Academic and Professional Development Opportunities at American University

[Announcement from he-sl listserv]


Dear service learning colleagues,

I wanted to share information about several academic and professional development opportunities at American University, which may be of interest to your students. Through the Washington Semester Program, we offer exciting and challenging seminars in Transforming Communities, International Environment and Development, and Peace and Conflict Resolution.  Participation, provides students with an opportunity to explore these fields in-depth, to hear from dozens of experts, and to participate in for credit internships, all while living in Washington, DC during an election year!

Transforming Communities explores the concept of community, what makes a community healthy, and how we can marshal resources and energy at all levels of government and all sectors of society to strengthen our communities.  International Environment and Development students study key challenges and solutions in issues such as biodiversity, climate change, poverty and inequality, and public health.  They then travel abroad to Costa Rica (fall) or Ghana (spring), to explore these issues in a real-world setting.  In Peace and Conflict Resolution, students consider current and historical conflicts, causes, and potential solutions with the help of numerous experts in the field.  They then travel to the Balkans or Cyprus/Turkey to study conflicts on the ground.  All three programs attract students from a wide variety of disciplines, all of whom share a commitment to a better nation and world.  And, all three emphasize experiential and service oriented projects at the grassroots.

Students also have a two-day internship each week.  The internship organizations range from nonprofits and NGOs engaged in advocacy and/or service, government agencies that impact society, and those in the private sector with a commitment to community improvement.  This experience, along with the accompanying classes, can be extraordinarily helpful in enhancing professional development and guiding students’ career decisions.  

In addition, students can elect to complete an independent research project using primary sources in order to more fully explore a topic of interest.

Students in these three programs report that their program was an invaluable complement to their studies on their home campus.  Each combines strong academics with experience in the field.  Each exposes students to policy and (in part because of our large population of international students) international context.  All enable students to take advantage of the opportunity to apply what they have learned with you to their own career exploration.

I would appreciate it if you would forward this information to students.  If you or they would like to learn more about these programs, and read some comments from alumni, please go to our website at http://www.american.edu/washingtonsemester/ or contact us directly:  

· Heather Heckel – heckel@american.edu - (International Environment and Development)
· Katharine Kravetz – kkravet@american.edu  (Transforming Communities)
· Eleftherios Michael – Michael@american.edu (Peace and Conflict Resolution)

If you contact me directly, I can answer your questions and/or send you a flyer for posting.

Sincerely,

Katharine Kravetz
Transforming Communities Semester
Washington Semester Program
Tenley Campus - Dunblane 111
American University
Washington, DC 20016-8083
Phone: 202-895-4931
Fax: 202-895-4939
http://www.american.edu/washingtonsemester/transforming/index.cfm