Written by Timothy Konapacki for ILF

This partnership between the Prospect High School Italian program and the Redoro Olive Oil company provided me with a life-changing experience that prepared me for the challenges of my fast approaching adulthood and helped to redefine the standard of being ready. I was presented with a very loose structured requirement, in order to do research for Redoro on new products, and ways to bring already existing ones into the American market. My task was to create a website that summarized our progress throughout the year and it gave the community and other curious Americans to check in on our progress. Since I was given some liberties in design and structure choices, it urged me to explore more about web design and learn different and new ways to create a good looking and functioning website. Throughout this process, Prof Scolaro was very supportive and gave the necessary feedback that supported our growth, but she did not overreach and stifle our creative drive. Instead, almost every week she would tell us of new opportunities to tell people about our work or a new lead to bring Redoro products to America etc. She always had something new up our sleeve, allowing us to build a new rung of our ladder to reach our final goal. With her constant support, I was selected as one of four students to go for a three week internship with Redoro in Verona, Italy.

One thing that I helped with in particular, was creating and designing marketing concepts for their launch in America. This made me think not only about how to sell the product in a country that it was not originally created for, but also how to sell that idea and explain thoroughly to the executives of the company. I worked very closely with the Chief Export Manager, bringing an American perspective to the mix while suggesting tweaks in various branding of the company and products that would better appeal to an American market.

Every single person that I have talked to, whether it is at a career fair, or during interviews for various jobs since this internship, they have all been extremely impressed with my experience. I believe that this experience propelled my career readiness by two or three years, as I had real-life experience in another country before I even started college. That is something that most cannot say they have, even after the completion of college.

We are grateful to our collaborators who have joined our Corporate Internship Program to benefit ILF high school and student Student Member studying Italian. Below please find details on CIP Partners.

One achievement is to learn AP Italian, another is to practice it in a business working environment! And when the businesses are the Italian Sensory Experience and Amy Riolo, you will become immersed in all the delectable flavors of great food, healthy eating and Italian culture.

Ready to be a brand ambassador and attend events for one of the most highly praised pizza chefs amongst his peers and in the media? Mr. Caporuscio, Founder and Co-Owner of Keste’ Group & U.S. President of PAF Pizza Academy Foundation has internships in place for you, our Student Member.

Mastering the Italian language and would love to use it for a career pathway in Legal? Gain experience interning at a legal practice. Paterno & Associates provides legal services to the Italian-American community and to Italian individuals and corporations doing business in the United States. This is your opportunity, go for it!

Hop on over to the Student Member Log In to apply for any one of these internships. If you are not a Member yet, you can still Become a Member by registering today, then Log In to access the Internships.