Justin Strugger

Justin is studying Economics at Washington University in St. Louis. He joined the VAC program in September 2025 and completed a general business internship with a local firm in Cape Town.

My internship gave me an interesting look at the business side of a digital health company in South Africa.

I contributed to drafting business partnership strategy, which gave me the chance to think about how organisations build partnerships and how that work fits into a company focused on healthcare accessibility and telehealth. The workload was varied, and overall I found it insightful and interesting.

One thing I would recommend to future interns is to spend as much time as possible working alongside the team in person and to make an effort to connect with the people around you. For me, those interactions made the experience more valuable.

Outside of the internship, I had a great experience in Cape Town. VAC gave me the support I needed while still leaving me plenty of freedom to explore the city. The staff were incredibly supportive throughout my time there, and overall I found the experience meaningful and unique.