Sodexo Global Internship Lets Students See the World

Before coming to SUNY Oneonta, neither Brendan Heaney nor Elizabeth Van Dick had ever traveled outside of the United States, despite their dreams of doing so.

All of that changed last year when Heaney—a dietetics major from Binghamton, New York—and Van Dick—a psychology major from Rochester, New York—were picked to participate in a unique summer global internship program offered by SUNY Oneonta.

Thanks to Oneonta’s contract with food service and facilities management company Sodexo, which has headquarters around the world, Heaney and Van Dick spent a “life-changing” four weeks during the summer of 2024 in Ireland as Global Interns at Sodexo’s corporate headquarters, in the heart of Dublin.

Three weeks were spent working on specific Sodexo projects: Van Dick was tasked with assisting Sodexo’s Human Resources team, while Heaney’s project involved assessing Sodexo’s major competitors. In their free time, the pair enjoyed traditional Irish cuisine and explored the city. During the fourth week, a “free week,” the two traveled to nearby France and hiked the Swiss Alps, an unforgettable adventure.

This summer, two new SUNY Oneonta students will be selected to serve as global interns, this time in England, at Northumbria University in Newcastle upon Tyne. As veterans of the program, Heaney and Van Dick will help with the interview process. Applicants must be either sophomores or juniors in good academic standing, and the deadline to apply is March 18.

“This meant the world to us, to be able to meet new people, have new experiences and experience a whole different country,” Heaney said. “We were able to build our confidence, gain professional skills and have these incredible life experiences, so we’re looking forward to helping pick the next global interns, knowing how great it will be for them.”

Facilitated by Oneonta’s Dining Services team, the Global Internship program was created in 2013 as Oneonta Auxiliary Services (OAS) Executive Director Diane Williams negotiated the university’s contract with Sodexo. Fostering global connectedness among students was an increasing priority at SUNY Oneonta, so this offered an exciting new opportunity.

Since then, dozens of students have participated, serving as Sodexo Global Interns in Singapore, Italy, France, England, Ireland and Thailand. The program offers a short-term, summer opportunity to study abroad that some students would not have otherwise. Flights, lodging, some meals, and a $2,000 travel stipend are provided.

“Sodexo has a presence around the globe, and this opportunity is a win for both our students and the host countries,” Williams said. “The change we see in the students is mind-blowing, and the projects our students develop during their internships have become an integral part of the Sodexo playbook. This is experiential learning at its best!”

“The Best Internship One Can Do, Easily”

During the summer of 2018, SUNY Oneonta alumnus Fernando Peña completed the Sodexo Global Internship at Sodexo's headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand. Peña, a business economics major, completed a project focused on Sodexo’s global expansion and daily business operations within Bangkok and traveled during his free week to Bali, Indonesia.

“The trip gave me a new perspective on business development projects through the lens of Thailand,” said Peña, who now lives in Manhattan and works as the Senior Sales Development Manager at Augury, an A.I Software firm. “It was the most impactful internship/project during my time in undergrad, with tons of great memories. It also sparked a love for travel; I’ve visited around 25 countries since then. … This is the best internship one can do, easily.”

As Dining Services staff members search for the summer 2025 Global Interns, Heaney and Van Dick are excited to be part of the interview process.

“This internship built our confidence and resumes, gave us experience networking and strengthened our communication skills in a professional setting, and gave us lifelong connections,” Van Dick said. “We met so many friendly people but, spending that much time together, navigating being out of the country for the first time and learning to get around in a new place—I was the unofficial tour guide—the two of us became good friends, too. It was just an unforgettable experience.”

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