HWS News
27 May 2025 Global Experience, Local Impact: Students Earn Prestigious Bickley Internship Awards
With support from the Bickley International Internship Award, three HWS students will pursue hands-on professional experiences in the Czech Republic, Spain and the U.K., advancing their academic and career goals on a global stage.
Three Hobart and William Smith students were selected for the prestigious Bickley International Internship Award, helping support their academic growth while in the Czech Republic, Spain and the United Kingdom.
Established in 2012, the Bickley International Internship Award was created through a gift from Ian and Kimberly Bickley P’14. The fund is used to supplement classroom education with internship experience, in retail or consumer industries, abroad or with a U.S. company’s international division.
Ahata Laska ’26, Masaryk University, Czech Republic
Laska, a business management and entrepreneurship major, is using the funding to attend the CzechMates program at Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic. While taking the course “Globalization, Culture and Communications,” she will attend seminars and qualify for internship opportunities in the fields of advertising, marketing and journalism to fashion, environmental issues and government.
“The CzechMates program aligns perfectly with my goals of gaining hands-on experience in the business area while immersing myself in a vibrant new culture and learning environment,” says Laska. “CzechMates integration of mentorship and experiential learning will help me further develop as a global-minded professional, preparing me for a successful career in business management.”
Laska previously worked as an operations manager for Lemur Tour in Minsk, Belarus, where she learned how to develop sales strategies and fostered customer relations in the department of international partnership management.
On campus, Laska was a finalist in this year’s Todd Feldman ’89 and Family Pitch Contest with her business concept, AGLA Education.USA, a consultancy service for Commonwealth of Independent States countries. She also pitched AGLA Education.USA in the New York Business Plan Competition in Rochester, N.Y.
Zoe Ugarteche ’26, RC59 architecture, Valencia, Spain
Building on a foundation developed at HWS, Ugarteche, an architectural studies major, will intern at RC59 in Valencia, Spain. The architecture firm specializes in renovation work in homes and office construction. In her role, Ugarteche will work alongside the company’s architects on various projects, contributing to 2D drawings, 3D renderings, reports, measurements and budget development. She will also assist the lead architect during site visits.
“This internship is an essential part of my journey toward becoming a well-rounded architect,” says Ugarteche. “By working in Valencia, I will not only gain technical expertise and cultural competence but also contribute to the ongoing success of the firm through my dedication, creativity and willingness to learn.”
Being fluent in Spanish, she notes, will also ensure an immersive and insightful experience.
On campus, Ugarteche serves as a teaching fellow for the French, Francophone and Italian Studies Department. As a member of the William Smith field hockey team, she played in 49 career games recording five points. Named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association National Academic squad twice and a two-time Liberty League All-Academic pick, Ugarteche played in all 19 games during her junior season. She had three assists, including a helper on the game-winning goal against Oswego.
Luke Ward ’26, Oxford Photovoltaics, United Kingdom
Contributing to his personal and career goals of corporate work in environmental conversation, Ward, a business management and entrepreneurship major, will serve as a business development intern at Oxford Photovoltaics, a solar panel company in Oxford, United Kingdom, dedicated to creating high-efficiency panels. In this role, Ward will contribute to a project focused on analyzing the cost of energy production. He will also collaborate with the chief communications and sustainability officer to develop and evaluate new market strategies aimed at expanding the company’s reach.
“This internship aligns with my areas of study and passions of business management and entrepreneurship, and environmental science,” he says. “Additionally, I feel that having a global perspective in business is important to success, and interning in the U.K. is the perfect opportunity.”
He believes this internship builds on his semester abroad in Berlin, Germany in the fall of 2024 where he worked at the Hertie School of Governance’s recruiting and marketing offices.
Ward is a member of the Delta Chi fraternity, HWS Jazz Ensemble and the HWS Alpine Ski team.
Top: Zoe Ugarteche '26, Ahata Laska '26 and Luke Ward '26
