INTEX Fellowship

With the generous support of Whittier alumnus Tien Zee ‘61, Whittier College has established the INTEX Fellowship for three students to intern at the INTEX call center in Xiamen, China for 10 weeks, from mid-May through early July.

Current sophomores and juniors in any major are eligible to apply. INTEX recently earned Walmart's Vendor of the Year Award, and, thus, this fellowship offers students a unique opportunity to work at and study a major player in the global marketplace. After a week of training, fellows will primarily work at the INTEX call center responding to in-bound customer service calls on the night shift during a 6-day work week; will help informally train other interns (specifically Chinese university students majoring in English) on American English and culture; and may be assigned to departments to work on pre-designated projects to enhance their learning about international business. Fellows will stay in the INTEX dormitory (single rooms with private baths; meals and laundry services provided) and will receive a stipend to cover travel expenses to and from Xiamen, visa application and international insurance fees, and other expenses.

Eligibility Criteria

Sophomore or Junior standing
Open to students of any major or academic program

Selection Criteria

Demonstrate academic ability and a highly motivated and disciplined work ethic.
Chinese language and cultural studies are a plus but not required.
Evidence of cultural adaptability and flexibility.
Excellent English communication skills
The ability to conduct and complete the proposed research project, internship, or experience.
Customer service experience and teamwork skills
A desire to learn about Chinese culture and business practices.
Enthusiasm for sharing positive elements of American culture with Chinese counterparts.
Semi-finalists will be interviewed via Skype by INTEX managers, who will select the interns.

Program Benefits

A stipend of $5,000.00 (issued in May) to cover travel expenses to and from Xiamen.
Upon completion of the fellowship, a $1,500.00 educational stipend will be issued to be applied towards tuition or undergraduate loan repayment.

Applying to the Program

The application will be due the second Friday in March.

Please use this guide to help you gather your application documents. Request these items no later than two weeks prior to the deadline.

A complete application consists of:

Unofficial academic transcripts
A resume which includes any relevant skills and experience
Current semester Course Progress Reports, for each 3-4 credit course you are enrolled in.
Student Contract.
A written recommendation letter from a faculty member.
A reference contact email from someone outside of the applicants major and project’s area of focus. This can be a faculty member or a professional reference (e.g., employer, internship supervisor, volunteer coordinator).
A 300 word essay explaining your career interests.
A 500 word essay:
- Explain your interest in the fellowship to help the committee understand why you are applying to this fellowship.
- How will you benefit from the fellowship both personally and professionally?
- What personal qualities (skills, attributes, and/or abilities) do you possess that will ensure a successful fellowship experience?

Access the Application

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