies, Middle East Studies, Nordic Studies, Norwegian, Russian Language and Area Studies, and Spanish. Use this list to get started and to spark your creativity – there are numerous organizations not mentioned here that may also offer opportunities!
Organizations where Oles have interned in the past
General Search Resources
Return to Experiential Learning Opportunities by Major >>
Categories of organizations include:
- Africa and the Americas
- Asian Studies
- Chinese and China Studies
- French
- German
- Hispanic Studies, Latino/Latin American Studies, and Spanish
- Japanese and Japan Studies
- Middle East Studies
- Norwegian and Nordic Studies
- Russian Language and Area Studies
Organizations where Oles have interned in the past
Africa and the Americas
- American Red Cross
- African Impact (Zambia)
- Children’s HeartLink
- Coffee House Press
- Lutheran Social Services
- Lutheran World Relief
- MN Department of Public Health
- Northfield Historical Society
- Professional Association of Treatment Homes (PATH, Inc)
Asian Studies
- Access to Justice Asia (Singapore)
- Allen Memorial Hospital
- Begonia Foundation
- Center for Hmong Arts & Talent
- Children’s Home Society of MN -Provide services in adoption, early childcare and education, child and family support, and counseling and therapy.
- Cole Dermatology (Northfield, MN) – Medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology.
- Concordia Language Villages
- Christ Lutheran Church on Capitol Hill
- Ecumenical Loan Funds for Human Development – Non-profit ecumenical microfinance organization focused on supporting human development and building sustainable communities.
- Education First
- English House Joy and Otofuke Town Hall
- Erica Zweifel for City Council
- Foundation for Women’s Rights Promotion and Development
- General Mills
- Greenvale Park Elementary
- Interdean Interconnex S.A. (Vietnam)
- Japanime
- Joy English Academy and Komaba Middle School
- Kingcar Education Foundation
- KJ International Resources
- Laogai Research Foundation
- Lexus Mission Viejo
- Lutheran Church of the Redeemer
- Master Communications Group
- Minnesota Senate
- Northfield Historical Society
- Parkview Hospital
- Project Vietnam (Vietnam)
- ProWorld (Teaching English to Hmong Children)
- River Valley Vision Center
- SageVision (China)
- Social Research Institute (Thailand) – Social science research and training.
- Southeast Asian Resource Action Center (SEARAC)
- St Olaf College, Asian Studies Dept.
- St. College – IIT
- St. Olaf College – History Dept.
- St. Olaf World Languages Center
- St. Olaf College, Piper Center for Vocation and Career
- St. Olaf College, Music Dept.
- St. Olaf College – GEAR-UP – Prepares high school students for undergraduate study through mentoring, tutoring, college and financial planning, and study skills workshops.
- Take Action Minnesota
- The Children’s Home of Reading (Reading, PA) – Care for needs of children and families in crisis and prepare them for success in life.
- Theater Mu
- Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
- US Environmental Protection Agency
- V.I.B.E. Urban Youth Ministries (St. Paul, MN) – Collaboration of urban congregations.
- WCAL 89.3 FM
- War Kids Relief – Children’s Culture Connection
- Wells Fargo Equipment Finance
- Xuhui Institute of Education Shanghai
- 90.9 FM WDCB Public Radio
Chinese and China Studies
- Begonia Foundation
- Foundation for Women’s Rights Promotion and Development
- Kingcar Education Foundation
- Laogai Research Foundation (Washington, D.C.) – Gather information and raise awareness of human rights violations in China.
- Lutheran Church of the Redeemer
- Take Action Minnesota
- United States Department of State
- Villages of Hope (Africa) – Provide food, clothing, education, and shelter for children in need.
- Xuhui Institute of Education Shanghai
French
- American Red Cross (St. Paul and Minneapolis, MN)
- Bahama Consulting (Inver Grove, MN) – Provide clients with IT, finance, retail, and healthcare professionals.
- Casa Bernabe, Friends of Children Everywhere (Guatemala) – Provide food, shelter, medical services, Christian education to abused, orphaned, and abandoned children.
- Children Better Way (Ghana) – Promote rehabilitation and development of children affected by conflict.
- Make-a-Wish Foundation (Minneapolis, MN) -Grants wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses.
- Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) – Financial and accounting intern.
- Pella Regional Health Center (Pella, IA) – Provide a variety of services for patients of all ages.
- Ruth’s House (Faribault, MN) – Shelter for abused women and children.
- St. Olaf College, Archives -Houses historical information on the founding and growth of St. Olaf College.
- Satchidananda Ashram/Yogaville (Buckingham, VA) – Yoga community for spiritual enfoldment.
