The International Trade Center offers internship opportunities to graduate and undergraduate students enrolled at the University of Missouri. Interns work with Missouri businesses to complete customized market research projects that provide participating businesses with actionable information that can be used to aid international market entry or expansion decisions. Students working with the International Trade Center actively enhance their project management, research and analytical skills. Students have the opportunity to interact with company management and present an oral and written summary of their findings.
Internship positions are open during the spring, summer and fall semesters. Internships qualify to meet BA4500 class requirements. Students can also participate in the internship program on a volunteer basis.
The primary responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to:
Interns may satisfy BA 4500 requirements through this position.
Back to top Company OverviewInterns of the MU International Trade Center will complete international market research for a Missouri company that will aid in the identification of global trade opportunities and provide actionable information that will assist with market entry or expansion decisions.
Back to top Work EnvironmentThe internship takes place on-campus, mostly at Cornell Hall, and includes interactions with the companies, MU international trade specialist, and other international trade resource partners as needed. The timeline and schedule for each one of the internship will be individually coordinated by the MU ITC Intern Coordinator. Project work will be completed primarily during assigned work hours, but may include some hours of independent work.
Interns should possess skills or experience that demonstrates their ability to:
Numerous students have completed an internship with the International Trade Center within the last few years. Throughout the course of the semester, our student interns learn and grow both professionally and personally. Upon completing their internship, they are better equipped with the skills, knowledge and resources necessary to succeed in their future careers. Hear more from previous interns and their experiences.
Back to topNumerous students have completed an internship with the International Trade Center within the last few years. Throughout the course of the semester, our student interns learn and grow both professionally and personally. Upon completing their internship, they are better equipped with the skills, knowledge and resources necessary to succeed in their future careers. Learn more.
“The most important thing I learned during my time as an intern with the MU International Trade Center was the importance of teamwork. During the second half of the Market Research internship, the team of five (5) that I was on split up to cover different countries. I learned that even though we were working on individual tasks I could still lean on my team members for help or another pair of eyes. Teammates can be a great resource and I learned to avoid getting caught up in my own work to the point I would forget about that resource.”
“I had the opportunity to intern with the International Trade Center during the Fall 2022 semester. When I began in August, the prospect of consulting with a company and working in an industry I haven’t worked in before was daunting. Through my time with Mizzou's ITC, I have become confident in my abilities to interpret large amounts of data, utilize different databases, and communicate research findings in an accessible way. These skills will follow me for the rest of my career and will help to make me valuable employee. This internship also helped me to expand my network of Mizzou undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty. The experience I gained from this semester is something I highly recommend other students to take advantage of.”
“Interning with the International Trade Center has been a wonderful experience for me as a student and future business professional. This internship provided new and unique experiences that gave me the ability to further my knowledge on international matters. Through this internship I was able to build connections that will last much beyond this internship and gain invaluable research experience that could be used in any aspect of business. The overall environment of the internship was unbelievably positive and if I had one negative thing to say it would be that it ended too soon. I was also able to further develop my teamwork, presentation, and communication skills. This internship has knowledgeable and helpful supervisors who are extremely passionate about what they are doing. A highlight of this internship was presenting our findings to Healium and hearing the impact our research could have for the company going forward. I highly recommend pursing this internship if you are interested in business.”
”Interning with the MU International Trade Center proved to be challenging yet insightful and valuable for my skills in business. The ITC connects interns with great resources and contacts to promote the growth of knowledge in real-world industries. Working with a team allows interns the opportunity to expand their teamwork, presentation/public speaking, and administrative skills. My project allowed me to learn about global markets relevant to my industry of interest. This proved to be eye-opening, as there are limited ways for Mizzou students to get such insight into international markets. I learned a lot about the clean energy industry in numerous countries as well as the United States. The insights gained were shared with the company to guide decision making and a pathway forward. This internship is great for anyone that wants to expand their knowledge of global markets, supply chains, and international trade. The ITC also gives students an opportunity to expand their professional network through fellow interns and company executives. I am very satisfied with my experience working with the ITC, and I strongly recommend business students of all emphasis areas apply for a position!"
“I’m very pleased to share my experience with the MU International Trade Center. I decided to pursue an internship position with the MU ITC to complete the credits and gain the experience needed to receive a certificate in global supply chain management. The Internship provided me with opportunity to make valuable connections, develop professionally and find ways to apply what I’ve learned at Mizzou in a real world project. Exploring global markets to provide useful information for American Outdoor Brands allowed me to understand the different processes, costs, and information needed when participating in international trade. I made an immediate connection to American Outdoor Brands and their mission. My team of fellow students provided me with a strong collaborative environment where I got to meet people and discover personalities while working toward a common objective. There are not a lot of opportunities where students who are looking to enter the job market get to present to executives of a large company like AOB. When I got the chance to interview for my current position, my knowledge of the company, brands and connections gave me confidence to have a successful interview. I can say with full confidence that Jackie Rasmussen and the MU ITC offer an immense amount of real world skills and training that has allowed me to find a job with a company that I’m excited to work for. If a student looking for opportunities needs any more reason to look into this internship, working with and meeting new people added so much value to my time at Mizzou.”
