With essential support from CrossRoads, Hope College is now offering students a unique, life-changing opportunity to explore God’s calling for their lives as members of the global community. In the Spring of 2006, Hope launched its first college-wide international internship program: "Hope Blooms in Puerto Escondido".

The program takes place over May and June Terms in Puerto Escondido, a small
Pacific-coast town located in Mexico’s southern state of Oaxaca. Students gain a full cross-cultural service-learning experience through a combination of four critical components: internships, academic coursework, home stays with Mexican host families, and group excursions.

Dr. Robin Klay, Professor of Economics, developed the program in partnership with Hope graduate Zach Barricklow (’05) after they led two Spring Break service trips to Puerto to build homes with Habitat for Humanity. Klay and Barricklow (who is now serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Panama) saw great potential for Hope students to contribute to the development of the area while benefiting from an incomparable cross-cultural experience. With funding from CrossRoads, they returned in May of 2005 to solidify partnerships with local civil and mission organizations and to set up internships in a variety of fields.

A year later, in May of 2006, Klay took a pioneer group of thirteen Hope students to Puerto for an eight-week pilot program.

“It was a great adventure... (The students) grew in
many ways as a result of
all the opportunities and challenges – spiritually, vocationally, personally, and professionally.

Program participants earn four internship credits by working within Puerto-area civil and mission organizations whose programs aim to better the lives of the local people. Internships are offered in a wide variety of fields, including engineering, teaching, marketing, communication, business, accounting, and more. Each student is assigned to work on a specific project, based on his or her academic background and professional interests, as well as the needs of the partner organizations.

Internships enable students to explore vocation, while:

• Applying and enhancing their academic knowledge and professional skills;
• Obtaining “real world” work experience;
• Helping partner organizations to improve and expand their programs;
• Gaining valuable insight into social issues and the challenges of development.

“All the experiences I had (in Mexico) made me realize where I want my life to go in the next few years. I have a heart to serve and travel and help the indigenous people of the world. That is exactly what I plan on doing.”

The academic component of the program, designed to complement and enhance “real life” experiences, includes a preparatory two-credit Spring semester course and a four-credit weekly seminar held in Mexico. (Students are also required to have completed at least four semesters of Spanish prior to enrolling in the program.)

Coursework focuses on relevant issues such as:

• vocation;
• social entrepreneurship;
• cross-cultural conflict;
• Mexico’s culture and history;
• global and local development issues;
• the role of religion in mission/development work;
• applying students’ trip experiences to future endeavors; etc.

During the trip, students become fully immersed in the language and culture by living with Mexican host families who are affiliated with the program’s partner organizations. The families welcome students into their homes and communities, inviting them to take part in various aspects of day-to-day life and local culture. Many participants claim this chance to experience "real Mexico" is the best part of the trip.

While in Mexico, students are able to explore the country’s unique cultural, historical, and natural treasures, as well as some of its social challenges, by participating in a variety of group activities and excursions, including:

• Hearing presentations from local missionaries and activists;
• Building a Habitat home together during the first week of the trip;
• Spending four days in the state capital of Oaxaca City;
• Visiting pottery and weaving cooperatives;
• Touring ancient ruins;
• Canoeing with the guidance of one of the area’s leading naturalists; etc.

Professor Klay is excited to watch the program develop and expand in the future. All of the host families and partner organizations who participated in the pilot program asked to be included again in the future, and at least two more organizations requested to come on board.  Klay welcomes inquiries from any faculty members or students interested in possibly getting involved now or in the future.

Please visit the "Hope Blooms in Puerto Escondido" web site soon (it's under construction!) for more information on internships, academics, home stays, excursions, the application process, and current updates.