Freeman Foundation Internship Program
For nearly 20 years, the Freeman Foundation has played an essential role in providing grant funding for St. Lawrence University students to gain a deeper understanding of East Asian culture while developing cardinal professional skills. The generous support of program donors enables students to embark on an eight-week summer internship program, facilitating an authentic appreciation of the diversity of Asian cultures. The funding students receive covers their housing and internship placement process. Additionally, a stipend is provided to offset the cost of flights, in-country transportation and meals. The program offers a unique blend of intercultural learning and professional engagement, making it both highly competitive and well-regarded by returning participants.
Elena Cortina, ’26, a recent participant in the Freeman Program, is a student who embodies the values of a Laurentian: hard-working, passionate and curious. Through her internship in Thailand, Cortina was able to explore her interest in Asian culture while working as a Business Development Intern at Robot Galaxy Kids. She spoke to Next Step Connections, our on-the-ground partner program involved in internship placement, about her experience.
“I discovered a new aspect of myself by having to adapt my initial mindset to embrace a more results-oriented and process-driven approach,” Cortina said. “Witnessing the challenges faced by a small business firsthand made me realize the importance of being a team player, proactive, and focused on achieving goals.” Cortina, an economics and statistics double-major and Asian Studies and Chinese double-minor, is one of the many students who benefited from participation in the program.
Cortina is not alone in her appreciation for the program. Economics and environmental studies student Wande Balele ’27 was also involved in the Freeman Program calling it, “a transformative experience that I will hold near and dear to me for the rest of my life. I got to not only intern and work but fully immerse myself in a completely new, beautiful cultural landscape in Thailand that has positively impacted my professional and personal development.” Balele completed an internship at Empacte, a consultancy firm specializing in sustainability advisory services, including policy research, bilateral climate tech partnerships and decarbonization strategies. Through her internship, she was able to attend a conference where she spoke about her experience. “A highlight of the Asia Climate Summit was being invited to speak at the Women in Carbon session, where I shared my perspective as a young professional and engaged in empowering discussions with people in the field,” Balele said.
The amazing outcomes of the Freeman Internship are evident not only from numerous positive student accounts but from faculty as well. Dr. Yanqiu Zheng, associate director of asia and pacific programs here at St. Lawrence, commented on the academic, professional and personal skills students gained upon completion of the program. “I have often seen students come out of the program more confident to engage people of different backgrounds, more curious about different parts of the world, including Asia, and more eager to apply their growing skillset in new ways,” said Zheng. “Multiple students who completed their Freeman internship went back to our semester programs in Asia, such as China, Japan, and Thailand, and beyond. In a sense, the internship plants a seed of Asia in students, who can help cultivate that into something much bigger.”
Zheng also highlighted the invaluable preparation for post-graduate life that the program provides. “The internship, based in densely populated and cosmopolitan cities in Asia, gives students a taste of being a young urban professional who needs to juggle work and life in an interconnected world on a budget,” said Zheng. “That is often what students need to do after graduation. The internship thus hones essential skills to get students ready when it is their turn to do that for longer than eight weeks. Those skills, from budgeting and time management to communication of various kinds, will not go unnoticed by the employers.” It is clear from participants and faculty supporters alike that this program is perfect for those eager to jumpstart personal and professional facets of development in a hands-on, culturally immersive way.
Involvement in the program also includes meaningful cultural immersion activities that inspire students to have a deeper connection with the area they are working in, from visiting UNESCO World Heritage sites like Ayutthaya in Thailand, to exploring Binh Tay Market in Vietnam.
Applications for the summer of 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand or Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam are now open in Studio Abroad. The deadline is Dec. 6, 2025.