Fall 2021 Virtual Internships

These courses meet the Social Responsibility Praxis requirement. 

Internship placements and projects are subject to change dependent upon availability, local conditions, skills and interests of the student, and needs of the organization. 

CGS 131: Virtual Internship – SOUTHERN AFRICA

Early on in the semester and occasionally throughout the course, students will attend class (TR 9:35 am to 11:00 am) with the course instructor in order to acquire an introduction to the broader cultural, environmental, social, and political context that informs the work and mission of a particular internship organization and the ethics of working with an organization in another country and culture. This background knowledge is necessary to responsibly engage in your internship. Upon completion of the first part of the course, students will begin their internship and work roughly 7 to 10 hours a week on their specific project(s) for their organization as well as attend occasional class sessions as appropriate.

Internship placements are possible with the following two organizations with which the program has had long-term relationships:

Women and Law in Southern Africa.  This organization, which works in seven different Southern African countries attempts to “advance socio-economic political, legal and human rights of women and children thereby contributing to their sustained well being in families and communities”.

Possible Projects:

  • Review of research papers and desk analysis
  • Design of infographics and post cards for campaigns
  • Conducting virtual opinion polls for instance on Twitter
  • Identification of funding opportunities and fundraising
  • Website design and update
  • Virtual cross country webinars/seminars on relevant topics covered in our programes – Women political Participation, Electoral Reforms , Land Rights , Extractives , Climate Change , Access to Justice , GBV etc

Haki Zetu Young Women and Girls’ Rights Organization “contributes to the personal safety, health and social protection of young women and girls and works for the prevention of early pregnancies and marriages in Tanzania”.

Possible Projects:

  • Prevention of gender-based violence (GBV) against young women and girls
  • Promotion of women and young people’s rights
  • Provision of quality and safe sexual and reproductive healthcare
  • Economic empowerment of vulnerable groups of young women and youth
  • Supporting vulnerable groups with basic needs like scholastic materials, health insurance and means of income generation.
  • Legal aid and social counselling

CGS 132: Virtual Internship – NEPAL

Early on in the semester and occasionally throughout the course, students will attend class (TR 7:45 pm to 9:45 pm) with the course instructors in order to acquire an introduction to the broader cultural, environmental, social, and political context that informs the work and mission of a particular internship organization and the ethics of working with an organization in another country and culture. This background knowledge is necessary to responsibly engage in your internship. Upon completion of the first part of the course, students will begin their internship and work roughly 7 to 10 hours a week on their specific project(s) for their organization as well as attend occasional class sessions as appropriate.   

Internship placements are possible with the following organizations: 

Organization: NEPALI TIMES 

A world-class English language weekly that provides in-depth reporting and expert commentary on Nepali Politics, business, culture, travel and society. Students can assist with editing as well as research and writing feature stories with the very real possibility of having their articles published.
Possible topics: 

  • Climate change 
  • COVID 19
  • Transitional justice 
  • Dalit discrimination 
  • Tourism revival 
  • Migration and the remittance economy 
  • Other topics according to student interest and background 

Organization: North South Collectives and Biratnagar Film Workshop 

North South Collective is an educational research center that aims to “promote critical open space and influence development priorities by revitalizing the capability of people in Nepal and beyond.” 

An important component of the North Sough Collective is the Biratnagar Film Workshop, which “explores and nurtures conscious voices in Nepali cinema and aims to diversify the local film industry.” 

Possible Projects: 

  • Students who want to further their knowledge in filmmaking can work with young aspiring Nepali filmmakers and be involved in film editing, script review, text editing and writing, under the tutelage Deepak Rauniyar, an acclaimed Nepali filmmaker based in New York and now teaching film production at Hunter College and the City College.    See: https://deerauniyar.com/about 
  • Website Design 
  • Proposal writing and editing 

Organization: Blue Diamond Society (BDS): 

BDS is an LGBTIQ rights organization in Nepal. It was established in 2001 to advocate for change in the existing laws against homosexuality and to advocate for the rights of Nepal’s marginalized gay, transgender and other sexual minority communities. 

Possible Projects: 

  • Proposal writing for “COVID 19” and other proposals. 

