GSIPM

Already fantasizing about the incredible summer internship you’re going to land? Good! You should be. If not, I’m here to plant the seed.

The truth is, summer seems like a grueling academic year away, but it’s lurking just around the corner.  Without a swipe left, swipe right graduate internship app option, identifying interesting organizations and cruising MIIS resources now will prevent you from giving the “OMG OMG OMG” crazy eyes to your advisors this May.

I sat down with Donna York (IPD ’18 – goldmine of good advice) to reflect on her time Interning for the Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction branch of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Geneva.

Top Tips for MIIS Students Seeking Professional Adventure:

Be that annoying person who sees your advisor all the time. Planning is super important. I met with my advisor Scott Webb almost once a week to ask questions and get reassurance that I was doing everything right (Scott is good at the reassurance part).

Perfect the basics. Get your resume and cover letter absolutely perfect in the fall so you are set to send them out. Organizations like the UN see having mistake-free materials as just checking the first box.

Apply. Apply. Apply. I started sending things out early and applied for 30 internships across the UN and over a dozen more at organizations that interested me in Washington D.C. If I could, I would have applied for even more.

Get financial support. I have applied for and received MIIS Immersive Professional Learning (IPL) funding twice. The process to apply was simple and the deliverables I was required to submit for receiving it were flexible.

Be that annoying person (again) that e-mails all the time. Once you’ve landed the internship, build your network. You have nothing to lose in making connections. Even if you don’t have a specific ask for that person in the moment, you never know when they might pop into your life again in the future. Seriously, always follow up after an information session, coffee, or even if someone gives you their card.

For more application inspiration, explore MIIS Immersive Learning Programs  and keep an eye on Zócalo for hot leads.

You can also check out more MIIS immersive learning examples from all over the world at the Immersive Learning Project Portal.   

Calling all creative MIISfits interested in flexing your ideation and innovation muscles!

26 participants successfully completed three-week Certificate in International Development and Social Change program on June 23, 2017. The participants constituted United College Scholars, Middlebury Institute and Middlebury College Students, and international development professionals. As a field visit, the participants got opportunities to visit several development organizations in DC and explore the trends in the development sector. Read the testimonies of the United World Scholars below: 

I applied for the DPMI program because of its relevance to my current role at a microfinance technology startup. Tasked with creating and implementing pilot interventions I was actively searching for frameworks with which to formalize the design process within my organization. In addition to learning and practicing with tools on program design, I gained critical leadership skills, design thinking exercises, and was given time to develop my theory of change within the development sector. A major highlight of the DPMI program was getting to know the other cohort members- especially the UWC participants.

The group work exercises allowed us to learn from each other’s academic, professional and personal experiences with development. Beryl’s weeklong simulation was also a deeply immersive learning experience. I appreciated the visit to the Organization of the American States (OAS) as an opportunity to visualize an alternative path within the development sector. Ultimately, the DPMI program, along with the framework and tools imparted will be relevant irrespective of which sector they are approached and utilized through.  

– Amita Ramachandran, Macalester College, ’15 (Economics & International Development)

 

When I applied for the DPMI program, I was a senior International Politics and Economics major at Middlebury College. I directed most of my academic career towards an interdisciplinary pursuit of subjects related to international development. My interest in the field has been largely shaped and informed by my experiences at home in the Philippines; I constantly think about how I might contribute to the betterment of my country and society.

Three weeks of DPMI was crucial in my efforts to build connections between the theoretical approach I was exposed to in a liberal arts education, and the practical tools and skills applied in the field. It was inspiring to learn from such seasoned instructors and facilitators, the frameworks that are widely used in addressing global and systemic problems. While it might be a few years before I pursue a career in international development, I am grateful to DPMI for allowing me a close look at some of what international development work could involve.

– Gabbie Santos, Middlebury College ’17 (International Politics & Economics)

25 participants gathered in Washington, DC, in June 2017 for the Certificate in International Development and Social Change, a professional graduate certificate program offered by Middlebury Institute. The certificate program centers around careers in program design, partnering, management, and Innovation (DPMI). The participants constituted Middlebury College & MIIS students, UWC Scholars, and International Development and Social Change practitioners. The DPMI program has been a big draw for MIIS and MIDD students that allows them to connect and build bridges between the two Middlebury campuses in Vermont and California. The students are not just learning about the recipes of international development and social change, but they are also connecting with one another and learning to work together.

