Another New Beginning to the International Leadership and Business Internship Experience

On Sunday, we welcomed interns from across the country to Georgetown University’s campus for an exciting week ahead! Their first day on campus marks the beginning of a memorable experience, where lives are transformed, and lifelong friendships are formed.

Throughout the program, interns will partner with entrepreneurs in Bauchi State, Nigeria, working alongside experienced mentors to develop practical marketing and infrastructure solutions that support real businesses. In addition to their consulting projects, participants will hear from professionals and business leaders from both the United States and Nigeria, gaining valuable insight into leadership, entrepreneurship, and global collaboration.

After settling into their residence halls, interns officially kicked off the week with a welcome session led by Marshall Bailly, Executive Director of Leadership Initiatives, who introduced the mission of the International Leadership and Business Program and shared what participants could expect throughout the week. Students were then welcomed by Eli Seiden and Zac Clark, Directors of the International Leadership and Business Program, along with Annie Jin, Anisha Buxi, and Danielle Saborio, the Assistant Directors of the Business Program. The session concluded with remarks from Umar Muhammad, Leadership Initiatives' Nigeria Country Director, who provided an overview of the businesses in Bauchi State, Nigeria, discussed the challenges many entrepreneurs face, and explained how the interns' consulting projects can help create practical, sustainable solutions for their assigned business partners.

The excitement continued as interns traveled to the National Mall, where they explored the Lincoln Memorial and the World War 2 Memorial alongside their teams. This experience allowed interns to reflect on the significance of these historic landmarks while also building relationships with their teammates before meeting their project coordinators and business partners for the first time the following day.

By the end of the first day, interns had already begun building the foundation for an unforgettable week. With new friendships and an exciting schedule ahead, everyone was ready to begin the journey of becoming global leaders and problem solvers.