Sabre Foundation sponsors summer internship program (10/10/99)

Sabre Foundation sponsors summer internship program

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Four students from Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union developed their professional skills in the United States this summer thanks to a new internship program sponsored by the Cambridge-based Sabre Foundation. In their home countries of Belarus, Bosnia, the Czech Republic and Ukraine, the four study architecture, business, computer programming and medicine. The internships gave them an opportunity to work in their chosen fields while experiencing life abroad.

Sabre's internship program is managed by Kimberly Bartlett, Sabre's marketing and training coordinator. "I think that one of the best aspects of the internship program is the enthusiasm it generates for both the interns and the employers," Ms. Bartlett said. "A desire to learn from one another makes the experience rewarding for everyone," she added.

Two of the interns worked on information technology projects at Sabre's Cambridge offices. Karel Masek of the Czech Republic is helping to develop Sabre's mailing and books databases. Ukrainian Tetyana Manuylenko splits her internship between Sabre and Harvard's Ukrainian Research Institute (HURI), designing webpages for both. Ms. Manuylenko, who has a background in graphic design and is an artist, is helping to give Sabre's website a new look. "

Mr. Masek, 20, reported that his family got their first computer when he was 12 years old. Fascinated by the technology, he went to an industrial high school and then on to the Czech Technical University in Prague, where he has just completed his first year as an electrical engineering major. Ms. Manuylenko, 24, completed a program in industrial and graphic design before entering the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, where she is studying computer programming.

Both interns plan to make careers in computer technology. Mr. Masek is considering a career in research on artificial intelligence, but he is quick to point out that, with only one year of college behind him, he has a lot of time to explore the possibilities. Ms. Manuylenko dreams of a career in computer graphics programming, and has considered starting her own business. "I want to create something myself," she explained. "Maybe I will find other people like me and we will start something."

When asked about computer usage and Internet connectivity in his home country, Mr. Masek noted that the differences between the United States and the Czech Republic are not as great as many Americans might expect. "There are computers in most businesses there," he said, "but people don't make so much money. Maybe 30 percent of families have computers at home." Internet connections are available and relatively inexpensive, he added.

Ms. Manuylenko painted a somewhat less rosy picture of the situation in her country, commenting that "people don't know how to use computers - in general, [computer use] is not so widespread." She was quick to add, though, that "things are developing and people are starting to get educated about it."

When asked whether she would consider making a life in the United States, Ms. Manuylenko was unequivocal: "I will never leave Ukraine," she answered. "I love my country - Ukraine needs me. I want Ukraine to be on the same level as the U.S.A., and I think I can do something to help."

In addition to Mr. Masek and Ms. Manuylenko, the Sabre Foundation sponsored two summer interns who work in other locations. Evgenii Bibik, a student at the Miensk State Medical Institute in Belarus, was referred to Sabre by Dr. John Martin, a health educator. The two met when Mr. Bibik served as an interpreter for Dr. Martin's project to develop health programs for blind children in Belarus. In addition to his medical studies, Mr. Bibik is pursuing a graduate degree in business. During his summer internship Mr. Bibik lived and worked at a small Rhode Island inn, where he had an opportunity to learn about the operation of a small, service-oriented business. In addition, Dr. Martin and his colleagues arranged for Mr. Bibik to visit area hospitals and medical schools.

Jasna Resulovic of Bosnia and Hercegovina also came to Sabre as a result of her experience working as a translator. In 1997 Ms. Resulovic worked as translator for Janet Hunkel of HURI, who was serving as an international election supervisor in Bosnia. After returning to the United States, Ms. Hunkel kept in touch with Ms. Resulovic and contacted the Sabre Foundation about the internship. Ms. Resulovic, a student at the University of Sarajevo faculty of architecture, spent several weeks in Boston this summer as an intern at Hickox Williams Architects.

Sabre's internship program is run under the auspices of the United States Information Agency's Exchange Visitor Program. Interns come to the U.S. on a visa and are authorized to stay in the U.S. from one to four months. Travel expenses are covered by the interns themselves or by their sponsors; the American host organizations are responsible for paying the interns' stipends and for providing housing and health insurance.

The summer internship is open to students from around the globe. Students may schedule their stay during their summer break, which means that students from countries in the Southern hemisphere may come to the United States during our winter months. Organizations interested in hosting an intern should e-mail Ms. Bartlett at kim@sabre.org.

Sabre Foundation Inc., founded in 1969, works to build free institutions and to examine the ideals that sustain them. Its largest current project makes millions of dollars' worth of donated new books available to needy individuals in developing and transitional societies worldwide through non-governmental partner organizations, libraries, universities, schools, research organizations and other similar institutions. In its newest initiative, Library and Information Technology Services, Sabre helps organizations in these regions take advantage of rapidly evolving Internet and related information technologies.

For more information, see Sabre's website: http://www.sabre.org. Sabre is a tax-exempt 501 (c)(3) organization under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, and is registered as a private voluntary organization (PVO) with the U.S. Agency for International Development.

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