Summer Service Learning Program

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SUMMER SERVICE LEARNING PROGRAM – UGANDA AND ARGENTINA

 

PLEASE NOTE - SSLP is now 5 weeks instead of 4 weeks for BOTH PROGRAMS!

 

The Summer Service Learning Program is a unique opportunity for SoE students to work on a significant project that supports an international developing community. Students will work on small teams with locals to address a community-requested problem space. All students are also required to participate (audit or enroll) in a 1-unit Spring preparation course. Timing of this course will be decided by the team. During this course, and the 5 weeks in the field, students will help to define the project that they think will address the issues they target, and work towards an actionable end product or goal.

 

Summer Service Learning Program- Kabale, Uganda 

Engineering for Maternity Health and Affordable Water Catchment 

 

This program is in collaboration with Child Family Health International (CFHI) and KIHEFO, a Uganda-founded NGO.

 

For summer 2016, GEP will have two areas to address in Uganda:

Maternity Health - In Kabale, the NGO with which GEP collaborates has helped to build a maternity ward in the local hospital. The SSLP project will look at organizational and management problems surrounding this maternity ward. The group will investigate the issues surrounding how best to use the maternity ward to attract women who for years have been giving birth in their households. Tasks for this project will entail field interviews to get the concerns and issues with women as well as organizational process investigation of the maternity ward.

Water Catchment – Access to clean water is constant struggle for many in Kabale. However, it rains significantly for over half of the year. Despite the rainy climate, much of the day is spent gathering and cleaning water. The SSLP team will to look at making water catchment systems affordable for a majority of people who make less than $1 a day. Current rain catchment water systems are around $500, which is not accessible or sustainable.

 

 

 

Summer Service Learning Program- Córdoba, Argentina 

Engineering for Urban Water Systems

 

This program is in collaboration with Child Family Health International (CFHI), the local city government and local engineering students.

 

Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the autonomous city of Buenos Aires, with about 1.3 million inhabitants. For the SSLP program in Córdoba, the selected engineering group will look at a variety of issues regarding water within an urban environment. Some urban regions of Córdoba have issues with fresh water pollution and run-off of industrial effluent running into agricultural fields. Additionally, the serious economic downturn that has happened in Argentina over the past couple years limits the country’s and city’s capacity to keep water clean for all urban residents during a time at which urban area populations are growing exponentially. 

 

 

Program Dates

For both programs: August 15 – September 16

*Students will need to account for travel of 1-2 days for both arrival and departure.

 

Program Elligibility

Students who are currently declared within the School of Engineering and are in good academic standing are eligible to apply.

-Current freshmen are eligible as long as they will have earned 45 credits by the end of spring quarter prior to the program.

-International students must check with the Bechtel International Center as to whether or not their immigration status will allow them to travel. 

- Language Requirements:

Uganda: no language requirements

Argentina: 1 year of High School Spanish, or completion of First Year, Second Quarter Spanish by end of Spring Quarter 2016

 

Program Costs- Uganda

Program costs (such as accommodations, meals and airport transfers) are covered by the program, and a $2000 travel stipend will be provided to go towards the cost of the flight for Uganda. With proper flight planning, travel costs should be of no additional cost to the students.

* Students are responsible for arranging and paying (using the stipend) for round-trip transportation on their own. Additionally, students are responsible for costs for visa, pre-departure immunization costs, health insurance and all other incidental expenses. If you are an international student, consult with the Bechtel International Center if you are able to travel, and also determine if you will require a visa according to your nationality.

 

 

Program Costs- Argentina

Program costs (such as accommodations, meals and airport transfers) are covered by the program, and a $1500 travel stipend will be provided to go towards the cost of the flight to Argentina. With proper flight planning, travel costs should be of no additional cost to the students.

* Students are responsible for arranging and paying (using the stipend) for round-trip transportation on their own. Additionally, students are responsible for costs for visa, pre-departure immunization costs, health insurance and all other incidental expenses. If you are an international student, consult with the Bechtel International Center if you are able to travel, and also determine if you will require a visa according to your nationality.

 

Program Capacity

7-9 engineering students and 1 group leader for each location

 

Program Leaders

Uganda: TBA

Argentina: TBA

 

 

Application

APPLICATION DEADLINE: February 12, 2016

A complete application consists of: an application form completed online, a recommendation form, and an unofficial Stanford transcript.

  • Step 1 - Read the School of Engineering Global Engineering Programs Participation Agreement 2015/2016. You will be asked to electronically agree to this document on the online application form. This document can be found to the right on this page.
  • Step 2 -Complete the application on the online SOLO system: 
  • Argentina Application
  • Uganda Application
  • Step 3 - Complete recommendation process on SOLO. Note this can only be started once you have completed your application, so please leave at least a week for your recommender to complete your application.
  • Step 4 – Finalist Interviews: Finalists will be notified shortly after the application deadline, and will be asked to schedule a short in-person interview. Candidates will be selected based on overall fit with the program, especially proven demonstration of teamwork. A selection committee will screen and interview the candidates.

Results will be announced March 4, 2016!

 

 

Contacts

Tori W. Bianchi, Global Engineering Programs Manager

Email: vwbianchi@stanford.edu

Phone: 650-498-0716