InteRDom Generates Exchange Between Dominican Organizations and U.S. Universities

On Friday, March 16, 2012 InteRDom Internships in the Dominican Republic brought together six professors and administrators from universities in the United States with representatives from Dominican public, private and non-governmental organizations for “Business Day,” the highlight of the 4-day event InteRDom PRO: Professional Externship for Professors and Administrators.

The “Business Day” activity was developed as a simulation of the Business Day that
is carried out for InteRDom students each semester during orientation week, where interns have the opportunity to meet their employers, learn about the projects that are being carried out by each partner organization and sign their learning contracts.

For InteRDom PRO, the Business Day provided the opportunity for the university representatives to present their students as potential internship candidates to the six Dominican organizations represented.  In turn, the
organizations gave presentations on their work and the projects for which they are currently recruiting interns and human capital.

Both parties learned about the mutually beneficial internship placement process carried out by InteRDom when inserting international students into internship positions in the Dominican Republic, and how each could contribute to present projects and candidates that would have an impact in the development of the country.

In
attendance was Patricia Cuevas, Human Resources Manager of La Universal, a renowned Dominican company in the insurance industry, and the current President of the Dominican Association of Human Resource Administrators (ADUARH).  She spoke of her experience with InteRDom as a receptor of interns and their value in the development of the country’s human capital.

“InteRDom represents the answer to a need that we have as a country,” she said. “The interns bring their
knowledge and the learning is mutual. When someone arrives and integrates, they see from an outside perspective what is going on in the organization and can make recommendations based on their knowledge.”

Other organizations represented at the event included the Dominican Political Observatory (OPD), the Dominican Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados), Grupo Punta Cana and Mujeres en Desarrollo Dominicana (MUDE).  Organizations in attendance corresponded to the
particular interests and specialties of the universities participating in InteRDom PRO.

The Business Day event gives continuation to the Internship Certification Seminar conducted by the program three times per year, which certifies local organizations to structure and implement internship programs to host both local and international interns.  Five of the six organizations represented at Business Day have been certified by the program.

InteRDom
PRO was launched in 2010 as an initiative aiming to introduce university representatives to the facilities, structure and services of the InteRDom program.  It contributes to elevate the visibility of the Dominican Republic on U.S. campuses, as well as to promote international students and the capacities as potential collaborators in the social, political and economic development of the Dominican Republic.

The internship program, InteRDom, a program of the Global
Foundation for Democracy and Developme (GFDD) and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE) is the premier internship and academic study program in the Dominican Republic. It offers international students the opportunity to obtain professional experience by interning with Dominican organizations and businesses related to their fields of
study, complemented by courses and seminars at local universities.