Doing a work-study or internship at The Pacific Basin Economic Council (PBEC) is a rewarding experience. You will get to learn about business practices and formalities in prominent countries, such as Japan, Australia, and America, as well as in developing countries, like Thailand and Indonesia. Formal correspondence skills between businesses will be developed... research abilities are refined... They are very understanding of student needs, and work with you to develop a schedule that will fit with your classes. The convenience of working so close to the downtown campus was awesome; I had time to study and get through school, without work being overbearing. —Caroline Ginnane

The PBEC internship is a unique opportunity. While applying what I have learned in the MBA program, the internship showed me the powerful role of business in the economic development of emerging markets, in the continued health of developed markets, and in the recovering of markets in crisis. The PBEC internship offers a solid overall exposure to business in Asia and the Pacific while developing your professional skills. —Anne Schaefer

My internship experience with PBEC was a precious one. It served as the initial step of applying my knowledge and skills learned in my MBA program to the real business world. The internship also stimulated my sense of current economic, political, and technical issues which international business must face in this information era. After nearly a year of experience at PBEC, I developed my interest in conference management and event planning which I would like to be my career. Now, I have moved back to Hong Kong and have a great job in this field. I wouldn't deny this is somewhat a fruitful product of my internship at PBEC. As an international student from Asia, I highly recommend overseas students to take this good opportunity to become part of PBEC. —Sara Cheuk

Under the ambiguous major of international business, I was not sure exactly what career path I wanted to take. It wasn't until my internship at PBEC, where I was able to learn from a well-rounded staff, that I could peg specific international career goals. —James Gortner

Words may not be able to sum up my PBEC experience. They cannot begin to describe the knowledge, and friendships that I've been able to develop over a two-year period. Initially, not knowing what to expect, PBEC surpassed my wildest imagination, giving me responsibility, and allowing me to make decisions that affected the company as a whole. These decisions affected not only PBEC, but also all of its member economies, and companies, which well outnumber 1,000. The PBEC experience gave me the opportunity to apply my knowledge of environmental issues, it taught me of business concerns, and because of that, I believe that I'm a more well rounded person. If words could even come close to describing what PBEC has done and meant for me, it would be something like, "Thank you very much." —Ruben Waltson

My internship with PBEC has proven to be an invaluable experience. Being a European student with a great interest in international business and international relations, this was a great opportunity to get hands-on experience within both these fields in a challenging and rewarding setting. The PBEC internship has widened my horizons at the same time as it has given me experiences that few enjoy in Europe. Through PBEC I have also met many people that have inspired me to pursue a career in the international community, and when I left Hawai`i I felt as I left many friends behind, even though I am glad to say that we still stay in touch. —Lovisa Sonnerstedt

My internship with PBEC gave me the opportunity to put to use skills that I had learned in graduate school, while still attending college. This was beneficial on two fronts. I received valuable experience in an area of work in which I was interested, and was also able to meet quality people that were actively involved in the Hawaiian business environment. And although my internship ended about two years ago, I still stay in touch with the 'office.' I highly recommend a PBEC internship to any college student interested in both gaining valuable work experience, and meeting some quality people. —Roy Henkel