The Certificate in International Development and Social Change program is also offered in January 2018 at Monterey. Please share this with someone who might be interested. To learn more about the program, click here.

Hello! My name is Amy Nguyen, and today I will be sharing my experience in the Design, Partnering, Management and Innovation (DPMI) program in Monterey this past May.

A bit about me: Within the Development Practice and Policy (DPP) program, I am working towards a Master in Public in Administration (MPA) with a specialization in Monitoring, Evaluation, and Design. Prior to MIIS, I worked for the organization, Relief International (RI) (www.ri.org), where I am a still a member of its Performance Accountability and Learning team.

DPMI was a big draw for me when I applied to MIIS. I liked the idea of learning not only how to design projects, but also how to flip the traditional design process: how to make it more dynamic, more iterative and more community-oriented.

The two instructors, Beryl Levinger and Evan Bloom, have designed a unique, very hands-on learning environment. Over the span of the two weeks, we did all our work in teams: in the first week, to identify a development challenge facing a country and design a project, and, in the second week, to design a social innovation through collaborating.

These team projects took my mind to incredible places: first, to the coastal Ayeyarwady region in Myanmar, and, then, to the mountainous community of Barillas, Guatemala. Both projects involved understanding and addressing challenges facing farmers. Throughout the two weeks, we mixed and matched approaches, learning traditional tools and methodologies (e.g. as results frameworks and indicators) along with emerging ones (e.g. human-centered design, social network analysis).

My DPMI cohort was a fantastic group of working professionals and students. Each of us brought a different lens to the table: health, gender, migration, environment, education, and others. We asked hard questions. We brainstormed. We listened. And, just as importantly, we had fun. Somewhere in the mayhem of Google Drive folders, sticky notes, and team ground rules, our cohort was buzzing with energy and a sense of purpose. It felt like we were learning new approaches to think and work through development challenges… with some of the very colleagues whom we may be working alongside in the future.

DPMI has opened up new areas of work for me at RI. I am becoming more involved in the development of our new global partnerships strategy. This summer, I am completing my practicum with our Myanmar country team, focusing on ways to strengthen program quality through monitoring and evaluation (M&E), design and strategy. All of my deliverables will be tied to content from the DPMI modules. I’m excited to see my newfound skills and knowledge spring to life; as Beryl would say, I am excited to “hit the ground thinking.”

People, systems, and process matter a lot to me. Upon returning back to school, I felt it was important for me to become exposed to the methodologies, tools, and approaches that honor that principle. In the development field, we spend a lot of time in the development feeling stuck: The problems are great, and they are many. It is easy to feel beholden to the traditional way of doing things. DPMI beckoned us to do differently, and I am a better practitioner now because of it.

Read about students’ immersive learning projects all around the world including in the United States from 2014-2017.  Click here to visit the student portal. The student portal is a compilation of immersive learning experiences of MIIS students along with their project deliverables.

Immersive learning is the learning that occurs when students are outside of the traditional role of teacher and student. Immersive learning is collaborating with other people, organizations, and governments. It is the critical process of applying critical thinking and is a cornerstone of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS) pedagogical philosophy on helping students develop skills and knowledge for preparing students to build a better world. 

Immersive Learning Programs include internships, DPMI +, IPSS, J-term & Spring Practica, summer opportunities, and directed studies. Through immersive learning programs, students take part in projects where they are outside of the traditional role of teacher and student.

To learn more about Immersive Professional Learning Programs and funding click here

The D-Prize social venture competition is live!   If selected we will award you up to $20,000 to launch a pilot in any region where extreme poverty exists. D-Prize funds new entrepreneurs who increase access to proven poverty interventions. Can you design a business or NGO that solves one of the Distribution Challenges below:

+ GIRL’S EDUCATION

+ AGRICULTURE

+ ENERGY

+ GLOBAL HEALTH

+ EDUCATION

+ GOVERNANCE AND INFRASTRUCTURE

+ CUSTOM

Interested in applying? Visit www.d-prize.org for details.

Heather Rahimi MAIEM ‘17 has spent the last four months on practicum at the University of Utah Asia campus in Incheon, South Korea.  Having never set foot on the Asian continent prior to her practicum, Heather utilized takeaways from her MIIS coursework, non-verbal communication and flexibility to excel throughout her experience.

