Honduras Native Kept Busy This Summer Combining Her Skills

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 16, 2016) — Tiffany Molina, an international student from Honduras studying equine science and business management at the University of Kentucky, split her summer time between Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Commerce Lexington and the UK International Center.

Now in her senior year, Molina has been a highly involved student since her freshman year. She is involved in the Gatton Women Business Leaders and the American Marketing Association, is the former president of the International Student Council, and is a sitter for Wildcat Service Dogs.

At Hagyard, Molina said she worked on creating horse shows, event planning and promotions.

“My internship (at Hagyard), which is for my equine science degree, helped me get my foot in the door with the equine industry and helped me understand how equine customers work in general,” Molina said.

At Commerce Lexington, Molina said she worked with economic development, where she gained a greater understanding of the business world, how businesses operate and the needs of start-up businesses.

“A lot of it is recruiting businesses and business retention, so I’ve been a part of helping encourage businesses to relocate to Lexington or explaining why they should stay in Lexington to be part of the Chamber of Commerce,” Molina said.

Molina said one of her highlights during the Commerce Lexington internship was being able to listen to people who work with startup companies because, “they always have innovative ideas and I’m always like, "Wow, I wish I would’ve thought of that before!"

“When I meet them, they’re so passionate about what they do,” Molina added. “They really want to get their company up and running; that motivates me to go out into the real world and find the job that I actually love.”

In addition to her two internships, Molina works with the International Student Leadership Team (ISLT) to encourage students to be part of the UK community, along with other international and domestic students. This summer, Molina volunteered with the UK International Center, where she worked on advertising and promotions of ISLT-organized events.

“I’ve worked with a lot of people in the International Center who have a passion for helping international students,” Molina said. “I think what I like the most is meeting new students and being able to help, because when I came to UK, I really felt welcomed and I wanted to give that back.”

Molina said that international students may find it challenging to find internships, but they shouldn’t be discouraged.

“I would say be open about your plans with the International Center because everyone, specifically immigrations advisors, are here to help you. They’re going to tell you what you can and cannot do and how to do it,” Molina said. “So, I think if you tell them from the beginning, ‘Hey, I’m thinking about going for an internship,’ they can help you find what’s right for you and guide you in the right direction.”

For immigration questions regarding internships and work experience before or after graduation, contact the International Student and Scholar Services office at isss@uky.edu or visit www.uky.edu/international/ISSS/Current_Student_Services.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Gail Hairston, 859-257-3302, gail.hairston@uky.edu