Belize
Religion & Culture in Belize (Internship Program) - Fall Theology 496
Contact: Prof. of Theology, Dr. Gary Chamberlain: gchamber@seattleu.edu
"[It] was the most amazing and the best ever experience in my life. It was not only because of the work itself or because of the interaction with the teachers; it was mostly because of the interactions I had with the girls in class and outside of class."
~Abdullah Atallah, 2005 Program Participant, interned as a math teacher at Saint Catherine Academy in Belize
International internships in Belize are designed and offered to allow senior students to apply their skills, knowledge, and understandings in placements suitable for their major areas of study. Seattle University has an 11 year history of working in Belize, an English speaking country south of Mexico's Yucatan peninsula and directly east of Guatemala. The Belizean population of 275,000 is a mix of indigenous Mayans, Creoles, Garifuna, mestizos, and two small communities of German speaking Mennonites. Most recently, the School of Nursing has established an in-country program during spring quarter for 10 nursing students and a faculty member. Participants enroll in Theology 496 (independent study) "Religion & Culture in Belize."
The Belize internships are limited to 4-5 students fall or winter quarters.
Process: Students interested in an intern experience in Belize make arrangements through a sponsoring faculty member in the department through which they wish to receive credit for the internship. Working with the department faculty member, the student establishes appropriate goals, strategies, and academic content requirements for the internship.
The student then works with the campus coordinator (at present Dr. Gary Chamberlain) for a specific placement in relation to the student's major area of study, e.g., with social service agencies, political organizations, governmental agencies, medical clinics, environmental organizations, churches, and other organizations and community opportunities. The student will receive direct supervision from the organization or agency representative with whom he or she works.
Depending on the amount of credit awarded the internship, the student may also wish to register for an independent study. In addition, students may register for an independent study of 2-5 credits with Dr. Gary Chamberlain, the campus coordinator of the program, for a study of culture, religion, development, gender and justice issues in Belize which takes place on campus during spring quarter preceding the internship. The work plan should include the objectives to be achieved, the methods and amount of time to be employed. The internship experience or experiences can be arranged for a minimum of 12 credits, not to exceed 15 for the whole quarter in which the student is in Belize.
"The smiles, laughter and tears I shared with the women of Belize will forever be with me and cannot be spelled out in simple words. I will also never forget the other American and English friends who brought reprieve from an oftentimes crazy place. For good or for ill Belize has a piece of my heart. "
~Treina Aronson, 2005 Program Participant
Food and lodging: Each student stays with a host family with whom we have worked over several years. The host family provides a number of services, including airport pickup, orientation to the city, arrangements for banking, visa applications, etc.
Time: Students can undertake their internships fall or winter quarters. For the fall, arrival and orientation begins the last Monday of August of each year; the program ends in the first week of December. Winter quarter begins during the first week of January and continues through mid-March.
Areas of study: The particular areas of study which follow have already been established. Placements are available in: social work, sociology, women's studies, health (biology, pre-med), communications, government administrative work, ecology, theology and ministry, psychology, addiction studies.
Costs: In addition to the tuition paid directly to Seattle University, other costs may include:
- room and board (host family): $600 US per month
- SU program fee: $200
- orientation fee to host family: $200
- Belizean academic advisor (optional) $250 -- student works with an advisor in Belize who helps with academic issues, preparation of papers, etc.
- airfare: $600-$800 depending on season
Students will need additional monies for bus and cabs in Belize City, to other towns in Belize, and to various sites for weekends and holidays. Expect to bring about $1200-$1400 for additional expenses: travel, toiletries, books and newspapers, etc.
Qualifications: To qualify for an international internship in Belize, the student must:
1) have a declared major for which the internship offers a significant opportunity to use skills and gain new knowledge in the subject area;
2) have completed junior year (or in some cases may be in junior year) and the corresponding core courses for Phase II;
3) have at least a 3.0 GPA in the major;
4) have at least a 2.5 overall GPA;
5) have a willingness to learn about Belizean culture and history;
6) have in the estimation of the sponsoring faculty member the social and personal skills necessary to work in another culture.
Through e-mail the student will maintain regular contact with the sponsoring faculty member (or members) and will meet weekly with his or her supervisor in Belize. The Belize supervisor will provide an evaluation at the end of the internship. The student must then provide the sponsoring faculty member with an evaluation specified in the plan. Typically the evaluation would include the student's own evaluation of how the objectives and goals were met, a journal of reflections on the learning involved, copies of any work undertaken during the internship such as pamphlets, reports, etc., and the written evaluation of the Belize supervisor.
Related Documents
Belize Internship
Belize Participant Reflections
Belize Internship Brochure
Student Testimonials - Belize