One Person’s Passion for Salta – and Why You Should Go Soon

As someone who has worked as a professional college consultant as the founder of ScholarEdge for over 13 years, I was very happy to learn about FSD’s wide-ranging programs around the world, especially in developing parts of Latin America. I wanted to offer a few perspectives as someone who not only counsels high school and college students, but also as someone who spent a year abroad and the impact it had on my life.

I chose to spend my year in Southeast Asia after college, and it was the single most important experience in my life. It exposed me not only to unique cultures, languages, and legal systems, but more importantly it afforded me different perspectives on the United States. I often tell the students I work with that I never learned more about the United States than when I was living abroad. I suspect that most students who take advantage of FSD’s amazing programs will probably come home and say the same thing – they learned not only about how others view us, but also about the tremendous goodwill Americans generate around the world despite the many serious problems we face domestically and internationally.

The one program that I can attest to is FSD’s Salta, Argentina program. I’ve been to Salta at least six times over the last 10 years because I have friends there, and I find it to be one the most fascinating parts of Latin America. Unlike Buenos Aires, Salta feels like the arid American Southwest, and incorporates parts of indigenous Bolivia and gaucho Argentina. It’s not a very heavily populated province of Argentina, and it seems a world away from the hustle and bustle and European flavor of the Argentinean capital. But it has perhaps the most genuine, friendly, and kindhearted people I’ve ever met my travels around the world. 

There is poverty in Salta Province but it is not the type of poverty that is grinding – you generally won’t see people begging on the streets, and you won’t see people in tattered clothes. But there is certainly a need for young people to work with the people of Salta to improve not only their infrastructure but also in their knowledge of processes and skills that can help their province modernize and be more equitable.

Salta is becoming more discovered by tourists as the years go by, but if you choose to go to Salta or any of the programs offered by FSD, you will be encountering people that will forever change your life, will challenge your perspectives of the United States, and more importantly will imprint upon you memories that will last long after you board a plane to return to United States. 

I’m living proof of this – my year in Southeast Asia allowed me to visit no less than half a dozen countries and to visit villages that suffer from severe socioeconomic problems. It made me truly feel as though I had a greater perspective on the world and forever changed my attitudes about politics, and society. I would encourage everyone to examine FSD’s programs, just as I am encouraging my clients to do as a private college consultant.

About Jason Lum

A graduate on full scholarship to MIT, Harvard and Berkeley, Jason serves as a private college consultant with clients in the US, Canada, Europe and Asia through his company, ScholarEdge. Jason’s work with high school students and families has been profiled by US News & World Report, USA Today, Bankrate.com, and CNBC.

FSD awards the Katie Evans Memorial Scholarship

The Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD) is honored to carry the legacy of Katie Evans through administering the Katie Evans Memorial Scholarship (KEMS). This scholarship enables college students, who otherwise may not be able to afford international field work, the opportunity to apply their skills alongisde our community partners in India, East Africa, and Latin America through our community development internship program.  It is with great pleasure that we announce the first recipients of FSD's Katie Evans Memorial Scholarship: Anna Thorn and Carey Mittermeier.

"We are so honored to support the legacy of the Katie Evans Memorial Scholarship," said FSD's Executive Director Mireille Cronin Mather. "We are thrilled to continue her life's work by providing this scholarship and advancing sustainable community health programs. I am excited to hear about the work of Anna Thorn and Carey Mittermeier - they are impressive scholars and our community partners will certainly put their skill sets to good use."

Carey Mittermeier will graduate in December 2013 with a Master’s Degree in Behavioral and Community Health Science from the University of Pittsburgh and will be interning this summer at Vikalp Sansthan in Udaipur, India. Vikalp Sansthan, a long-standing partner of FSD, works to organize and sensitize youth on issues related to  discrimination, gender, and violence against women. She will work with their staff to design a project that utilizes her public health training to further the Vikalp Sansthan mission. Mittermeier is very passionate about community development issues. “At times, the most we can offer to another human being is the gift of our best self: our perseverance, our empathy, and our compassion,” said Mittermeier. “Our reward is in better outcomes, visible improvements, and the humble voice of a mother thankful that her toddler’s death has been prevented.”

