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When Marti Colasurdo '25 signed up for a summer internship in Montenegro, she never imagined she’d find herself writing a speech for the former president of the country.

As part of time with University of Donja Gorica (UDG), Colasurdo was tasked with drafting remarks for former President Filip Vujanović, which were later translated into Montenegrin for a national climate conference.

“It definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone a little bit, but in a good way,” said Colasurdo, an environmental engineering major at Lehigh University. “It’s not the kind of assignment I was expecting when I came here, but it made me feel like I was making a really big impact.”

Colasurdo and Alexis Guzman ‘26, a 19-year-old computer engineering major, spent six weeks in the southeastern European country through Lehigh’s Iacocca International Internship Program (IIIP).

Unique Experiences in Montenegro

This year marked the first time in five years that Lehigh students had interned in Montenegro through IIIP, and marked the program’s first ever collaboration with UDG, which will continue to offer opportunities for future Lehigh students.

“Marti and Alexis are two wonderful people who were not only dedicated to their internship activities, but also always ready to explore the country and immerse themselves in the culture,” said Ivana Gojković, a faculty member at UDG. “I hope they were as happy with their stay here as we were to have them.”

By pure chance, Colasurdo and Guzman even appeared on national television when they were interviewed by a news crew during Montenegrin Independence Day celebrations on May 21. They can be seen at the 7:15 and 7:50 marks at this YouTube video, or seen below:

Colasurdo and Guzman were among 61 Lehigh students who interned in 18 countries this summer through IIIP. More than 800 students have interned in 58 countries since the program’s inception in 2011.

Making a mark on AI, climate policy

Guzman spent his internship as a research assistant at DigitalSmart in the Montenegrin capital city of Podgorica, where he worked on an artificial intelligence and computer vision project. He helped train an AI model to detect drowsy or fatigued faces to prevent accidents caused by drowsy driving.

Guzman said he received invaluable hands-on experience and developed a deeper appreciation of AI’s positive potential and impacts. He also wrote a research paper about the project that is expected to be published at an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) conference.

“I didn’t expect to have my work published as a result of this internship, let alone at such a conference by such a prestigious organization,” Guzman said. “It’s been a really great opportunity.”

Colasurdo interned at UDG’s Center for Climate Change, Natural Resources, and Energy, where she prepared for conferences, wrote and edited social media posts, worked with local non-governmental organizations, and focused on environmental issues.

She gained valuable insights into Montenegrin climate policy and professional practices, which she believes will benefit her as she pursues a master's degree at Lehigh in catastrophe modeling and resilience.

Reflecting on the experience

“Marti has consistently demonstrated exceptional performance in this internship, showcasing a deep understanding of the tasks delivered to her and excellent critical thinking skills,” said Ivana Vojinovic, Director of the Center for Climate Change, Natural Resources, and Energy.

Tomo Popovic, a senior researcher at DigitalSmart, praised Guzman’s performance: “Alexis’ progress throughout this internship reflects a strong commitment to overcoming technical challenges and a proactive approach to learning and applying complex concepts in machine learning and deep learning.”

Colasurdo and Guzman credited the support from Lehigh and IIIP for helping them overcome cultural and logistical challenges, and said the preparation sessions held in advance were particularly helpful. They also appreciated the welcoming nature and support provided by UDG, including guidance and excursions throughout the country.

“I would definitely recommend the Iacocca International Internship Program to other students,” Guzman said. “If I could give them any advice, focus not only on countries you want to visit, but also on the specific position descriptions and how they align with career goals. It makes a huge difference.”