Written by Colin McEvoy | July 11, 2024 | SHARE
Carol Strange served as as Director of the Iacocca International Internship Program since its inception in 2011
For the past 13 years, Carol Strange has facilitated more than 800 Lehigh University students to high-quality internships in 58 countries. One of the most rewarding parts of her job has been seeing students return home with newfound independence, confidence, and cultural awareness.
“I loved seeing them develop and figure out who they are, becoming more career-ready and interculturally competent, with a greater ability to navigate difficult challenges,” Strange said. “It’s something that only experiential learning can bring.”
Strange retired this month after serving as Director of the Iacocca International Internship Program (IIIP) since its inception in 2011. She guided the students through a wide variety of professional global experiences, observing their personal and professional development firsthand.
“Hearing from alumni years after they have graduated and learning how their experiences impacted their career trajectory has also been extremely rewarding,” Strange said. “Those are the things I’ll miss the most.”
IIIP was established through a generous endowment gift by Lee Iacocca ‘45, who championed the value of providing students with hands-on opportunities to apply their academic knowledge and skills in real life. Strange, who began her career at Lehigh in 2005, shared this philosophy and integrated it into her role as the program’s inaugural leader.
“Carol's student-centric approach in managing the internship program has profoundly impacted Lehigh students, staff, and faculty,” said Cheryl Matherly, Vice President and Vice Provost for International Affairs at Lehigh. “Her 19 years of dedicated service have left an indelible mark on our university community. We are deeply grateful for her unwavering commitment and wish her all the best as she embarks upon her well-deserved retirement.”
Julia Wilczynski ‘25, a senior studying political science and international relations, interned last year as Assistant International Officer at PAR University of Applied Sciences in Rijeka, Croatia. She described it as an invaluable experience, and said Strange left a significant impact not only on the program, but also on her life and the lives of many other students.
“I do not exaggerate when I say this program truly was one of the best things to ever happen to me,” Wilczynski said. “If it wasn't for Carol and this amazing opportunity, I would have not known my strengths in so many areas and experienced such beautiful travels. I look up to Carol in many ways and I am grateful we crossed paths during my time at Lehigh."
Since its creation 13 years ago, IIIP has developed a strong reputation both at Lehigh and globally. The Institute for International Education recognized Strange and the program with the prestigious Andrew Heiskell Award for Innovations in International Education in 2019.
“To thrive in the global economy, students need access to international experiences during their college career,” Clare Overmann, Head of Higher Education Initiatives at IIE, said at the time. “We congratulate this year’s Heiskell Award winners for their outstanding success in providing new and innovative international education opportunities to their students.”
Strange led the design of the iiPATH curriculum in 2015, which provides comprehensive support to enhance students’ intercultural learning and career readiness before, during, and after their internships. Additionally, her efforts expanded opportunities for students in Asia by successfully securing support from the Freeman Foundation for internships.
IIIP launched its first fully-funded student internships in the summer of 2012, with 13 students interning in seven countries. It continued to grow each year, exceeding 100 student interns by 2016, as the program matured into a model of continuous improvement, evolving annually based on student and host feedback and global conditions.
Relationship building was a crucial element in Strange's success in the director role. She developed and nurtured relationships with Lehigh alumni around the world, as well as faculty and program providers globally, to source internship placement opportunities for students.
She also guided the program through the COVID-19 pandemic, quickly transitioning to virtual internships and finding innovative ways to preserve the authenticity and deep connections that exemplified Lehigh travel programs.
Strange began her career at Lehigh in 2005 as Manager of Professional Education at the Iacocca Institute. She holds M.Ed. in Comparative and International Education & Counseling from Lehigh.
She is also a Gallup Certified Strength Coach, and integrated strength-based learning into the iiPATH curriculum. Additionally, she facilitated strengths coaching sessions in other programs at Lehigh’s Office of International Affairs (OIA).