Four undergraduates win overseas placements for summer 2015

Four of our second-year undergraduates – Sarah Fuller, Carly-jo Rosselli, Megan Belcher and Merilynn Pratt – have been awarded overseas summer placements in New York and Dortmund.

Sarah and Carly-jo will be on placement at the prestigious Murphy Institute, City University of New York's School of Professional Studies, whilst Megan and Merilynn will be on placement at Sozialforschungsstelle Dortmund, one of Germany's most respected research institutes.

The call for applications was sent to all second year students and candidates were shortlisted and interviewed by an internal selection panel. Dr Sin Yi Cheung, Director for International and Engagement, and project leads, Dr Steve Davies and Dr Dean Stroud joined Placements Manager Andy Dodge to interview each student.

Andy also supported the students through the application process and ensured their experience would be useful after graduating: "It's important to make sure our students are getting employability skills to complement their studies" he said. "Providing these opportunities to complete application forms and interviews, as well as to get detailed feedback following the panel interview, was a really important part of the process."

Sarah is looking forward to the experience and is excited to spend time in New York, explaining "It's a great honour to be selected to be part of a leading research team to help look at labour issues that we face here in the UK, but in a new and fascinating environment."

The placement at the Murphy Institute will give Carly-jo and Sarah the opportunity to work with leading researchers and trade unions. The Murphy Institute brings together both academics and practitioners in a powerful example of public sociology in action.

Carly-jo added: "I feel extremely lucky to be a student in the School of Social Sciences. The opportunities and support that have been provided to me regarding placements have been invaluable."

Dr Stroud has worked with Sozialforschungsstelle Dortmund for a number of years and believes that Megan and Merilynn will benefit massively from the experience: "This placement offers the students an excellent opportunity to gain experience of working with an outstanding team of researchers and practitioners on European Union funded social innovation projects."

These placements have been supported by Cardiff University's Global Opportunity Centre and Erasmus+, with the School obtaining nearly £13,000 funding from the former. The Global Opportunity Centre provides a dedicated resource and source of expertise for all of the opportunities available at Cardiff University for students to gain an international experience.