How Kristine combines her passion for business and international relations
Kristine Fibich is 25 years old and is currently writing her Master's thesis in Business Administration. Shortly before completing her studies, she was given the opportunity to do an internship in New York City through the Professional Experience Programme (PEP). Her exciting journey in the city that never sleeps began in a small flat right in Manhattan with a view of the Chrysler Building.
Gaining international experience - Kristine's path to New York
It was April 2023 when Kristine first heard about the Professional Experience Programme (PEP) at Campus OWL New York. The Paderborn student had just flown to New York for the annual Model United Nations (MUN) conference. She is Vice President of the PaderMUN student club and simulates United Nations (UN) conferences together with her fellow students. Kristine is there both as a delegate and as a head delegate and helps prepare the delegation. It is also her professional dream to combine business with international relations later on.
During the conference in New York, Kristine visits the "German House". This is where the OWL New York Campus is based , which has been organising the PEP since 2022. The aim of the Professional Experience Programme is to give students from the Ostwestfalen-Lippe (OWL) region the chance to gain valuable international work experience during a three-month internship in New York. Kristine is immediately enthusiastic about this opportunity. She decides to take the plunge, applies for the programme and is actually accepted.
Discovering transatlantic relationships
Exactly one year later, the time has come - Kristine flies to New York again for her internship at the American Council on Germany (ACG). The ACG is a non-profit organisation that sponsors a strong transatlantic relationship between Germany and America. It organises initiatives such as political discussions, study trips and the German-American Young Leaders Conference. Kristine is impressed by this work: "One of the most important aspects of my internship was to observe how the US and Germany - despite many similarities - differ significantly in culture, politics and perspectives. From discussions about global elections, healthcare systems, civic participation and combating disinformation, I learnt how both nations can continue to grow by learning from each other."
Kristine's day-to-day internship is very varied. In addition to organising the various events, she also helps with research and completes administrative tasks. Her favourite part is the virtual discussions, for which she is allowed to write summaries: "I've learnt a lot from the various presentations and new things about a wide range of topics. But it wasn't always so easy to summarise all this input on one page." Another highlight for Kristine: while scanning documents, she discovers thank-you letters from politicians such as Joe Biden and Barack Obama.
The American Dream? - Kristine's life in Manhattan
During her breaks, Kristine often goes over to Central Park. It feels surreal for her to walk among the suits who are probably on their way to their important jobs. Kristine is right in the middle of it all and can't get away from it all: "New York epitomises the American Dream. In this city, you have the feeling that you can really do anything. You can see and experience something new everywhere - whether it's Broadway, baseball or the skyline. I also discovered a German bar. I watched the European Championship games there with the other PEP participants."
Kristine still can't imagine living in New York in the long term. The city is very hectic, loud and, above all, expensive. "The cost of living is significantly more expensive than in Germany. Fruit, meat and cheese in particular sometimes cost twice as much," reports the business administration student. Finding a flat in the centre of Manhattan is also difficult: "I looked for a flat for a long time. Through a contact from Campus OWL, I finally found a woman who was renting a room in her flat very close to Grand Central Station." For $1500 a month, Kristine moved in with a woman in her 70s and her cat. The woman is super nice and Kristine is happy to have found something in New York. During her time abroad, the student also gains a very unique flat-sharing experience.
Kristine's conclusion
After returning home, Kristine can say that her three-month internship at the American Council on Germany was a complete success: "Living and working in New York City took me out of my comfort zone. The city's relentless energy, diversity and challenges have taught me resilience, adaptability and the importance of remaining open to new perspectives. It's an environment that demands growth and has inspired me to set even bigger goals for the future."
Kristine also recommends an internship abroad, and the PEP in particular, to other students: "An internship abroad is simply a unique experience. The PEP and Campus OWL gave me exactly the support I needed. I also made friends with the other students from OWL who were in New York at the same time. It was simply an all-round enriching experience for me."
You want that too?
Discover the diversity of economics in our Bachelor's degree programmes. Each degree programme usually lasts six semesters and prepares you for a career start or a postgraduate Master's degree.
More information about
- to the Bachelor's degree programme in Economics
- about the Master's degree programme in Business Administration
