By Alisha Steere
alisha@newsroom.byu.edu
Nine students and one communications professor are headed to Mexico City for summer term where they will pilot a new program.
The program will help members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in developing countries gain valuable job skills. The program is being run through the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies and the Communications Department in conjunction with the Church Education System.
'The intent of the program is to help local members of the church to improve their job skills and their employment prospects,' said Rich Long, the communications professor taking the group to Mexico City.
The students will spend four hours each morning teaching English and basic computer skills to members of the LDS Church in Mexico.
The basic computer class will teach participants how to use Microsoft Office. Directors of the program are also looking into providing instruction on desktop publishing to interested participants.
The decision to run the program was made last summer and the project has been in the making since that time.
Long said the communications faculty wanted to provide students with the opportunity to study international media as well as providing a service to the people.
Long joined the project after watching a video presentation on the needs of developing countries.
'I gained an appreciation for how much people need in just basic support down there,' Long said. 'After the presentation I found Dr. Wilson and told her I wanted to go Mexico.'
Ricks College ran a similar program last year. A group of students went down to Mexico to teach members of the church welding techniques.
Long said the program placed 300 participants on the job in an automotive facility and he said many more could have been placed.
In addition to the service experience, the BYU students will receive communications credit.
They will spend their afternoons visiting media and communication outlets in Mexico City.
The students will be down in Mexico during the countries presidential elections and will have the opportunity of studying the media coverage of an election in a developing country.
Long said that if the program works out, CES hopes to take the program and run it in developing countries all over the world.
Twenty-five personal computers have been donated to teach the computer class. Jan R. Van Orman, Latin America coordinator with the Outreach program, is coordinating with companies such as Ryder Trucks and Wal-Mart to provide jobs for the participants.
The classes will be held free of charge at Benemerito de las Americas, an LDS high school.
The high school is a private school with dormitories and will also be hosting the BYU students.