Internships are available to upper level Spanish speakers. Social service opportunities are available to students at any language level. Both offer an invaluable complement to classroom work. In addition to work experience, they provide another opportunity to integrate into Spanish society. Students earn two semester hours of credit and grades are recorded as pass/no record. All placements are unpaid.
Internships
Internships are designed for advanced-level students who are relatively certain of their professional plans, can work independently, and are willing to take on major responsibilities. Students typically work eight to ten hours per week (2 SH) and are responsible for maintaining a journal, attending individual conferences with the director, and attending group meetings with other interns.
Internships are evaluated by the program director in conjunction with the on-site supervisor. The quality of the intern’s written work, conference and meeting participation are also evaluated. Because of the competitive nature of internship positions, Central College Abroad cannot guarantee placement with a particular organization. In the past, students have interned in areas such as business, education, physical therapy and translation. Students desiring an internship in another field should contact Central College Abroad for information on availability.
To complete your internship application, you need to submit a résumé/curriculum vitae (in English and Spanish), and a general outline of what you would like to achieve in an internship and the type of work you would like to do.
Service Learning Opportunities
The objective of service learning is to provide students with an opportunity to be exposed to a variety of realities and worldviews within the Spanish culture, while allowing students an opportunity to “give something back” to their host city.
Bi-monthly meetings are held for volunteers to come together and share experiences. This time is also used for training purposes, facilitated by the program director. A packet of readings relevant to social service volunteering is distributed at the first meeting. In order to document experiences and to be able to recall significant lessons, students are required to maintain a journal. A final project is also required that includes a presentation and paper summarizing the experience.
Social service internship sites have included a home for the elderly, a shelter for abused and/or neglected children, a children’s hospital, a soup kitchen and sites for tutoring English. Please contact Central College Abroad for more specific information.
