Civic and Community Engagement | Open Access Articles

A Critical Analysis Of Volunteer Tourism And The Implications For Developing Communities, Haley A. Garrison

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The practice of volunteer tourism has recently experienced a rise in both popularity and participation, along with research into the effectiveness of the approaches to service taken in foreign countries. This type of tourism is commonly described as an eco-friendly and economically sustainable alternative to traditional methods of international travel. Participants typically express altruistic motivations behind their desire to travel, as conventional touristic activities are paired with various forms of volunteer work. Though this paper describes significant benefits associated with this growing industry, many critiques have also explored the limitations of a voluntourism approach to community development. In contrast to …

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Evaluating The Effectiveness Of An Internship Program, Daniel Jackel

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The traditional way to learn about social sciences in a university setting includes taking courses that teach theoretical frameworks and scientific methodologies that are required for one’s major area of study. The courses that are taught to students are determined by what major they sign up for. After a student has taken all required courses,what skills does the student have to take with him after graduation?

Whether participation is pursued solely for academic credit, for career development, or for civic engagement, an experiential experience typically enhances a student’s connection between academic content and “real world” applications. Bridging the gap between …

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