Patty Brownlee: President
Introduction
“Global Immersions, is Boston’s leading homestay provider. Our Homestay options are designed to fit the budget and preferences of any visitor. We are dedicated to the advancement of living and learning opportunities that foster cross-cultural competency development and provide an in-depth understanding of U.S. culture and academic and business practices.” Most visitors are college students or language students, aged 23-25 years old. They generally stay from one week to five months to learn about US culture.
What does your organization look for in co-op students?
It is very important that a co-op student be able to multi-tasking. We are always looking for co-op who speaks a second language because of the international nature of the work. Any international travel experience will benefit the co-op in interactions with students in the homestay. Being able to work independently is also an important skill to have and develop because Global Immersions is a small organization.
What can co-op students expect to do while working for your organization?
Every day on the job changes at Global Immersions. Employees are here-to-there in a heartbeat because there are many emails coming in daily, calling us to action. Many days co-ops would be going out on home visits. On each visit two people will go out to serve our clients – this experience has exposed co-ops to a variety of cultures.
What do you think students take away from their time with your organization?
It is real insight as to how a small business works. Because of this dynamic, co-ops can more easily bring their unique skill sets to the table for consideration – all interns say this about their time at Global Immersions.
