While working towards my Master’s Degree, I completed many interesting projects. Using the links below, you can review my coursework and some of my work samples. By clicking here, you can review projects completed for my Development Project Management Certificate from the Development Project Management Institute (DPMI) at the Monterey Institute of International Studies. You may also be interested in work completed on my practicum with GVI Quepos.
Fall, 2013
Biculturalism and Multiculturalism
While exploring questions of identity that affect bicultural and multicultural individuals, I led a class discussion focusing on the principal questions that affect these groups. We attempted to categorize the questions and situations to find the best way to support bicultural and multicultural people. Additionally, I completed a final reflection project where I created my own identity categories based on the narratives and theory we read.
Budgeting for Education Organizations
I had the opportunity to work with a budgeting team and take on real life situations while dealing with an imaginary budget for Alpha University. My team represented the Learning Resources Center and we managed budgets and presented proposals during bountiful and austere fiscal times.
Comparative International Education
The three major projects for this class were creating a country case study website, writing a comparative education paper with a classmate on various economic and social issues affecting education and writing a theoretical paper based on an contemporary education issue. I created my case study on Bolivia, co-wrote the comparative paper on Bolivia and Costa Rica, and wrote my theoretical paper on high drop-out rates in rural areas in Bolivia from a constructivist point of view.
Comparative Education Case Study: Bolivia
Comparative Education Paper: Bolivia and Costa Rica
Theoretical Analysis: High Drop out Rates and Constructivism
Conducting Business in Latin America and Spain
Throughout this class I learned business management strategies specific to Latin America and Spain. The class was taught completely in Spanish. I presented the Juancito Pinto fund in Bolivia during a mock press conference and created a business plan for an imaginary company with a classmate.
Press Conference Powerpoint and Summary (in Spanish)
Business Plan (in Spanish): Leemos Juntos
International Education Marketing and Recruiting
With a team, I created a marketing and recruitment plan for a Boston based client in the volunteer abroad field. We researched competitors, created a SWOT analysis, and developed a detailed plan and timeline including creative, measurable strategies for employing the plan. To respect our client’s confidentiality, I am posting an anonymous version of our plan.
Marketing and Recruitment Strategic Plan
International Education Policy
I analyzed, researched, wrote and presented two policy briefs from International Education Organizations and governments. Additionally, I conducted an in-depth policy analysis on the U.S Fulbright Program Policies including desired outcomes and rationales, supporting evidence and alternative solutions.
Principles and Practices of International Education
This survey course gave me an opportunity to research common problems, best practices, and current opportunities in International Service Learning. Also, I presented a poster on the organization Global Classrooms at the Monterey Institute International Education Management 2013 Poster Fair.
International Service Learning Research Paper
January Term, 2014
International Student and Scholar Services
This course gave me an overview to the F-1 and J-1 Visa requirements, a realistic look at the life of an International Student/Scholar Adviser, and common problems and opportunities for International Students and Scholars. For our culminating activity, I created a presentation on volunteer opportunities for International Students/Scholars and their dependents.
Introduction to Language Program Administration
During this course we explored education philosophies and management strategies of language program administrators. We learned hands-on from current practitioners and shared our own experiences and insights daily while reading and listening to current LPAs. The diversity of schools, functions and duties of LPAs was astounding and inspiring. This course gave me first hand insights and practical strategies for navigating the complex web of language program administration in various work environments.
Staff Management in International Context
This course gave me a theoretical background to International Human Resource Management, common intercultural challenges and solutions, best practices and hands-on experience creating job ads, interviewing candidates and developing conflict resolution strategies. Additionally, I analyzed and presented a case study with a team of my classmates about Ford Motor unions in multiple countries.
Spring, 2014
Communicating Social Change
This course opened my mind, loosened my body and freed my form of expression through a mixture of intercultural communication theory, reflective writing, models of community development and body movement focused on openness and new ways of using space. I learned diverse communication strategies, practical examples of how to promote and monitor social change, and ways to recenter myself in times of higher stress and anxiety. As a final product for this course, I created a pre-during-post intercultural awareness program for a new study abroad program for Boston University that I designed in my Design and Assessment Course. The program uses the intercultural praxis as a basis for developing student’s intercultural sensitivity along their study abroad journey.
Communicating Social Change-Intercultural Awareness Training
Environmental Sustainability Across Cultures
Using the goal of promoting sound environmental practices around the world, we explored how different cultures view environmental sustainability and the best methods to approach different cultures and worldviews when pitching controversial environmental topics and plans. My team focused on environmental education in Chile. At the conclusion of this course, we presented practical steps for launching an environmental education program in Chile as cultural outsiders.
Outdoor Education in Chile Presentation, Chile Verde Team Report
International Education Design and Assessment
In this course I designed a short-term faculty lead study abroad program based in Tanzania and assessment plan for Boston University. The goal was to design a scientific field research program with a practical internship component to encourage students from all disciplines to join the global citizen scientist movement. This plan for the program “Thinking Globally, Acting Globally” includes a theory of change, detailed program logic models, internship partner research, practical precautions for traveling in Tanzania, program itinerary and more. The assessment plan is designed for measuring the impact of the program on student’s further academic and community outreach involvement while studying at Boston University.
Thinking Globally, Acting Globally_Program Design Plan, Assessment Proposal
Managing Intercultural Expectations in International Service Learning Programs
To learn more about International Service Learning, I took on a directed study to research the intricacies of managing intercultural expectations in ISL Programs. Through conducting a literature review and informational interviews with professionals in the field, I uncovered a complicated world of differing levels of expectations. I determined that it is necessary to understand societal expectations of civic engagement, the role and obligations of community partners, and the most effective models and tools for framing and meeting the learning outcomes of the student participants when building and maintaining an effective ISL program.
Directed Study: Managing Expectations in ISL Programs
Professional Public Speaking in Spanish
In this course I learned theoretical models for constructing informative, persuasive, commemorative, and panel speeches and delivered at least one speech per theme to my class in Spanish. Each presentation was recorded in order to give us the best opportunity to reflect on our speaking skills and focus on the form, stage presence and voice. We also learned and practiced methods to reduce nervousness when speaking and how to best engage our audience. To see some of the power point presentations and notes that accompanied my speeches, please visit the En Español section of my site.
Proposal Writing for International Development
This course joined me with a team and a local client to write a proposal to further their development work. I was very fortunate to work with a such a dedicated team and very supportive client, Peacock Acres in Salinas, California. Our proposal was focused on strengthening the programming offered by The Learning Center (TLC) at Peacock acres which hosts home schools and after school programming for foster youth in Monterey County. We learned various tools as we wrote the proposal: drawing rich pictures and icebergs to gain a better grasp of the program, writing outcomes, indicators, objectives and goals to explain the proposal methodology, and throughout telling a compelling story that shows the potential of TLC and why they deserve funding.
Peacock Acres Packard Foundation Proposal
Study Abroad and International Exchange
This course introduced me to the history, current landscape, and best practices in study abroad and international exchange. We covered a range of topics including program types, code of conduct, university partnerships, language programs, and more. For my final research paper, I decided to focus on the ethics in International Service Learning. This paper added to the previous research from my directed study, but focuses more on ethical planning, assessment and evaluation of ISL programs.