17 TAMIU Students To Complete Service-Learning Internships

The summer season is synonymous with days well-spent at the beach, but for 17 Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) Multidisciplinary Studies students, their summer has been spent meeting the needs of their local community. 

Currently, these students are completing a 90-hour service-learning internship at various locations including the Laredo Public Library, the Imaginarium of South Texas, the Boys and Girls Club of Laredo and Zapata, the Children’s Advocacy Center, La Frontera Migrant Shelter, and El Cenizo Community Centers, to name a few.  

Through these internships, students engage and help fill a need within the organization, or establish a new initiative.

Students completing their internships this summer are Pamela Becerra, Rina Benavides, Kaylen Escamilla, Arely González, Erika González, Lourdes Luna, Juliana Medrano, Samantha Mendiola, Teresa Pedraza, Ashley Pérez, Pamela Rosas, Genesis Salinas, Damariz Soria, Elisa Vidaurri, Julianne Vidaurri and Maricela Vidaurri. The internship course is being taught by Dr. Daniel De La Miyar, University College visiting instructor.

The cohort also includes Geraldine Moronta who is attending the course online and is completing her internship at 4Kids of South Florida, a child welfare agency that licenses families to provide foster care to children in need.

Multidisciplinary Studies major Maricela Vidaurri is completing her internship at the Carlos Aguilar Activity Center in El Cenizo, TX. During her internship, Vidaurri took charge of assisting children attending the community center. This included providing educational opportunities for learning, especially concentrating on developing literacy skills.   

“Spending my time in the activity center, I witnessed a lot of children coming from different walks of life. It made me realize how many children [and their families] depended on the community center,” said Vidaurri.

Vidaurri hopes that the knowledge she’s helped instill in the students attending the community center proves useful as they return to the school.  

“A lot of them are still struggling with their reading and we get to help them…it’s been a fun experience,” she assured. 

Internships are a part of the Bachelor of Arts in Multidisciplinary Studies. The degree, offered through University College, requires students to enroll in a capstone experience course prior to the completion of their degree.

Students obtaining their degree in Multidisciplinary Studies are offered the opportunity to design their own degree by allowing them the choice of three concentration areas. 

Upon the completion of their internships, students will present on their service-learning experiences during a special Service-Learning Expo session, Tuesday, Aug. 6 from 2:45 - 4:45 p.m. in Senator Judith Zaffirini Student Success Center 101. The event is open to the public.

For more information, call University College at 956.326.2134, email university.college@tamiu.edu or visit https://www.tamiu.edu/uc/.

University office hours are 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

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