The Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies, a multidisciplinary institute that integrates several centers and programs devoted to promote interest in the region, is the oldest Latin American Studies program in the United States and one of the best worldwide.
LLILAS has an unpaid internship program designed to provide UT students with the opportunity to gain professional experience by learning about the work of multiple programs within LLILAS or to develop research skills by working with some of our most distinguished Latin Americanist faculty. Our institute is a vibrant and fast-paced environment where students will have the opportunity to interact with foreign students, visiting Latin American professors, government officials, politicians, and private sector representatives.
The internship is open to undergraduate students enrolled in any UT college or school who may be interested in pursuing graduate degrees or working on Latin American issues. Interns must be available to work about 10 hours a week from late January 2013 to the last week of classes of the spring semester (schedules are negotiated with the respective supervisor). If you would like to earn liberal arts elective credit for your LLILAS internship, learn about the LA 320wb and LA 110wb course options at: http://www.utexas.edu/cola/orgs/lacs/Students/Courses/Internship.php.
We are currently trying to fill positions in several LLILAS programs. Please review each of the job descriptions and let us know for which position you are applying. You can apply to more than one, but if you do, please rank them in order of preference.
Please e-mail all application materials to Paloma Diaz between November 1 and January 20, 2013 (we encourage early applications and will begin interviewing applicants as soon as possible). The application package should include: (1) a résumé indicating language and computer skills; (2) a cover letter stating why you are interested in the position or positions (including research topics or disciplines of interest); (3) information about your fall schedule and available hours; and (4) the name and contact information of at least two UT faculty members or previous employers who are willing to provide us with references. (Note: The LLILAS Research Internship also requires a copy of your transcript.)
Development Office
The Development Office coordinates fundraising efforts for LLILAS, including major gifts, annual giving, alumni relations, and special events. We are looking for an intern who can help us implement a series of activities related to these goals. Duties include (a) assisiting with alumni communications; and (b) helping to coordinate special events and programs for donors and other supporters, including receptions and talks. The internship is an opportunity for students interested in careers in fundraising, public relations, and event coordination. Intermediate to advanced proficiency in Spanish and/or Portuguese is a plus. Applicants should be able to work 5–10 hours a week.
Multimedia and Video Production
This internship position will help us to enhance our multimedia resources (videos and audio podcasts), and interns will gain the opportunity to showcase their work through our website and social media outlets. Interns will be in charge of filming our events and producing a series of short clips featuring our scholarly activities, including interviews with faculty, visiting professors, or students, highlights of public programs, etc.
Duties include filming and video production (video and/or audio editing, preparation of graphics, titles, translation subtitles, music, and photos) plus audio podcast editing and mixing. Hours are flexible, but applicants should be willing to work during some evenings. Candidates should have access to all the necessary equipment including cameras, mikes, and appropriate software. Applicants should submit a cover letter, résumé, and online portfolio with sample of videos produced. To see samples of videos produced by our students, visit 2012 Fulbright Visiting Professor in Environmental Sciences and Policy and Haiti: Between Destruction and Hope.
Office of the Directors
The Office of the Directors provides administrative, planning, and coordination support to the institute’s Director and Associate Director. In addition, the office serves as the main interface between the institute and faculty, students, and public and private entities. Last, the office develops and maintains the core initiatives of the institute. These initiatives take the form of conferences, workshops, and special projects headed by both directors, and take place within the university as well as locally and internationally. The Office of the Directors seeks an intern to assist in daily administrative activities as well as coordination support for several of the initiatives and special projects that will take place during the semester. The successful applicant will work 10 hours per week. Candidates should have strong interpersonal and communication skills as well as organizational and coordination skills. Basic knowledge of Word and Excel is also required.
Photography
We are recruiting students who are passionate about photography. The intern would provide photographic coverage of selected LLILAS public events and other LLILAS programs as needed. This internship represents a great opportunity for broadening your experience: selected photos can be posted on our website and our social media sites or used in our publications (work will be credited). Successful candidates should have experience taking high-resolution digital photographs and should have access to a high-quality digital camera. Access to other photographic equipment, such as a variety of lenses, tripod, and flash, is a plus. The candidate should also have basic experience with photo editing. Hours are flexible, but applicants should be willing to work during some evenings.
Public Engagement
LLILAS Public Engagement has built a nationally recognized program that extends university expertise to K–16 education, businesses, community organizations, and the public at large. Public Engagement delivers new knowledge, dismantles common misconceptions, and fosters cross-cultural dialogue. We seek interns who have a passion for Latin American Studies and want to help others learn about the region. Duties will focus on research and resource gathering for the development of new K–12 curriculum units and teacher training modules; participating interns will receive credit in published materials for their contribution. This is an excellent opportunity for students who are interested in education and want to work on materials that affect how Latin America is taught throughout Texas. Applicants should be able to work 10 hours a week and demonstrate strong organizational and research skills. Basic knowledge of Word and PowerPoint is required; new media skills are a plus.
Research
LLILAS is recruiting UT undergraduate students to work with UT faculty during the spring 2013 semester. Our Latin Americanist faculty produce cutting-edge research on a broad range of topics and disciplines and help to maintain the academic leadership of the institute. This research internship is an excellent opportunity for students considering graduate school. Duties may include literature research and review; data manipulation, analysis, and interpretation; organization of research materials (data, texts, articles); other related duties assigned by faculty. Students will be selected based on previous research experience or demonstrated interest in Latin American academic issues. Successful candidates will be paired with faculty according to their specific areas of interest. Previous research experience is a plus, as is intermediate to advanced proficiency in Spanish and/or Portuguese.
