The Conair International Ambassadors Program, founded in 2008 by Mr. Lee Rizzuto, combines high-quality internships with the Italian business and governmental community, preparatory coursework and in-class consultancies.
The Conair International Ambassadors Program is the only program that exists in the University that provides depth and breadth of experiential learning opportunities and internships in the Italian marketplace.
About the Program
The Conair International Ambassadors Program provides a summer overseas opportunity for undergraduate students to:
- Build a widespread business network of international government and private sector executives
- Provide internships and experiential learning opportunities with high-level business and governmental partners
- Improve students’ Italian language skills with an emphasis on business Italian
- Provide in-depth, high-level immersion and instruction on the development and current state of the Italian and EU economies versus those in the U.S. and BRIC countries
- Learn about Italian culture and society through a program of off-site classroom experiences involving national business and governmental partners, countrywide cultural outings, and full participation in numerous Distinguished Speaker Series conferences and events
A three credit course entitled Understanding the Global Marketplace, taught by Faculty Program Coordinator Michael L. Capella, Ph.D., serves as the launch point for the program. Throughout the course, a variety of distinguished international executives, scholars and government leaders serve as visiting professors.
Students participating in the program are exposed to and develop an appreciation of foreign cultures, political systems, religious traditions, and economic institutions with the goal of becoming thoughtful and effective global citizens. Real-time work experience is provided for students through internships and consultancies. Past marketplace participants include the Conair Corporation, Brand Portal, NIAF, and the American Chamber of Commerce in Italy.