Anna Thorn is graduating this year with a Master’s Degree in Public Health from George Washington University. She will be starting her women’s health focused project with a community health partner organization in Jodhpur, Indiastarting fall 2013. When we spoke with Thorn, her excitement for the internship was palpable. “I am committed to and interested in development and health, and this [FSD] internship will be valuable personally and professionally,” said Thorn. “As well as enthusiasm, I would bring experience, knowledge, and dedication to this internship, and hope that I could be a versatile  intern in many sectors. Thank you very much for this opportunity.”

KATIE MEMORIAL FOUNDATION  Katie Evans embodied the spirit of community work and international development. Her family and friends established the Katie Memorial Foundation (KMF) in her honor in 2008. The Foundation supported outstanding work in international public health through scholarships to student leaders who were completing their Masters in Public Health degrees and showed passion for doing meaningful field work. In January 2013, the Foundation for Sustainable Development began awarding this scholarship on behalf of the Katie Memorial Foundation. John Evans, Executive Director of KMF, says: "I am thrilled that the Katie Evans Memorial Scholarship (KEMS) has found a new home with FSD, and to know that graduate student leaders in public health who embody Katie’s spirit, work, and values continue to be honored in her name. The decision to place KEMS in the able hands of FSD’s experienced leadership is a positive solution that allows the scholarship to grow in directions we could take it on our own. With so many former KMF directors and volunteers involved in KEMS as it continues, we remain connected to this good work."

CURRENT KEMS SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES   Graduate Public Health students who are passionate about community development and global health issues are encouraged to apply for the Katie Evans Memorial Scholarship. Fall scholarship application deadline now extended to July 1, 2013. To learn more, KEMS webpage.

DONATE Donate to the KEMS fund! You can also send a check to: FSD, 1000 Brannan St, Suite 207, San Francisco, CA 94103 (Please indicate the donation is for the KEMS fund)

TO LEARN MORE Anna Welton | International Programs Officer anna@fsdinternational.org | 415-283-4873

Top 5 Ways an International Internship Will Jump-Start Your Career

Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD) Visit to Uganda.

This year, more than 2 million US graduates will face the highest unemployment rates since WWII. Learn how an FSD internship can help.Generation Opportunity, a national youth advocacy organization, recently reported that the youth unemployment rate is at the highest sustained level since World War II. Many young professionals are realizing that real-world experience gained through an internship can make them much more competitive in this tough job market. FSD’s international internship program provides students with an impressive experiential portfolio and invaluable skill set needed to be a desirable applicant and successful future employee.

Top 5 Benefits of an FSD International Internship:

1)  Real-World Experience
Most employers seek candidates who have valuable experience outside of their university. An international internship with FSD offers students an irreplaceable opportunity to apply the knowledge that excites them in the classroom to a real-world setting. While abroad, interns learn important skills in international development and witness measurable outcomes from their hard work.
2) Team Building & Cooperation

Recruiters are tasked with finding candidates who can effectively and quickly integrate into a team. Recent graduates with cross-cultural internship experience are more prepared for this workplace dynamic and bring valuable team expertise to their new employment.

3) Practical Skills

Managerial and efficiency skills are highly desirable in today’s job market. FSD provides interns with training in these practical skills through designing, managing, and evaluating projects in their host community, leaving them with concrete outcomes to share with their potential employers.

4)  Global Perspective

An FSD internship in a developing country demonstrates a student’s ability to face challenges and commit to solutions. Employers value and recognize FSD interns’ maturity, dedication, and keen interest in creating sustainable solutions to today’s most pressing global issues.

5) Professional Recommendations

FSD is proud to provide all of our successful alumni with strong letters of recommendation and references. FSD is happy to work through LinkedIn or written letters to support the futures of our greatly appreciated interns.

