Latin American and Latino Studies Outreach
The Latin American and Latino Studies Internship is a community-based learning course designed to provide students with the opportunity to enhance their understanding of Latin American societies and to improve their Spanish linguistic skills by volunteering for an organization that serves the Hispanic community. The internship allows students to interact with native Spanish speakers and gain valuable work experience under the direction of professional site supervisors, with the ultimate goal of making a positive contribution through community engagement. Interns must volunteer a minimum of 80 hours of documented work. Students will write a critical research paper that summarizes the internship experience and also focuses on particular issues the organization addresses and the challenges it faces in order to meet the needs of its clients. Applicants seeking to earn credit for LALS 400 must be LALS majors or minors. The internship is a capstone course conducted during the senior year to provide a culminating undergraduate experience. Although the CUE course is not required for minors, students pursuing the LALS minor will follow the same internship guidelines as majors, but may enroll in the internship before the senior year. Selection of the internship site is based on the student’s linguistic skills and career interests.