What has been the most surprising thing you have encountered on your practicum in Korea?

Seeing as it’s my first time in South Korea, let alone Asia, I have encountered many surprises. I think the biggest surprise, or at least the one that has had the biggest positive impact on me, is understanding that one doesn’t need verbal language to communicate with others. My Korean is limited to “hello”, “thank you”, and “goodbye”, so coming here inspired a certain amount of fear in me. However, I discovered so much can be said without words, especially in Korea. A simple grunt can say a million words! These days I grunt at everything, it can mean “yes”, “oh!”, “I understand”, “I’m so sorry”, you name it! So here is a word of caution to all those who see me after I return state-side, be prepared for countless grunts, warm smiles, and a little bit of pushing.

Credit: Snow College News

What has been one of the most valuable skills or takeaways from your coursework at MIIS that has helped you succeed in your practicum work?

I was pretty nervous for my first day on the job, I was certain I wouldn’t know anything and would have to constantly ask my supervisor for help. But, I quickly found out, my coursework at MIIS had taught me so much more than I thought and left me utterly, if not overly, prepared for this position. I was most grateful for the skills I learned in my Staff Management course. Even as an intern, I definitely needed to manage up, be aware of cross-cultural differences, such as communication styles, and be prepared to lead a meeting when no one else was up for the task.

How has your experience in Korea informed what you hope to do next (whether or not you know what that is at the moment)?

My practicum position at UAC has taught me many invaluable lessons and enabled me to grow as a person and a professional. As an intern, I have been able to work on a variety of projects that wouldn’t typically fall under one person’s job responsibilities. Each project has given me insight into what type of work I want to do in my future and made me realize that although I would prefer to work in education abroad, I am now also open to and enjoy working in international student and scholar services. Whereas before I only wanted to work in education abroad, I can now broaden the scope of my job search and better identify positions that I will thrive in based on my first-hand experience with job responsibilities and work environments.

Every semester we offer weekend workshops to our graduate students on a wide variety of topics from Development Practice and Policy, Intercultural Competence, International Education Management,  and Nonproliferation & Terrorism Studies.

The Professional Development Weekend Workshops are also open to interested professionals, community members, and students and faculty from other institutions. Access the Fall 2017 workshop listing. For inquiries, please contact: professional.dev@miis.edu.

Apply for a weekend workshop.

Search weekend workshop descriptions in our course catalog.

http://www.miis.edu/academics/short/executive-education/options/weekend-workshops

Addy Michelle Jimenez Haga, IPD

United Nations Centre for Peace, Disarmament, and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, Peru

January 2nd to June 31^st, 2017

Summary of Experience:

Throughout my internship with the United Nations (UN), I have been given the privilege to learn about administrative mannerisms, arms trafficking, forensic ballistics, Resolution 1540, the missing links within the private security sector, and life cycle of its projects, how the UN executes grant writing and much more. I have been able to integrate into an 8-5 job, where I work mostly alone, and where I have developed my own due dates; this has been a change from the intense, rich feedback and team oriented culture at MIIS. However, it has been an enriching experience, and extremely conducive towards seamlessly introducing me to the paying-professional world after I honorably receive my Master’s degree from MIIS.

UNLIREC asked me to keep my blog discrete, which motivated me to be more involved and creative within my in Lima. From the congested city, endless honking, foul smells, to the loving people, kind souls, and delectable food, all whilst enduring stomach infections throughout. This opportunity has tested my resilience and has shown me that I am much more capable, patient, smarter and stronger than I thought.

Thank you for contributing towards this internship in Lima, Peru. I was once told in Peace Corps to represent America as if I was an ambassador each and every day; I have taken this mentality with me everywhere I go. With this said, I am honored to represent MIIS, and am working as hard as possible, being as innovative as possible, and being as positive as possible, to leave the Mafia footprint in Lima.

Read Addy’s blog

If you have any art project that you would like to share with Committee on Art in Public Places (CAPP) or want to organize an art exhibition on campus, please submit Arts Project Proposal. For more details click here.

Sarah Terherst completed DPMI Plus in the Spring of 2017. She is currently working as the Field Program Coordinator for the Resilience and Economic Growth in the Sahel – Accelerated Growth projected based in Niamey, Niger.

