Cleveland State University’s Monte Ahuja College is partnering with the State of Ohio’s Development Services Agency to offer expanded Engaged Learning opportunities to students. CSU has joined the Ohio Export Internship program which provides a unique opportunity to businesses interested in exporting by matching them with highly-motivated college students who have taken export-focused coursework. This program develops a talented pool of students, who upon graduation will join Ohio’s workforce.  

Cleveland State will be joining The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business and Youngstown State University’s Williamson College of Business in helping Ohio companies identify new export markets or improve export initiatives.

“It’s about getting Ohio products out to the world,” said David Goodman, director of the Ohio Development Services Agency. “By expanding this unique program, we can train more students in exporting while helping more businesses increase global sales and create more jobs for Ohio.”

“We are excited about our partnership with the Ohio Development Services Agency and the opportunity to offer the Ohio Export Internship Program to our students,” said Sanjay Putrevu, dean of the Monte Ahuja College of Business at Cleveland State University. “The program enhances the College’s commitment to providing Engaged Learning experiences for students and offers another opportunity to further enhance our relationships with the Northeast Ohio business community. We look forward to a long and fruitful partnership.”

This nationally-recognized program combines a spring semester export-focused course with a paid summer internship, offering a 50 percent reimbursement to companies, providing students with real-world experience in exporting. Students focused in exporting go into Ohio businesses and setup their export business or operations.

Since starting with nine students in 2012, the Ohio Export Internship Program has graduated 190 students and generated over $20 million in estimated export sales for Ohio companies. To date, it has also led to 23 full-time job offers and 39 extended internships.

For more information about the Ohio Export Internship program, visit www.eip.development.ohio.gov.