Grad Students Serve and Learn in Africa

Taking three weeks in the beginning of the summer to fly across the world to an exotic country seems more like a vacation than a pedagogical tool. But for a handful of Marriott School students, this adventure did more than just entertain — it exposed them to another corner of the world that needed their services.

Fifteen students — 14 MPA students and one MBA student — traveled to Ghana in May to gain international development management experience. One project, Empower Playgrounds, continued last year's successful venture that uses electricity generated through merry-go-rounds to power portable lanterns which allow children to study at night. Students surveyed dozens of schools and used certain sustainability criteria to determine which schools would receive a power-generating merry-go-round.

The second project consisted of students evaluating the LDS Church's Employment Resource Center and its effectiveness for returned missionaries in the area. The students presented recommendations to improve services.

"We had a cohesive, energetic group," says faculty adviser Aaron Miller. "They just all loved each other and had a great time together. It was a really fun group. The students really took to the experience immediately."

This experience was meant to be an extension of classroom instruction. Catherine Cooper, MPA program associate director and student adviser, says real life learning significantly augments textbook learning. Experiencing the country, seeing the sites and having real experiences with the culture and government gives students a real world view of international development.

"The projects are helpful for the client, but the biggest impact is for the students personally," Cooper says. "Students cannot visit a third-world country and look at management styles and governments without coming home with increased awareness of and appreciation for the role government and NGOs play in our lives."

This year, unfortunately, many of the participants got sick. The "roughing-it" feel, Miller says, allowed the group to become closer and develop an attitude of teamwork.

While the program instills in students an appreciation for international development efforts, most students recognize that such careers can be draining.

"Students experience firsthand the inherent challenges in development work. They find nonprofit classes the following year particularly relevant," Cooper says.

For those adventurous souls interested in international development, the program accepts between twelve and eighteen graduate students, comprised mostly of MPA students.

The MPA program at BYU is housed within the Romney Institute of Public Management and offers coursework in local government management, finance, human resources and nonprofit management. Those interested in applying are encouraged to visit 760 Tanner Building or e-mail mpa@byu.edu.