Former intern Daniel Kusik delves into his internship experience with Salzburg Global Seminar and his desire to provide opportunities for Fellows and interns from around the world.
A single experience can change lives for the better. It was that way for Daniel Kusik, who first learned about Salzburg Global Seminar through a neighbor who interned with the organization and recommended he do the same.
Daniel was a recent college graduate when he began his internship with Salzburg Global, and those few months gave him the opportunity to watch groups with diverse perspectives convene in a safe space like Schloss Leopoldskron.
That experience eventually shaped his outlook and career.
Daniel describes the experience of listening to free-flowing conversation and lively debates at Salzburg Global’s programs as transformative, stating that he valued the opportunity to interact with Fellows and faculty. Daniel eventually moved on to work at the Harvard Kennedy School, noting that the connections and kinship amongst Salzburg Global Fellows had helped him along the way. “I love the Seminar. It is very special to me,” he explained. “I feel I owe a lot of my career success to that internship.”
Daniel makes an annual donation, hoping to give other young people the chance to have the same experience he did and carry principles of open and respectful dialogue forward in their careers. “I would encourage others to support Salzburg Global Seminar in appreciation of their time there and to provide opportunities to potential Fellows and interns so they can have the same experience, and possibly an even better one.”
“[Salzburg Global Seminar] changes people for the better,” he said. “I support [Salzburg Global Seminar] so that others can have the same opportunity because it was so meaningful and life-changing.”
About Daniel Kusik:
Daniel Kusik is Director of Advantage Testing of Boston, a private tutoring and test preparation company. Specializing in high-school and college-level academic tutorials and one-on-one standardized test preparation, Daniel has helped hundreds of students, and their families achieve their educational, professional, and personal goals.
Daniel is also COO at BV Tech USA, the US-based operational branch of BV Tech (S.p.A.). BV Tech is a global ICT and Cybersecurity products and services provider. BV Tech is active in the design, implementation, and maintenance of complex IT systems, with a particular focus on Defense and Aerospace, Healthcare and Public Administration, and Critical Infrastructures.
Additionally, Daniel is a Co-founder of Optivio, a technology company in the stress management and performance optimization space. Daniel spearheaded the company's intellectual property development. He is the Lead Inventor on five issued patents.
Previously, Daniel worked at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and the Salzburg Global Seminar in Salzburg, Austria.
Daniel is an avid telemark skier.
