This article is part of a series of interviews with MUDEC students who interned abroad in Spring 2020 and was originally published during the semester in the MUDEC Méinden newsletter. Although COVID-19 cut short their study abroad experience, some internships were completed online.

MUDEC junior Serena Lanum majors in Marketing. Lanum was born in China, but has lived in Columbus, Ohio her entire life.

Tell us a little bit about your internship in Luxembourg: where you interned, the location of your internship, what you did when you were there. Has your internship changed in any way since returning to the United States?

This semester I had the opportunity to take on two part-time internships. The first internship I got was MJ Consulting, an independent management consultant (Marcin Jasinski), where Jake McCorkle was also working. After getting the job, Marcin and I got right to business on his social media presence and finding him new clients. He has two different accounts and we are trying to grow the following on both accounts (@mj.jasinski and @movingisliving.blog). After researching the best platform for him to work on, I could help Marcin apply to new jobs that sounded interesting. This internship was already a remote internship, so not much has changed since I have been home.

The second internship I have is with LUXWMN and City Savvy, which is based in Differdange. Amanda Roberts is the owner of both companies and recruited me to work with her through one of her other interns. Like MJ Consulting, I also work on the social media accounts for both businesses (@luxwmn and @city_savvy_lux). Macayla Temple, another part-time intern, and I were given the task to create a website for LUXWMN.

After working a little under two weeks, the website was ready to launch. If you would like to check it out, visit www.luxwmn.com! This internship was the highlight of my week because of the people I work with, so the transition back home was harder than my other internship. I think that we all played off each other’s energy and now we aren’t in the same room. Amanda, Lucy Greaney (full-time Intern with the Luxembourg Digital Innovation (LDI) program), and I still Facetime together to talk about what we are doing and what needs to get done which helps with our motivation.

Why did you want to intern with this company?

I applied to three internships and ended up getting MJ Consulting. As a marketing major, I don't have as much experience with consulting, so I thought that this would be a great opportunity to gain insights into a new industry. Marcin has been a successful management consultant across Europe, and I wanted to learn from someone who is so dedicated to his work.

For LUX WMN/City Savvy, I got this through one of my friends who is in the LDI program rather than applying. I was meeting up with her and her boss was there. Amanda offered me a position on the spot and I couldn't resist because it was the perfect internship for me. After meeting with Amanda, I could tell how ambitious she is with her future projects. This position has allowed me to dip my toes into so many different opportunities whether it is creating a website or trying to make a podcast.
Both companies are entrepreneurial and have given me the opportunity to work with their social media platforms in addition to giving me other tasks.

Why did you want to intern while abroad?

When coming to study abroad, I didn't know that an independent study was an option until I talked to someone else who was doing one. I think that this is a great opportunity for students who are not in the LDI program to get real life experience with a company and practice their skills that they have developed in the classroom. LDI is a fantastic program to offer, but since that is not my major I was unable to do a full-time internship. I want to move to Europe after I graduate to work in the business industry and these internships confirmed my desire to still move. I love staying busy and this semester both internships allowed me to do so. It is a lot of work, but I think it is all worth it.

What are you most excited for in your internship?

Both internships have allowed me to grow my network and build relationships with Amanda and Marcin. I am interested in seeing the follower growth on all four business accounts. I loved going into the office each week with Amanda and wish that I still could go in. I am most excited to continue building those relationships, both personally and professionally.

Why did you choose to study abroad with MUDEC, and what were you looking forward to when you returned to the U.S.?

I knew that I always wanted to study abroad, I just didn’t know where and when. The MUDEC program fit into my schedule perfectly. I didn’t want to worry about transferring credits and knew that MUDEC was a branch campus of Miami that was well organized. I also knew a few people who completed the MUDEC program and absolutely loved it. I love exploring and thought that this program would allow me to focus on school and still be able to travel with ease. Since being home, I have been able to cook differently almost every night! I also can spend more time with my family.

What is a fun fact that most people don't know about you?

My favorite font is Shree Devanagari 714 and I am a certified scuba diver.

Read how Marcin Jasinski's consulting firm benefited from the contributions of MUDEC interns