Note: Final placement with this organization will be contingent upon there being appropriate projects for students to work on during the fall 2021 semester. 

Organization: Prisoner’s Assistance Nepal (PA Nepal) 

Working Area: Works with women in prison and helps them to re-integrate back into families and society. PA Nepal also runs a home for children of women prisoners. 

Possible Projects: 

  • Report writing, short write-ups to publish in its organizational website, class sessions for the children of incarcerated women, and any other works deemed suitable for an intern.” 

Organization: National Indigenous Disabled Women Association- Nepal (NIDWAN) 

Short Description: Work on protecting and promoting the rights of young indigenous women with disabilities and other marginalized groups through an integrated and inter-sectional approach 

Possible Projects: 

  • Documentation/research focusing on young indigenous women with disabilities and other marginalized groups, including climate change issues, violence, and discrimination and some research on the situation of indigenous women with disabilities. 

Organization: Indigenous Women’s Legal Awareness Group (INWOLAG) 

Description: The Indigenous Women’s Legal Awareness Group (INWOLAG) is a non-profit, non-governmental, non-political, organization established in the year 2000. INWOLAG comprise Indigenous women legal experts and professionals who are dedicated to fight for indigenous women’s human rights. 

INWOLAG’s mission is protection and promotion of the dignity and well being of indigenous women by ending all forms of discrimination and violence against indigenous women and children. 

Possible Projects: 

  • Proposal writing, report writing, case story and official documentation (Journey of the INWOLAG) and so on. 

 CGS 133: Virtual Internship – ITALY

For the first part of the course, students will attend classes (TR 9:35 am to 11:00 am) in order to acquire an introduction to the broader cultural, environmental, social, and political context that informs the work and mission of a particular internship organization and the ethics of working with an organization in another country and culture. This background knowledge is necessary to responsibly engage in your internship. Upon completion of the first part of the course, students will begin their internship and work roughly 7 to 10 hours a week on their specific project(s) for their organization as well as attend occasional class sessions as appropriate.

Internship placements are possible with the following organizations with which the program has had long-term relationships:

Organization: CIAC (Immigration center)

Possible Projects:

  • Revising/translating documents
  • Interviewing staff and immigrants.

Organization: Schools

Possible Projects:

US students will create short videos on topics of interest that the teachers can show in class and comment. They will also ask their students to create short videos on Italian culture using their modest English language. This internships can be implemented by one-to-one conversations with Italian University students making short videos for Junior High students, conversing with University students, pen pals, interview teachers and students.

CGS 134: Virtual Internship – COSTA RICA

Early on in the semester and occasionally throughout the course, students will attend class (MW 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm) with the course instructor in order to acquire an introduction to the broader cultural, environmental, social, and political context that informs the work and mission of a particular internship organization and the ethics of working with an organization in another country and culture. This background knowledge is necessary to responsibly engage in your internship. Upon completion of the first part of the course, students will begin their internship and work roughly 7 to 10 hours a week on their specific project(s) for their organization as well as attend occasional class sessions as appropriate.

Possible Internship Placements:

Cooperativa Ecos RL: This cooperative works in the development of employment opportunities for its partners. They manage a newspaper, recycling services and virtual grocery store.

Possible Projects:

  • Web managing and graphic design.

Fundación Café Forestal:  A coffee producing organization that emphasizes social welfare and environmental responsibility through improving coffee production and marketing .  A portion of the profit from each package sold goes to sustainable development projects, including Hijos del Campo, which works with families of coffee employees and in support of  homeless families.

Possible Projects:

  • Under discussion.

Fundación Neotrópica: This organization works in search for a balance between human well being and the natural resources. This is a big organization in Costa Rica and has worked with many government projects including the national park system.

Project Projects:

  • web design
  • social media
  • graphic design
  • grant writing/funding requests and other projects.

Asociación de Alcaldes de Costa Rica (Association of Mayors of Costa Rica).  

The Asociación de Alcaldes de Costa Rica in collaboration with the EAFIT University in Medellin, Colombia, and the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica are working on a project to improve urban design in cities of Costa Rica, with a focus on “Integrated Neighborhoods.”

