The O’Neill School invites graduate students to apply for the O’Neill Global Leadership Program (GLP) in Guatemala, an international internship program available to students in all graduate degrees, offered in partnership with FUNDAP (Foundation for the Integral Development of Socioeconomic Programs) located in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.
Learn more about the O’Neill Global Leadership Program in Guatemala
GLP in Guatemala is an international internship program for graduate students at the O'Neill School. Selected students will be placed in an internship in Guatemala that matches their degree field and/or area of interest. The program is 8 weeks in length (June-July 2024) and students will work full-time at their assigned internship. The internship placements are unpaid. All placements will be in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.
This internship program includes all the following features:
- Guaranteed internship position related to degree
- Immersive part-time Spanish lessons for first 4 weeks of the internship
- Housing on-site at FUNDAP's lodging facility, El Refugio (single furnished apartment with kitchen and private bathroom)
- 24-hour emergency contact
- Pick-up on arrival day/drop off on departure day at Guatemala City Airport
- Comprehensive health insurance covering dates of program
Additionally, the program allows students the following options at their own expense:
- Option to add on guided cultural excursions
- Option to add on meal plan
- Option to add on further Spanish lessons
Students will be placed in internships with different departments and program areas within FUNDAP in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. FUNDAP's main areas of work center of the following:
- Education
- Health
- Environment
- Agriculture
- Handicraft
- Microcredit
For further explanations of each of these areas, see this document.
FUNDAP will secure internship placements for students that match their stated interests and degree fields. In your application materials, please outline your areas of interest clearly so FUNDAP has as much information to work with as possible.
Costs
The GLP in Guatemala program fee is estimated at $1,800.
* Program Fee will be finalized by October 1
To secure their spot, students will accept their offer with a $550 deposit towards the program fee. The remaining program fee amount will be charged to students’ bursars in March-April.
In addition to the program fee, students will be responsible for covering their flight and personal expenses while on the ground in Guatemala, as well as paying any tuition associated with their internship requirement.
Scholarships
O’Neill will support students doing this program with a $1,000 stipend. Students are encouraged to apply for any internal or external awards to help fund this experience. Please see our scholarship page for available funding. Students may also apply any internship stipends awarded through their admissions process to this program.
We invite applications from O’Neill graduate students in any degree who are in good academic and disciplinary standing. The Career Hub and the O’Neill International Office (OIO) will open a call for applicants each fall semester. We will select a cohort of 8 graduate students to participate in GLP-Guatemala. Students will be asked to upload a resume, cover letter, and a letter of recommendation from a previous supervisor or faculty member. Below is the application process timeline:
- October 1: Applications open for all Global Leadership Programs
- Early-mid October: Program infosessions are held - attend to learn more and ask questions
- November 1: Applications due for this program
- Early-Mid November: Interviews will take place
- Late November: Students notified of acceptance into program
- Early December: Students confirm participation in program and pay deposit
After acceptance, O’Neill will submit the selected students’ information and interests to FUNDAP. FUNDAP will then secure placements for the students in one of their programs related to the students’ interests and/or degree field. Students can expect to have their internship placement by early May.
The O’Neill International Office will administer a pre-departure training and preparation process covering health, safety, security, and cultural information for students doing this program. Pre-departure group meetings will take place monthly from January-May preceding departure for the internship program and will cover various helpful topics.
We carry inside us the wonders we seek outside us.
—Rumi