I’m one of those weirdos who has known what they wanted to do for a long time. I wanted to work in “development” before I ever knew it was an actual sector. When I was very young I lived in Togo and saw extreme poverty and subsistence farming first hand. Since then I’ve wanted to work in what I used to call “sustainable agriculture” which is now coined as “improved livelihoods” and “resilience.” When I joined MIIS I believed it would be the tipping point of my career, tying together all of my past experiences and launching me into my desired future career: program manager, in the field, somewhere in Africa, working on food security. So, naturally, I jumped at my first opportunity to take DPMI which then propelled me into the DPMI+ program.

I strongly believe that one of the best things that MIIS has to offer is the Career and Advising Center (CACS) and my journey here is a testament to that. When applying for my DPMI+, I reached out to my favorite professors as well as Gael and Scott at CACS and applied to over 30 positions. Scott spent a lot of time with me, explaining how food security projects worked overseas and told me about certain organizations who implement USAID-funded projects. He even reached out to some of his contacts on my behalf which led to an interview for the Livestock and Market Development Internship position at Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA). I was offered the internship and headed out to Washington D.C. shortly after the new year. Just three months after I started my internship I became a full time employee for CNFA working on a different project. I am now a Field Program Coordinator for the Resilience and Economic Growth in the Sahel – Accelerated Growth (REGIS-AG) project based in Niamey, Niger.

For me, my DPMI+ experience led me exactly toward my career goals. And, I’m incredibly grateful to still have access to resources like Beryl, Scott, and Gael as I start a new role in a new place. As I’m given new tasks or come across challenges within the project, it’s great to have their insight and guidance at my fingertips.

I think my biggest advice to students considering DPMI+ would be two-fold. First, if you want to work in development definitely take DPMI. Understanding how development projects work; how they are designed, implemented, scaled, and how impact is measured is ESSENTIAL and gives you a great framework to work from. Second, while you are applying for your DPMI+ assignments only apply to organizations where you want to work. Don’t look at your DPMI+ as just another way to get more experience that you hope someday will matter to a recruiter.  Search for internships and opportunities that are actually in the sector and/or role you want to be working in. Pursue your career through DPMI+. I’m not gonna lie…internships are not glamorous…at my internship in D.C. I emptied and loaded dishwashers daily. But, at the same time and in the same role, I learned how USAID-funded projects operate, I gained a wealth of knowledge about livestock and agricultural projects, and I landed a full time gig.

I have in no away arrived. I feel more like I’m starting over. I’m in a new country, working on a new project, and speaking in a different language. I think the picture here is a perfect summary of my time so far in the field. Notice: the other two women beside me are not hysterically laughing. That is because they actually know what’s going on around them…they know exactly which appropriate customs should take place at this baptism and they completely understand the French as well as both local languages being spoken around them. Meanwhile, I’m just cracking up having a good ol’ time while I blunder through my time here. It’s a blast and I’m loving every minute.

Hey all! Next week is Symposium! Come out (or log on to Zoom) and support current practicum students in the 8-10am and 4-6pm sessions, as well as those in the 12-2pm session presenting on NAFSA Advocacy Day, Team Spain, CIES and Diversity Abroad!

To log-on via Zoom (no download required), please visit http://go.miis.edu/iemsymp2017

TALLER PARA LA GESTIÓN DE IMPACTO SOCIAL (TGIS) TGIS is a competitive international program in Medellín, Colombia for current and aspiring social impact practitioners on project design and management, impact measurement, and organizational sustainability. Participants collaborate with Colombian and international students, professionals, and community leaders to solve real issues using cutting-edge tools. TGIS is an unparalleled experience in a collaborative classroom environment where participants learn methods they can apply directly in their work. The program also offers MIIS students the opportunity for a 12-week internship in conjunction with the course, with placements across Colombia. The TGIS curriculum is created in cooperation with the Program on Design, Partnering, Management and Innovation (DPMI).

To learn more and apply, visit: http://fundacione2e.org/en_US/tgis-application/

TGIS June Flyer MIIS (1)

Have you made a connection with the local Monterey Community during your time at MIIS? If you have, please do share your stories with us. We will feature you and your partnership with the community. BE PART OF A PHOTO ESSAY showing MIIS & Monterey Community Partnership. Your stories will be developed as photo exhibit that will be displayed on MIIS Campus, Monterey Museum of Arts, and local city halls.

