Article courtesy of the Weatherhead School of Management.
An Illinois native, Case Western Reserve University basketball player and, as of this summer, an international intern.
Michael Volkening, a third-year finance major who had never previously traveled overseas, knew he wanted to push himself out of his comfort zone this summer. That’s why when his professor, Michael Goldberg, mentioned a startup in South Africa looking for an intern, he jumped at the opportunity.
“I knew I wanted to intern at a startup company because I wanted to make an impact,” Volkening said. “I also was looking for a company with a mission statement that I agreed with. Zlto met all the criteria I was looking to accomplish this summer.”
Zlto is a small financial technology (FinTech) startup in Bridgetown, South Africa, that uses blockchain technology paired with its own currency to combat the youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24), which is currently at an alarming 55%.
On his first day, Volkening was greeted with a hug by the owner of the company, who he soon learned would be his manager for the summer. That’s when he knew this internship was different than he expected.
Read the full story on the Weatherhead School of Management website.