Romania Internship Program

Every BYU study abroad program has what is called a program facilitator. These are students that help to organize the program, and have been on a study abroad themselves. For the Romania Internship Program, Rosemary Mitchell is the program facilitator. I asked her to explain the program and this is what she had to say:

"BYU is well known for their many diverse international study programs. One of these programs is based in a city in Northeastern Romania called Iasi. Students have participated in this semester-long program for over 12 years now and continue to bless the lives of those they serve. The BYU Romania international internship sends students year round to volunteer in a children’s hospital and an orphanage for children with disabilities. Students also have the opportunity to participate in the local LDS branch and immerse themselves in the beautiful and fascinating local Romanian culture.

Students from BYU learn many different things during their semester abroad about themselves, the people that surround them, and just how diverse yet similar different cultures are. When most people hear about Romania they immediately think of gymnastics, Dracula, or orphanages. None of which are quite accurate. The media’s portrayal of Romania in the early 90’s may have been accurate at the time, but things are different now. The childcare system has improved. Many children who may have once been in institutionalized care are now in foster families or even their own families. Children receive specialized services if they require them and living conditions are greatly improved. But there is still much work to be done. That is where our students step in. In the specific orphanage where we volunteer, staff to child ratio is low and the children do not receive the individual attention they require. The purpose of our program is to help provide assistance to each of the children that they may progress and develop emotionally, socially, physically, etc.

Most, if not all, of our past interns might say they went to Romania expecting to serve the children but then realized that those children were really serving them. One professor in the School of Family Life at BYU referred to the Romania internship as 'the best service learning opportunity available at BYU.' It is clear that this program has the ability to touch the lives of many both here on our BYU campus and those across the world."