Send us an email if you want to be part of the project or want to nominate someone for the project at immersive@miis.edu 

Deadline: April 21, 2017

Please check out the Community Collaboration Lab page and Explore the Past, Present and Future of Collaborative Learning. MIIS and California State University at Monterey Bay (CSUMB) have been collaborating on a project called Community CollaborationLab (CoLab). The underlying question being explored is: How might we have more meaningful, long-term engagements with community organizations that we partner with? This includes student, faculty and staff projects, practica and research. In an effort to collect and share historical data, Immersive Learning has been capturing a range of information on collaborative learning with the local community and surrounding areas. The list of the local partner organizations are listed on our database, if you exploring organizations for summer internships in Monterey County.

In January 2017, I participated in the first Design, Partnering, Management and Innovation (DPMI) program held in Medellín, Colombia. This opportunity facilitated significant learning in the following three areas: 1) learning the DPMI course content in the workshop, 2) applying the content in a two-week internship, and 3) gaining exposure to international development in the Colombian context. To find out more, click here

Radwa’s immersive learning experience with DPMI Cairo, Egypt

Megan Godfrey is currently working on the Arctic Policy and Governance Educational Partnership, an innovative collaboration between Universities, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the State of Alaska, and indigenous organizations. The Partnership seeks to enhance the effectiveness of Arctic policy and governance by advancing new approaches to the policy-science-indigenous knowledge interface.

Why did you choose to apply to IPSS?

One of the main reasons I chose to attend MIIS was for the IPSS program. The opportunity to apply my academic knowledge and skills in a professional setting was one I could not pass up!

How did you find your organization and why did you apply to it?

I started working for Dr. Brendan Kelly at the Center for Blue Economy on campus early last fall. Dr. Kelly is the Executive Director of Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH) and also works for the International Arctic Research Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), where I am currently doing my IPSS assignment. I greatly enjoyed working with him and learning more about the Arctic– and when he mentioned the Alaska Arctic Policy Partnership, I knew I wanted to be a part of it. The partnership is a new collaboration between the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the state of Alaska, and indigenous organizations that seeks to facilitate better interaction between institutions involved in natural resource management management in Arctic Alaska. It is based on a framework that builds trust and respect by establishing a policy-science-indigenous knowledge interface that emphasizes collaborative problem solving, knowledge sharing, and policy formation in Arctic Alaska.

What is something unexpected that has happened or a challenge you have faced (job duty, culture shock, etc) and how has that impacted your experience?
I’ve been very lucky in this internship to have very supportive supervisors and mentors who’ve helped guide me and my work. I suppose that the greatest challenge for me was preparing myself for the move from beautiful Monterey. I was pretty nervous about moving to Fairbanks, Alaska in the middle of winter– long dark days, COLD (hello -50F!). Once I got here, I realized I had nothing to worry about. I absolutely love it here! Fairbanks is beautiful. Blue, sunny skies, lush spruce forests, amazing cross country ski trails and hot springs. Basically paradise for an IEP student. A few weeks ago Sorina and I (another IPSS student) rented fat tire snow bikes and went mountain biking. So much fun! Needless to say, I’m hooked on Alaska.

How do you see this internship helping you reach your future career goals?
This internship has shown me what it’s like to work with diverse groups (academia, scientists, the federal government, etc.) and the importance of relationship building and collaborative problem solving (working together, identifying problems together, and brainstorming solutions together). Since my internship began in February, I’ve attended two conferences; the Alaska Forum for the Environment and The North Pacific Fishery Management Council meetings, which have been extremely valuable networking opportunities.

What skills from MIIS have you found most useful in your current position?
In addition to having the background knowledge in natural resource management and economics, I need to do my work, I have found that presenting has been a huge! Being able to effectively and clearly communicate ideas to large audiences is absolutely vital in the work that I do. I used to hate doing presentations at MIIS, but now I see why good presentation/communication skills are absolutely essential. Thanks MIIS!

What advice do you have for students preparing for their IPSS practicum search?
Pick an organization that you are interested in or that works with something you are passionate about! IPSS is a stepping stone towards a professional career and gives you a taste of what it’s like to work your dream job– take it seriously. Also, it’s important to find a faculty advisor/mentor that can support you and help you out along the way.

Thank you Megan! We wish you continued success in the future!