Possible Projects include but are not limited to:

  • literature research
  • web design
  • social media management.

Las Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary. Located in Southern Costa Rica, The Las Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary is dedicated to rescuing wildlife that have been taken out of their native habitat and/or that have been injured in accidents. The rescued animals are rehabilitated and if found to be fit for reintegration in their natural habitat they get released. Pitzer’s Firestone Center serves as a release location.

Possible Projects:

  • Literature research
  • writing funding proposals
  • web/social media management

Asociación de Mujeres Generalenas

This organization works with women in San Isidro, Costa Rica. Its mission is to bring opportunities to women for self-empowerment with the sole purpose to be motivators for their family and the community.

Possible Projects:

  • Teach English to participants of the program.
  • Teach soil management with the purpose of developing home gardens

Organization of Tropical Studies

The OTS manages three biological reserves in Costa Rica. One of these biological reserves is The Las Cruces Biological Reserve in Southern Costa Rica.

Possible Projects:

  • Organize climate data sets to show averages and trends in several weather variables
  • Proposal of a management plan for the trails at Las Cruces
  • Entomological dry collections * Report, slide show
  • Herbarium collections * Report, slide show
  • Zoological and botanical wet collections * Report, slide show
  • Prepare data sheets, reports, slide shows on various areas such as Tropical Plant Diseases, Ecological and Environment Services from Tropical Forests, Waste Management Hierarchy Initiatives, Management Plan for a Zero Solid Waste Program

Aldeas Infantiles SOS de Perez Zeledón

This institution hosts orphan children.

Possible Projects:

  • Assistance with environmental education programs
  • Assistance with designing proper management strategies for the organization’s small zoo

Osa Conservation

This organization works with environmental issues in Southern Costa Rica.

Possible Projects:

will be coordinated between the organization and student based on the student’s abilities and needs of organization. GIS knowledge, graphic design experience and ability to translate documents are desired.

CGS 135: Virtual Internship – ECUADOR

For the first part of the course, students will attend class (TR 9:30 am to 11:00 am) in order to acquire an introduction to the broader cultural, environmental, social, and political context that informs the work and mission of a particular internship organization and the ethics of working with an NGO in another country. Upon completion of the first part of the course, students will begin their internship.  During the internship, students will work 7- 10 hours a week on their specific project for their organization as well as attend bi-weekly meetings with the course instructor and occasional class sessions as appropriate.

Internship placements are possible with the following organizations with which the program has had long-term relationships:

Organization: Yachay Wasi Indigenous School

Community and intercultural educational project whose main objective is to integrate the local knowledge and the indigenous language of the children’s families in the teaching / learning process.

Possible projects: 

  • Conduct weekly 15-minute classes for boys and girls 9 and 10 years of age through Zoom. Classes should be recorded (also) so that children can later view them through their cell phones.
  • Review homework and assignments that are sent to students during class.
  • Realization of school material (short videos of 1 minute) explaining the tasks and activities that children and children should do at home. (The guides and books of the curriculum of the Ministry of Education must be followed)

Organization:  La Marcha de la Putas

The collective La Marcha de la Putas has woven networks of support and collaboration with communities of transgender people in conditions of street sex work. Its projects are developed within the framework of the dissemination of rights and training to communities of transgender and cisgender sex workers. Students will be linked to the organizational training project of the movement.

Possible Projects:

  • Translation of material for sexual health training.
  • Planning of political and activist training workshops for sex workers.
  • Preparation of informative material on the community work of the group.
  • Collaboration in the development of education and training workshops on health issues, community organization, community leadership in rights.

Organization: Transgender Project

Collective that aims to disseminate about the situation and rights of transgender people, and establish support networks for transgender communities in Ecuador and other countries in the region.

Possible Projects:

  • Observation of current issues in relation to the situation of transgender people in Ecuador and the United States for the construction of a baseline.
  • Interviews with local and global transgender leaders (in Ecuador and the US) on topics such as sexual health, public health for transgender people, individual and collective rights of the community, legal assistance for the dissemination of the rights of gender diversities.
  • Making life stories (videos) of transgender people that strengthen the bibliographic and informative material on the presence of transgender people in communities and public life.