The Scan|Design Foundation - Danish Trainee/Intern Program

     Jens Bruun was a Danish emigree to the United States and was a strong believer in international exchange.  He gave young Danes the chance to learn abut the United States through on-the-job training at his furniture stores.  Between 1969 and his death in 2002, Jens welcomed one hundred forty-seven (147) young Danes as trainees to his stores through The American-Scandianvian Foundation's Exchange Program.     

     To honor this long tradition, the Scan|Design Foundation has awarded a grant to The American-Scandinavian Foundation (ASF) to establish and administer the "Scan|Design Foundation Danish Trainee/Intern Program".  ASF will award grants to Danish trainees and interns in the fields of design, architecture, retail, carpentry, marketing, or business administration. 

     Danish trainees and interns with programs of four (4) months or more in the professional fields indicated above are eligible for these grants if they have received visa sponsorship through ASF for an Exchange Visitor Program. 

     ASF will work closely with it's sister organization in Denmark, The Denmark-America Foundation (Danmark-Amerika Fondet) to develop and administer this program.

    The Denmark-America Foundation (DAF) is a private foundation founded in 1914.  Her Majesty Queen Margrethe of Denmark is a patron of the Foundation.  The purpose of the Foundation is to "(..)create stronger ties between the USA and Denmark, especially through educational exchange".  Through its work which includes grants, advising and the trainee program, the Foundation has established close relations with the Danish business world and the Danish educational institutions.

     The Trainee Program of the Denmark-America Foundation makes it possible to supplement a Danish education with a traineeship in the USA.  The program caters to persons with vocational as well as those with an academic education in which training is required to earn the degree.  Individuals with a vocational background need two years of work experience within their field before they can go to the USA, and students need a written acceptance from their Danish educational institution proving that their training in the US will be considered part of their Danish education.

2008 Grant $33,000 U.S. Dollars to the American-Scandinavian Foundation for trainee grants.

    2008-2009 Trainees/Interns

          Sebastian Nielsen - LS Inc.  Woodinville, WA

          Jesper Richter Rasmussen - Zestron America.  Manhasset, VA

          Marcus Christensen Fich - Scanmarket North America, Inc.  Atlanta, GA

          Alice Rosendahl Schmidt - Scandic Food, Inc.  Kingwood, TX

          Natasja Bruun Lorenzen - Scandic Food, Inc.  Kingwood, TX

          Elisabeth Krispin Nyborg - DIBD NYC, Inc.  New York, NY

          Mikkel Lau Mikkelsen - Green Team, New York, NY

          Martin Bukh Vestergaard - Visit Denmark, New York, NY

          Julie Sichlau - Visit Denmark, New York, NY

          Martin Schødt - VerticPortals, New York, NY

          Maria Holm - Scandic Food, Inc.  Kingwood, TX

          Tina Svoldgaard Pedersen - Vipp, Inc., New York, NY

2009 Grant $22,000 U.S. Dollars to the American-Scandinavian Foundation for trainee grants.

      2009-2010 Trainees / Interns

           Christine Hinding - Royal Copenhagen Inc., New York, NY

           Camilla Hansen - Executive Training Solutions, Phoenix, AZ

           Tom Kejser - TODA, New York, NY

           Marcus Simmel Olsen - Archimuse, New York, NY

           Esben Lunde Nielsen - Christian Wassmann, New York, NY

           Lasse Lykke Olsen - Lesser Architecture, New York, NY

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