Samantha Michel

Samantha Michel is a graduate of UC Berkeley with a Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies and a minor in History. She has built her career across continents. Samantha completed a semester in Paris, a summer internship in Barcelona, and a CIEE Summer Global Internship in Tokyo, gaining hands-on experience creating content for brands across vastly different cultural contexts. These experiences shaped her into a globally fluent communicator with a deep appreciation for the diverse ways people work, lead, and connect.

In Spring 2026, Samantha was selected to represent Monteverde, Costa Rica as part of CIEE’s inaugural cohort of 25 Business and Marketing interns placed around the globe. During her 12 weeks, she developed skills in business operations, event planning, and marketing coordination, while producing content that highlighted the unique and often overlooked experiences available to students who study and intern in Latin America.

For Samantha, Monteverde was more than a professional milestone, it was a cultural awakening. Speaking Spanish with coworkers and neighbors and immersing herself in daily life in Costa Rica, she found a deeper connection to her Latin American identity and a clearer sense of the stories she wants to tell. At a time when Latin American culture is gaining long-overdue recognition on the world stage, she is passionate about ensuring the region is seen as the dynamic, opportunity-rich destination it truly is for the next generation of students and professionals.

Having told stories across European, Asia-Pacific, and Latin American markets, Samantha is now seeking to build a career in communications and public relations on the global stage. She is committed to expanding access to international internships, amplifying underrepresented destinations, and using the power of storytelling to inspire students from all backgrounds to pursue experiences that will change their lives, just as hers have changed her own.