By LOIS HASSELL
The Kennedy Center’s International Studies Program, formerly known as Study Abroad, has started a new credit-bearing volunteer program.
“This is a very significant move for the Kennedy Center, a move that is tied to President Bateman’s university objectives, particularly in the areas of learning and service and reaching out to the world,” said Donald B. Holsinger, director of the Kennedy Center in a recent press release.
The new volunteer program will focus on international service programs in a combined effort with the Jacobson Center, which focuses primarily on domestic service, said Rod Boynton, director of International Study Programs.
“This program is an opportunity for service around the world, and BYU students are appropriately qualified,” Boynton said.
Seven groups are expected to participate in international volunteer programs this spring and summer in the countries of Mozambique, the Ukraine, Uganda, the Dominican Republic, Romania and Mexico, Boynton said.
During these programs, students are required to take a full class load of at least six credits offered through the program while in the countries.
While abroad, the students will also, depending on the country, tutor in English, assist in health awareness, and study education, health sciences and various other topics, Boynton said.
“Last year the International Studies program sent out roughly 1,200 to programs around the world. The growth is phenomenal, but we are staffed with dedicated professionals to manage the programs,” Boynton said in a press release. Once the volunteer program is more established, they hope to have groups going abroad during the fall and winter semesters as well, Boynton said.
While the volunteer program was officially established last week, a trial run of students went to Mozambique, Africa last summer.
The group of six students was sent as a “research project.” Each student studied a different subject and tried to get as much information in his or her field as possible, said Ana Abrantes, majoring in International Studies, who went on the trip to Mozambique.
“I was deeply touched by all the acts of love that people that I met on the street had to give me and to the rest of the BYU group,” Abrantes said.
Marnea Wilson, 50, from Orem, went as a graduate assisstant. She said that it was a very hard experience because of a lack of food and health concerns, but was awesome because of the people there.
“The coolest part of the trip was a group of 400 people in the jungle that had heard about the gospel from one man and were all waiting to be baptized. The people the are very naturally a spiritual people,” Wilson said.
Students are cautioned to plan early to incorporate international experiences into their curricula. Programs are full through Fall 2000, and applications for 2001 are being accepted.
