Study Abroad Partnerships: Librarians, Business Faculty, and In-Country Facilitator Develop an Innovative Experiential Learning Program

What is it about?

This article profiles the development and implementation of an undergraduate study abroad program developed by librarians and a finance professor at the University of Maryland (UMD). The authors collaboratively developed and taught, in 2012, 2013, and 2014, an innovative short-term course to Nicaragua, BMGT 448N: Doing Business in Nicaragua: Microfinance in Action, in which UMD students provided hands-on consulting to Nicaraguan entrepreneurs, an international microlending organization, and small business start-ups affiliated with a Nicaraguan University. In keeping with the UMD's mission of internationalization this course provided students with a service-learning and a study abroad experience.

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Why is it important?

We describe the development and implementation of an innovative, service learning, study abroad course, which can serve as a model for others.