Learn more, http://www.fsdinternational.org/programs/internship

Katie Evans Memorial Scholarship Winners Announced 

Katie Evans embodied the spirit of community work and international development. In her memory, her family and friends established the Katie Memorial Foundation (KMF) in 2008. The foundation supported outstanding work in international public health through scholarships to student leaders who were completing their Masters in Public Health degrees and showed passion for doing meaningful field work. These 38 Katie Evans Memorial Scholarship (KEMS) awardees have done remarkable work in the field, ranging from projects to support survivors of gender based violence in Bangladesh to hygiene and health education programs in Mozambique.

The foundation passed on the baton of administering the scholarship to the Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD) in 2012. FSD is honored and proud to carry the legacy of Katie Evans forward and to enable students, who otherwise may not be able to afford international field work, the opportunity to apply their skills alongside our community partners in India, East Africa and Latin America through our community development internship program. FSD has completed the review of it first round of scholarship applications for 2013 internships. It is with great pleasure that we announce the first recipients of FSD’s Katie Evans Memorial Scholarship: Anna Thorn and Carey Mittermeier.

Anna Thorn will soon graduate with a Master’s in Public Health from George Washington University. She will be starting her project work in Jodhpur, India in fall 2013. Carey Mittermeier is slated to graduate from University of Pittsburg in December 2013 with a Master’s specialization in Behavioral and Community Health Science. She is interning this summer inUdaipur, India. These scholars will support our community partner’s health programs, which include HIV/AIDS awareness, nutritional education, disease prevention, and maternal and neonatal health.

FSD is very excited to launch the first batch of scholarship recipients and wishes them great success in their internships as well as future endeavors.

If you are a Public Health student or know of someone who is passionate about global health issues, please learn more at our KEMS webpage. The next round of the KEMS program is now open for those interested in fall internship opportunities, with a June 1st application deadline.

If you would like to donate to the scholarship fund, please do so via our website here or mail a check to FSD, 1000 Brannan St. Suite 207, San Francisco, CA 94103 indicating the donation is for the KEMS fund. Contact Anna Welton at kems@fsdinternational.org for more information.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to honor Katie Evans and her life's work, and thank you for your continued interest and support!

Travel, Learn, Transform: Summer Internships with FSD

Our Summer Session International Internship programs are a tremendous opportunity to spend your summer break making a lasting difference in a community. FSD interns work in ten global sites with one of our 300 partner organizations in local development issues such as education and youth development, environmental sustainability, appropriate technology, gender equity, health, human rights, and microfinance. In 2011, FSD Intern Catherine McDonald transformed her summer vacation into 10 weeks of community development work that inspired and strengthened her commitment to global health.

Catherine spent her summer internship in La Plata, Argentina, working with FSD community partner Arco Iris, a community center located in a low-income region that provides child-care and services. While working with the organization’s staff to provide art projects and educational activities for the children at Arco Iris, Catherine found that some of the children in the community were negatively impacted by a lack of mental health care and health education; being exposed to these health struggles “first hand”, she says, has inspired her to work towards being a physician who “truly makes a difference”.

Catherine chose FSD because the International Internship Program provides the “perfect balance of independence and education for interns looking to gain global development experience.” She remarks that the favorite part of her internship was building relationships with the partner organization and community members: “The teachers at Arco Iris welcomed me from day one, and incorporated me into their team.” On the last day of her internship, the children and teachers at Arco Iris threw her a farewell party, giving her gifts and performing songs. Says Catherine, “I had never felt so loved and appreciated by so many, and I will never forget that day.” Catherine is now a first year student at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine, where she is an MD Candidate working to bring innovative change in health to her community.

This year, FSD opened a new site in Salta, Argentina, and we'd like to invite you to transform the communities in Salta.  Join Catherine and all of FSD’s influential alumni by being the change you wish to see this summer. The April 1 deadline to apply for Summer Session International Internships is quickly approaching. Apply today!