Jessica Schutt has taken advantage of the many opportunities presented by the Global Engineering Alliance for Research and Education (GEARE) program.

Indianapolis.

Louisville, Kentucky. 

New Orleans. 

Sydney.   

New York City.   

Dublin.

And, now, Paris.

When Jessica Schutt learned about Global Engineering Alliance for Research and Education (GEARE) at Purdue University, she could not imagine a better place to be. An avid traveler and industrial engineering student, an opportunity to travel for work and school played right to Schutt’s interests.

GEARE students have one international internship.

GEARE students typically take one semester abroad with a full course load and one international internship that matches the language they choose to study at Purdue. Their study abroad experiences integrate cultural learning, work and research experience, language fluency and a wide variety of teamwork skills. These opportunities set GEARE students ahead, both by their resumes and their unique global engineering studies minor. They are primed to be global leaders from the beginning of their time at Purdue.

Currently, the GEARE program through the Office of Professional Practice (OPP) sends over 100 young engineers to 24 countries every year. After her internships in Indianapolis, Louisville and New Orleans, Schutt moved to Sydney with a full course load in 2023. She’s been working around the globe ever since. Schutt serves as a stellar example of what students can achieve in GEARE’s one-of-a-kind opportunities.

"Jessica is one of our more outgoing students,” OPP associate director Joe Tort said. “She is a rare student who’s sought out longer-term global experiences.”

Schutt hardly has been in West Lafayette for two consecutive semesters before relocating for a new opportunity. When on campus, Schutt frequents OPP with questions about visas, insights about internships or just to catch up with the staff. But she also connects with staff abroad; Tort connected with Schutt in Dublin while she interned with pharmaceutical manufacturer MSD.

Schutt maintains a 3.0 GPA and has cultivated a conversational proficiency in Mandarin Chinese to keep up with world-class businesses and education standards. Her 24 months of internships set her a year and a half ahead of her graduating classmates in working experience.

Schutt fits the qualifications to be a GEARE student, Joe Tort said.

After studying in Sydney and working in New York City, Dublin and more, Schutt moved to Paris in September for her sixth and final internship in GEARE.

“I'm definitely very pleased with where I'm at right now and the experiences that I've had,” she said. “Without the support of GEARE, I'm not sure I would have been able to get to where I am.”

With as much traveling as Schutt has undertaken, she is prepared for any international issues that may arise. Internships that may take weeks to find in the United States require months of rigorous networking, writing and interviewing to achieve a sponsorship overseas. Over the summer, she experienced a six-week delay of her work permit to enter Ireland. Schutt remained undeterred and added new problem-solving skills to her resume with small jobs while she waited.

“It takes a tremendously flexible student to do what it takes to work abroad,” Tort said. “To be a global citizen is to not expect everything to work on your terms.

"GEARE students should be adventurous, willing to take risks, flexible and willing to say yes to opportunities as they arise.”

Schutt fits the qualifications in spades.

While studying abroad with GEARE, Schutt became an avid explorer of cuisine, local life and back roads in each city she interned.

“Living in a different country is very different than traveling to a different country,” she said.

Schutt favors cities for work and everyday life and hardly explores them alone; her family of adventurous travelers are always on the move as well. They regularly make plans to meet Schutt abroad.

“What I've learned most from my internships is not necessarily what I do want, but what I don't want,” Schutt said. “I'm looking for a good location and a good working culture. I've gotten quite particular about that.”

Her time at MSD in Dublin and L’Oréal in New York City have been standout experiences. Though she is open to her favorites changing as she interns in Paris with Entegra, which aided food service provider Sodexo at the 2024 Olympics. What awaits her in the City of Lights? Schutt isn’t sure. But that isn’t about to stop her from having another exciting international internship.

“I think that (students) should definitely do it,” Schutt said. “I would try to get an internship as early as you can. Trust the process and put in the work, because at the end of the day something will give and you’ll find an internship or some research.”

Schutt has made sure to find picturesque spots along her travels.