In partnership with the University of Maryland (UMD), the HJH Foundation has offered unique study abroad credit course opportunities.
UMD College of Information Studies
During the UMD campus Winter terms in 2009, 2010, and 2011, graduate students from the College of Information Studies traveled to Nicaragua to learn about library services in the country and work with the San Juan del Sur (SJDS) Library and Mobile Project in various capacities. These included: fundraising for the SJDS Library, updating the HJH Foundation website, cataloging donated books, and joining library staff on the Mobile Project where they engaged with children in story time and arts & crafts activities.
One of the students’ favorite projects was working with the library staff to organize and take part in a Library Town Fair. The Fair commemorates the Library’s Anniversary each year, along with a celebration of Jumpstart’s Read for the Record book.
UMD Robert H. Smith School of Business
In 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015, undergraduate business students from the UMD Robert H. Smith School of Business worked closely with Nicaraguan business owners via Skype and email before arriving in San Juan del Sur. Once in the country the students worked side by side with their clients to customize clients’ business needs and provide valuable skill sets. This opportunity enabled students to utilize and put into practice what they had learned in the classroom. Working together, students and clients, not only created lasting relationships but benefited the San Juan del Sur business community as well.
Another aspect of the course paired La Universidad Americana (UAM) students with UMD students as collaborators and translators in a shorter project with business owners in Managua (capital of Nicaragua). This part of the course provided UMD students with the opportunity to meet their Nicaraguan counterparts.
In 2015, more than 20 students joined HJH Foundation to work with five new businesses and five alumni of the original groups participated. Some of the local businesses the students worked with included:
Condimentos El Carrizal: A cooperative of twelve ladies in Carrizal who create jams and jellies that support over 60 families.
Sol Y Luna: A local beauty shop and spa that offers many services such as hair-styling, manicures, and pedicures.
Oli-Bo-Bolly: Started by a teenager from Colorado, Oli-Bo-Bolly provides work for seamstresses in Nicaragua and dolls for young girls. Each doll that is purchased, provides a doll to a child in Nicaragua.
Students who provide this level of service are committed to the success of the program and many have made themselves available after they leave, if the businesses have any questions.
Many Businesses in the area have requested to be a part of future programs and look forward to working with the students.
Service-learning courses like these offer students unique opportunities to connect with people in other countries and apply their knowledge and skills to develop sustainable solutions to real world challenges. The HJH Libraries for All Foundation welcomes collaborating with educational organizations that wish to offer similar opportunities. Please contact our Administrator, Jill Gramling, [email protected] if you are interested in a service learning program.
For further information on these UMD courses, we welcome you to read the following articles:
Herron, Patricia, Lily Griner. 2009. Preparing Global Citizens: Librarians Connect Students with a Learning Service Opportunity in Nicaragua. Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship.
Griner, Lily, Patricia Jean Herron, and Susan White. 2015. “Study Abroad Partnerships: Librarians, Business Faculty, and In-Country Facilitator Develop an Innovative Experiential Learning Program.” Journal of Business & Finance Librarianship. 20 (3): 189-208. (To request a copy of this article, contact Patricia Herron at [email protected])