The Church’s self-reliance program teaches members self-reliance principles in the areas of leadership, education, employment and small business development. BYU collaborates with the Church in Latin America by sending qualified students to help support the self-reliance programs in different countries. This winter semester interns will work at one of Church Self Reliance Centers in select countries in Latin America. This internship will offer you the opportunity to learn from and serve others, further enhance your foreign language skills, gain valuable international work experience, and receive academic BYU credit. Selected interns will work closely with the local Church self-reliance managers, and other self-reliance leaders to help organize and facilitate Church self-reliance groups and initiatives. The main objective of this program is to help individual members learn to become more self–reliant.
Latin America: Self-Reliance Services
DATES
January–April 2022
HOUSING
Students are housed with a companion in furnished apartments. Housing is generally located near Church Self Reliance Centers. Students are responsible for their own meals and transportation.
COURSES
Students register for 9 credit hours while abroad. In consultation with program directors, students will set a combination of courses in their applicable major and minor areas of study. This internship is most compatible with majors/minors in Latin American Studies, Spanish, Portuguese, International Development, Humanities and Business.
Students may not take any other courses on this program, including BYU Online courses, without approval by the program director and ISP.
COST
$3,100–3,400
Includes Latter-day-Saint undergraduate full tuition, housing, some work-related travel, international health insurance coverage, and most visa fees.
Not included: airfare, personal meals, local transportation (to and from work), and personal expenses.
TRAVEL
Students are responsible for purchasing their own airfare to and from the program sites. Airline reservations must be made through BYU Travel. Students should contact a BYU Travel agent.
BYU Travel
280 HRCB | (801) 422-6293 | travel@byu.edu
PREPARATION
As a minimum, student interns must speak, teach, read and write in Spanish at the BYU 321 language course level.
Accepted students are required to participate in a preparation course: IAS 369R (1 credit hour).
Married student couples may serve as an internship companionship provided that both spouses meet the above requirements.
All participants are required to show proof of complete COVID-19 vaccination by the time the preparation class begins.
FUNDING SOURCES
All selected students are eligible for a Kennedy Center grant up to $1,000 to help pay for program costs. Regular BYU tuition scholarships, Pell Grants, and Federal Insured Student Loans may be applied to international internships.
Academic departments and colleges may assist with scholarships and grants, including Humanities funding.
Private grants and scholarships outside of BYU may also assist (see kennedy.byu.edu/scholarships).
APPLICATION PROCESS
BYU welcomes students from any university to apply to participate on our study abroad programs. However, internships and direct enrollment programs are limited to BYU Provo students. Students must be 18 years-of-age or older to participate.
Complete the online application at kennedy.byu.edu/apply. A nonrefundable $35 application fee is required.
Applicants will be interviewed once the application is complete. Students will be notified via e-mail of their acceptance into the program.
The first payment is due upon acceptance. Please refer to the 2022 Payment Information document (see kennedy.byu.edu/isp-forms/ISPpayments2022.pdf).
Deadline: 27 October 2021
FACULTY
Malcolm Miguel Botto, David M. Kennedy Center, is the program director.
204E HRCB
(801) 422-6677
malcolm_botto@byu.edu
Jeffery Shumway, associate professor of history, is the program’s faculty director.
2143 JFSB
(801) 422-8943
jshumway@byu.edu
SCHEDULE AND TIME COMMITMENT
All interns are required to participate in a one-day training session in Salt Lake City the week before traveling to the internship site.
INTERESTED STUDENTS SHOULD CONTACT
International Study Programs
101 HRCB
(801) 422-3686
isp@byu.edu
kennedy.byu.edu/isp
Student Facilitator
malcolm_botto_facilitator@byu.edu
PROGRAM ADJUSTMENTS
International Study Programs (ISP) reserves the right to cancel this program, revise its offerings, or make any adjustments to the preliminary cost. If it becomes necessary for ISP to cancel a program, all program payments made to BYU ISP will be refunded to the student’s BYU Financial account. ISP is the only office authorized to cancel any of its programs.