- Teach for America (Minneapolis, MN) -Recent college grads teach for 2 years in urban and rural schools.
- Thomsen & Nybeck P.A. (Bloomington, MN) – Attorneys in Real Estate, Litigation, Business, and Personal Services.
- WCAL(Northfield, MN)- Minnesota Public Radio communications intern.
German
- American Folklife Center, Library of Congress (Washington, D.C.) – Preserve folk culture and history.
- B.I.N.S.S. (Berlin, Germany) – IT services and solutions in Danger Detection Technology.
- Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA) (Minneapolis, MN) – Improve U.S.’s ability to teach foreign languages.
- Christian Democratic Union (Germany) – Prepare and execute political campaigns.
- dSPACE (Paderborn, Germany) – Engineering company for tools which develop and test computer software.
- Deutscher Arbeitskreis fur Familienhilfe (Todtnauberg, Germany) – Family and child support and treatment center.
- Evangelista Kirchgemeinde Plon (Plon Schleswig-Holstein, Germany) – Evangelical Lutheran Church.
- German Council on Foreign Affairs (Berlin, Germany) – Improve understanding of international relations and scientifically explore pertinent issues of German foreign policy.
- Just Food Co-Op (Northfield, MN) – Fresh, local, and organic foods and sustainable household products.
- The Minnesota Opera (Minneapolis, MN) – Produce operas and opera education programs.
- Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) – Physicians, scientists, and researchers in health fields.
- Mayo Scholars Program (Rochester, MN) – St. Olaf program to evaluate projects submitted to Mayo Office of Intellectual Property.
- Northfield Historical Society (Northfield, MN) – Preserve, interpret, and honor history of Northfield.
- Northfield Public Library (Northfield, MN)
- Rice County Day Treatment Program (Faribault, MN) – Special education and mental health services for grades K-12 in Rice County schools.
- SMSQ Architects (Northfield, MN) – Architecture planning, feasibility studies, design, and construction administration.
- Thomsen and Nybeck P.A. (Edina, MN) – Attorneys for real estate, litigation, business, and individual services.
- US Forest Service (Gardiner, MT) – Manage public lands in national forests and grasslands.
- University of Paderborn (Paderborn, Germany)
- v. Bodelschwinghsche Anstalten Bethel (Bielefeld, Germany) – Provide humane assistance to sick, crippled, and socially weak.
- Wallmedien AG (Paderborn, Germany) -Use eProcurement and develop solutions for companies.
- Wewelsburg Museum (Buren, Germany) – Castle which was formerly and office of the SS Order.
Hispanic Studies, Latino/Latin American Studies, and Spanish
- Abbott Northwestern Hospital (Minneapolis, MN) – Largest hospital in the Twin Cities.
- Academia Sandoval (Denver, CO) – Dual-language Montessori school (3 yrs- 6th grade).
- Allina Medical Clinic (Northfield, MN) – Healthcare provider.
- Amigos de las Americas (Alameda, CA) – Prepares young adults for service in Latin America.
- Bozeman Daily Chronicle (Bozeman, MT) – Sales/marketing intern for the newspaper.
- Brown Clinic (Watertown, SD) – Healthcare clinic.
- Casa Bernabe (Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala) – Home to abused and homeless children.
- Casa de Los Angeles (San Miguel de Allende, Mexico) – Support for children and families.
- Centro de Salud (Minneapolis, MN) – Culturally affirming health clinic for all ages.
- Cloudforest Initiatives (St. Paul, MN) – Partner with Mayans in Chiapas, Mexico and Fair Trade Coffee.
- Fallon Worldwide (Minneapolis, MN) – Advertising agency.
- Fete Perfection, LLC (St. Louis Park, MN) – Wedding and event planning.
- Foley High School (Foley, MN)
- Fundacion del Servicio Exterior para la Paz y la Democracia (San Jose, Costa Rica) – Work to create more justice, freedom, and peace in the democracy.
- Greenvale Park Elementary School (Northfield, MN) – Kindergarten-5th grade education.
- Interfaith Service to Latin America (Nicaragua) – Medical, education, and construction programs.
- Kare11 (Minneapolis, MN) – News and weather television station.
- La Anita Rainforest Ranch (Upala, Alajuela, Costa Rica) – Macadamia and flower plantation.
- Latino Economic Development Corporation (Washington, D.C.) – Provide bilingual financial guidance.
- Merrill Lynch (Minneapolis, MN) – Financial management and advising.
- Minnesota International Center (Minneapolis, MN) – Create conversations across cultures.
- Minnesota Private College Council, Fund & Research Foundation (St. Paul, MN) – Preserve and enhance private higher education.
