| by Eva Gudbergsdottir

News Stories

DPMI visits OAS
Back row, l-r: Hawi Burka Kebede (Ethiopia), Bantu Mabaso (Swaziland), Miranda Meyer MAIEM/MPA ’18 (Graduate Assistant), Javier Monterroso Montenegro (Guatemala), Jhader Aguad (Peru), Jose Merlo (Ecuador). Front row, l-r: Allan Martinez Venegas (Costa Rica), Shanina van Gent (The Netherlands), Amita Ramachandran (India).

One of the added advantages the Institute’s Design Partnering, Management and Innovation (DPMI) program offers to students in its annual Washington DC session (sessions are also offered in Monterey and Rwanda) is the opportunity to take advantage of occasional mornings off during the three-week training to visit organizations involved in international development. On June 20, a group of Davis UWC Scholars enrolled in this summer’s DPMI in DC session had the opportunity to visit the Organization of American States (OAS).

Student Amita Ramachandran said she “really appreciated” the opportunity to visit OAS and “had a fantastic time with the amazing instructors and incredible cohort.”

Students in the intensive three-week DPMI program earn a certificate in international development and social change. Participants gain the program design, evaluation, strategic partnering, and facilitation skills needed to launch a career in international development, and become part of a global network of over 1,300 program alumni. Student Gabbie Santos (Midd ‘17) said “I’m grateful to DPMI for allowing me a close look at some of what international development work could involve. My interest in the field has been largely shaped and informed by my experiences at home in the Philippines.”

“Washington D.C. is a classroom in itself and our goal is to offer each cohort of DPMI in DC students both an intensive skill-building course and the chance to supplement it with invaluable networking opportunities,” added Director of Professional Immersive Learning and Special Programs Carolyn Taylor Meyer MAIPS ’05.

Each year since 2006, the DPMI in DC program admits eight Davis UWC scholars, who receive scholarships to attend the certificate program. The Davis UWC Scholars Program aims to build cross-cultural understanding by offering full scholarships to each United World College student who wishes to attend a participating university in the U.S. Since its founding in 2000, the program has provided scholarships to 7,686 scholars from 152 countries attending U.S. partner colleges and universities.

The Organization of American States considers itself to be “the world’s oldest regional organization,” dating back to the First International Conference of American States in 1889-90. The OAS was established in its current form in 1948 with goals including the promotion of collaboration, as well as the defense of the sovereignty and independence of the 35 independent member states.

For More Information

Jason Warburg
jwarburg@middlebury.edu
831.647.3156

Eva Gudbergsdottir
eva@middlebury.edu
831.647.6606