The Elisabeth Luce Moore '24 Wellesley-Yenching Program
Internships in Asia, Summer 2000
The Elisabeth Luce Moore '24 Wellesley-Yenching Program was established in 1999 with a grant from the Henry Luce Foundation. This Program encourages Asia-focused initiatives in global education and experiential learning for students at Wellesley College.
In the summer of 2000, the Program will support 6-9 internships in Asia.The focus of these internships will be on placements that give interns the opportunity to become intensively engaged with important local, national, or regional issues. In most cases, these placements will be with public service, non-profit organizations, but some corporate placements may be possible.
General Information
The internship placements in 2000 will be in the following locations:
Hong Kong: At least 3 of the internships will be in Hong Kong. Placements being explored include: print and broadcast journalism; government; environmental research or consulting; educational technology; the arts; business. Knowledge of China or background in Chinese Studies is NOT required.
China: 1-2 internships in Kunming, Yunnan province. Possible placements: projects related to children's rights, child welfare, women's and minority issues, and minority issues; environmental concerns; a drug rehabilitation program; and a rural doctors training project. Proficiency in Mandarin China is a likely to be a requirement.
Japan: 1-2 internships, most likely in Osaka, but possibly in Kyoto or Tokyo.
Possible placements: social work related to women's, immigrant, minority and other concerns; mass communications and media. Proficiency in Japanese is likely to be a requirement.
Korea: 1-2 internships in Seoul. Possible placements: Korea Development Institute; Chosun Daily, English Language Section (International Relations Division; women's organizations. Proficiency in Korean recommended, but not required.
NOTE: The number and location of the internships will depend partly on the interests and preparation (including language ability, where needed) of the selected students and partly (but very importantly) on the availability of quality placements.
Students selected for the program will work closely in finding placements with the program's faculty director, Prof. William A. Joseph (Political Science), our Hong Kong-based alumnae program director, Rachel Wang '88, and local coordinators in the other cities.
The internships will be for 9-10 weeks. Interns must be in their placement city no later than June 1, 2000 and be prepared to begin work on Monday, June 5th. In Hong Kong, interns will work 4 full days per week (M-Th). Fridays will be reserved for group activities, including Cantonese lessons, field trips, and guest speakers. The work schedules in the other locations are still to be determined.
Each intern will be provided with:
Selection Criteria and Application Process
Rising juniors and seniors in all majors are eligible to apply. Interns will be chosen on the basis of their academic record and preparation and evidence of the following qualities: maturity, independence, reliability, flexibility, energy, curiosity, the ability to get along well with supervisors and peers, and open-mindedness, especially the willingness to view all sorts of situations and experiences as potential learning opportunities.
The program is committed to attracting students with diverse interests and backgrounds. Again: for some placements, no prior academic background in Asian Studies is required.
Placements will be in locations that provide the student with a new living, working, and learning experience. Students who are already very familiar with a particular location will not be considered for a placement there.
Application forms are available in the Political Science department (PNE 120) or the Center for Work and Service in Green Hall. They are due by 4 p.m. on Friday, February 11, 2000. Interviews and selection will be completed by late February or early March.
For more information about the program, please contact the faculty director, Professor William A. Joseph, Department of Political Science, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA 02481; tel 781-283-2201; email: wjoseph@wellesley.edu