- Northfield Independent School District 659 (Northfield, MN) – Education (non-certified) positions.
- Ordway Center for Performing Arts (St. Paul, MN) – Theater, dance, and music programs.
- Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church (Minneapolis, MN)
- RBC Dain Rauscher (Minneapolis, MN) – Full-service securities firm.
- Riverview Economic Development Association (St. Paul, MN) – Enhance West St. Paul community.
- Robin’s Nest Children’s Home (St. James, Jamaica) – Christ-centered home for children.
- St. Paul Chamber Orchestra (St. Paul, MN)
- Target Corporation (Minneapolis, MN) – Sales/Marketing internship with Target.
- The Advocates for Human Rights (Minneapolis, MN) – Research, education, and advocacy for human rights.
- University of Montreal (Montreal, Canada) – Second largest university in Canada. Science/research position.
- Wells Fargo (Minneapolis, MN) – Communications/Public Relations internship.
- Yanapuma Foundation (Ecuador) – Volunteer in education, environmental, and medical positions.
Japanese and Japan Studies
- Education First
- English House Joy and Otofuke Town Hall
- Japanime
- Joy English Academy and Komaba Middle School
- Master Communications Group (Bloomington, MN) – Consulting firm and partner.
- St. Olaf World Languages Center (St. Olaf College) – Serves the foreign language departments of the college.
Middle East Studies
- Academic Support Center (St. Olaf College) – Assists students in developing study techniques.
- Augustana Lutheran Church (St. Paul, MN)
- Arab-American Family Support Center (Brooklyn, NY) – Social services for immigrant families.
- City of Northfield (Northfield, MN) – Government internship.
- Friendship Ventures (Eden Prairie, MN) – Create opportunities for those with mental disabilities.
- Healthy Community Initiative (Northfield, MN) – Collaboration between community and families to support positive youth development.
- Lutheran Coalition for Public Policy (St. Paul, MN) – Promote policies supporting peace & justice.
- Rape Victim Advocates (Chicago, IL) – Protect rights of rape victims.
- Redeemer Lutheran Church (Minneapolis, MN)
- United States Senate: Office of Amy Klobuchar (Minneapolis, MN)
- War Kids Relief (Dennison, MN) – Facilities and programs for kids traumatically affected by war.
- Yanapuma Foundation (Ecuador) – Volunteer in education, environmental, and medical positions.
Norwegian and Nordic Studies
- Burnsville High School (Burnsville, MN) – Recreation/fitness internship.
- Eppley Institute for Cancer Research (Omaha, NE) – Provide training, research, and care.
- Hennepin County Department of Community Corrections (Minneapolis, MN) – Supervision and services for public offenders.
- MN Orchestra (Minneapolis, MN) – Public Affairs internship.
- Nordic Lights Film Festival (Minneapolis, MN) – Film Festival planning
- Northfield Historical Society (Northfield, MN) – Preserve, interpret, and honor the city’s history.
- Rejoice! Lutheran Renewal Church (Northfield, MN)
- Signature Flight Support (Rochester, MN) – Business internship with airline.
- US Dept. of State/US Embassy (Oslo, Norway) – Protect and promote U.S. interests in Norway.
- University of Tromso (Tromso, Norway) – Medical internship.
- Walgreens (Northfield, MN) – Pharmacy internship.
Russian Language and Area Studies
- Augsburg Fortress (Minneapolis, MN) – Publishing house of the ELCA.
- Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas (Dallas, TX) – Sales/Marketing intern.
- Kuban State University (Krasnodar, Russia) – Education (non-certified) internship.
- Minnesota Monthly (Minneapolis, MN) – Public Relations intern for the magazine.
- Russian Department (St. Olaf College)
- Towers Watson Worldwide (Bloomington, MN) – Global professional services company.
General Search Resources
Where To Look- Piper Center Internship Search Resources
Specific Internship Postings
- Intern Abroad
- Intrax International Internships
- Asia Studies Internships -through St. Olaf College (offered Summer 2010)
- OverseasJobs.com
- Monster Work Abroad
- JobsAbroad.com
- International Staffing Consultants
- Lat Pro
- Trabajos.com (in Spanish)
- TwoLingos.com
- Asian Jobs.com
- Hispanic Jobs.com
Professional Organizations
These organizations provide information, networking, and additional training opportunities and may offer student memberships at a discount.
- International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language
- Association of International Educators
- Council on International Educational Exchange
- American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
- Foreign Policy Association Student Corner
- American Translators Association
- National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators
- National Council on Interpreting in Health Care
Links which provide additional information beyond internships in the following areas.