Scholarly and Public Programs
LLILAS Scholarly and Public Programs constitute a broad range of initiatives, including academic events such as conferences, lectures, and workshops; collaborations with Latin American institutions; visits of foreign delegations; and receptions, performances, and social media activities. These initiatives may focus on one or several Latin American countries and include multiple academic topics. We are seeking interns to provide logistical support for all the stages of the planning and implementation of such initiatives. Duties include assistance in publicity, travel, and catering arrangements; preparation of materials; management of databases and Internet research; translation of short documents (e.g., correspondence, bios, website information); and clerical support as needed. Applicants should be able to work 10 hours a week and demonstrate organizational skills, professional demeanor, and knowledge of the institute’s mission and public programs. Intermediate to advanced proficiency in Spanish and/or Portuguese is a plus.
Website Development for Faculty Pages
Are you interested in helping our faculty members showcase their work more effectively? Do you have experience with basic web development? This could be the position for you. We are seeking interns who can work closely with Latin Americanist faculty to design their non-UT-affiliated web pages. Here faculty can publish information about their research, publications, teaching, and social media activities. Depending on faculty needs, the assignments may involve working with free basic web templates or developing more sophisticated web designs. Once the design is completed, interns should be able to train faculty to update their page content. In addition to a cover letter and résumé, applicants should show proof of their web development experience by submitting an online portfolio. To see a sample developed by a former LLILAS intern, visit the page of Dr. Leticia Marteleto.
Testimonials from previous LLILAS interns
“The internship was a great way to expose myself to research and academic paper writing. We used many different techniques to gather information, from personal interviews to surveys on social networking sites to an editorial in the newspaper. I learned so much more about approaching research from several different angles to get the best results. I would recommend an internship with LLILAS to anyone interested in adding to their knowledge about Latin America. Thank you so much for the opportunity!”
-Seve Kale
BA, Government and Humanities/Liberal Arts Honors
Spring 2010
“Working for LLILAS helped me put into practice what I was learning at UT. Furthermore, working for LLILAS allowed me to see Latin America in many more different ways, to interact with some of the people who were changing the continent, and to learn how to be of benefit to the region. Originally I am from Mexico. But not until I left Mexico did I learn to love it as much as I do now. Interning at LLILAS helped me do that. My coworkers and supervisors guided me through that learning process, and assisted me in navigating a very difficult time in my life: the time when I was trying to decide what I wanted to do with my life. People at LLILAS became my friends, and my family. I will miss them a lot.”
-Ludwig Barragan
BA, Latin American Studies
Fall 2008-Spring 2010
“The LLILAS Internship Program has provided me with invaluable work experience. As a Public Programs intern, I had the opportunity to assist in every stage of academic conferences and lectures as well as work on numerous publicity projects. My love for Latin America grew as my knowledge of Latin America increased. I was inspired by the impressive individuals who worked at LLILAS as well as the long list of visiting professors and politicians from around the world. As a result, I am now more committed to learning Spanish as well as continuing to grow in my knowledge of Latin American history and culture.”
-Chrissy Thompson
BA, Plan II and Spanish
Fall 2011-Spring 2012
“UT is a world-class university, but even so, there is only so much you can learn in the classroom. During my time as an intern at LLILAS, the events I helped organize and attended, as well as the people I met in the process, gave me a perspective on Latin American society that I never could have gained through dense academic readings. LLILAS gives its interns the opportunity to interact with leading Latin American scholars from around the UT campus, around the country, and around the world. I also gained valuable experience working in an office setting, where punctuality, attention to detail, and independence were important skills. The friendly but professional work environment allowed me to improve my ability to collaborate with others. Overall, interning at LLILAS is a great way to expand your network, gain valuable professional work experience, and increase your understanding of a complex, diverse, and increasingly important region of the world.”
-Nile Miller
BA, Government, Liberal Arts Honors
Spring 2012
“Since it was my first internship, I didn’t know what to expect at the beginning. Now that I’ve finished, I can easily say that I am more prepared for future internships and an actual career. It was great to work in a professional environment and be under the pressure of a deadline. My best memory of my time with LLILAS is when we went out after the career workshop-I loved hearing the LLILAS graduates’ stories. I would recommend this internship because it provides great experience in a friendly environment. I felt appreciated and respected throughout the semester, and am grateful for the opportunity to work with LLILAS.”
-Jennifer Dietz
BA, History /Liberal Arts Honors
Spring 2010
“I would like to extend my sincerest appreciation for allowing me to participate in the LLILAS Research Internship Program. I am very thankful for getting the opportunity to work on academic projects with Dr. Luis Carcamo-Huechante. I have nothing but good things to say about his professionalism as well as his wonderful character. Another wonderful opportunity this internship provided for me was access to the numerous conferences and presentations on current events affecting Latin America, and being able to participate in these events while learning from esteemed members of the academic community. I would definitely recommend this experience to anyone, as it was an excellent program to be a part of that has truly enriched my researching, communication, and writing skills, as well as my knowledge of Latin American culture.”
-Gaspar Rodriguez
BA, Anthropology
Spring 2010
For more information, contact:
Paloma Diaz, Senior Program Coordinator
p.diaz@austin.utexas.edu
512.232.2415