Internships: dETAILS
The following is a list of organizations, grouped by nature, with a synopsis of their characteristics.
Non-for-Profit
Joel Nafuma Refugee Center, located in the historical crypt of the Episcopalian Church of Saint Paul’s Within the Walls, the JNRC is the only recreational day center in Rome accessible to refugees.
Twenty years ago, the rector of St. Paul’s, the Reverend Wilbur Woodhams, invited a young Ugandan priest, Joel Nafuma, himself a refugee, to open a ministry for the Africans in Rome victims of persecutions in their unstable countries. The JNRC was rededicated in June 1995 to an expanded and recommitted ministry under Bishop Rowthorn, the Reverend Joel Nafuma and representatives from the Rome ecumenical and international communities.
www.stpaulsrome.it
The Jesuit Refugee Services, located in the Caravita refectory, two steps away from St. Ignatius’ Church, has been serving food to hundreds of poor for 25 years.
It is an International Catholic organization that assists refugees in need in more than 50 countries around the world. Its mission is to “accompany, serve, and defend the rights of the refugees and forcibly displaced people.” The JRS was created by Father Arrupe in 1980. Its programs focus on education, advocacy, emergency assistance, nutrition and health, income-generating actitivies, and social services.
www.centroastalli.it
Di Amato Associati Law Firm, is an international firm located in Milan, Rome and Naples. It was founded by Professor Astolfo di Amato who was previously teaching at LUISS University of Rome (1972-1985) and a former judge (1966-1984). The firm specifically looks at business law although it is not limited to these subjects. Some of the topics dealt with are product litigation, corporate and commercial law, agency, distribution, franchising and business crimes and investigations. It is run by professor Amato’s son, Alessio who works in the firm in Rome. www.hierosgamos.org
Activist organizations/Social groups
Association of American Women in Rome, it is a non-profit organization which promotes friendship among its members and understanding between Italy and the United States through community service, cultural and social activities such as concerts, art exhibits, film shows and other events, and through the exchange of information about business and professional activities for reciprocal benefit. It is a wide network of women who are USA citizens or married to a USA citizen. It organizes events, publishes a bulletin and counts thousands of members.
www.awar.org
Non-governmental organizations
Jesuit Refugee Service- International Office (JRS) is the NGO of the Jesuit Curia. It is actively involved in giving visibility to refugee issues worldwide. This organization was founded in 1980 by Fr. Pedro Arrupe, shortly after the end of the Vietnamese war. Fr. Arrupe was touched by the secretive and dangerous fleeing of Vietnamese people to neighbouring countries. He believed that these refugees could be assisted and, after seeing the results of his first attempt to help them, he felt the need to expand his assistance and services. This intervention became the result of the creation, expansion and success of JRS to this day. The organization has now spread to more than 50 countries.
www.jrs.net
International organizations
International Development Law Organization (IDLO) is an international intergovernmental organization that dedicates itself to the promotion of the rule of law and good governance in developing countries, those stricken by natural disasters, those in economic transition and those emerging from armed conflicts. IDLO was established in 1983 and the Rome office was founded by William Loris, a former John Felice Rome Center student.
www.idlo.int
European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is the largest association of the national broadcasters in the world, estimated to reach a global audience of 650 million people weekly. It was founded in 1950 a a fragile coalition of public broadcasters from all over Europe who decided to lap into the unknown technology: television. EBU has its headquarters in Geneva and has offices in Beijing, Brussels, Madrid, London, Moscow, Singapore and Washington. It is located right beside Saint Peter’s Cathedral, on via della Conciliazione.
www.ebu.ch
Museums/Libraries/Institutes
Keats-Shelley Museum is a memorial house overlooking the Spanish Steps where Keats lived in early twentieth century. The Museum was opened on April 3, 1909, by President Theodore Roosvelt and King Edward VII. Over the past century, the libraries collection of books and manuscripts has grown steadily and the Museum is now visited by thousands of scholars, tourists and admirers of Romantic literature from every part of the world. During Keats time, Piazza di Spagna was the center of the foreigner’s quarter in Rome. La Casina Rosa (as the Romans call the museum because of it once soft pink colour) was one of the main housing unit for visitors from the North. Keats lived there from November 1960 to the day of his death, February 23, 1821.
www.keats-shelley-house.org
Capitoline Library–Comune di Roma is located on the upper floors of the Palazzo dei Conservatori, on the Capitoline hill. Originally named La Biblioteca di Archeologia e Storia dell’Arte della Sovraintendenza ai Beni Culturali del Comune di Roma, was created in 1872 but relocated from Casa dei Vallati.
It is intimately connected with the Capitoline Museum of which it treasures books of the art collection and Roman history. The purpose of the Library is not only to store the works on Roman archaeology and art history, but also to know the restoration and conservation procedures necessary to preserve the collections of the Library and the Museum.www.ex-art.it
Pontificio Istituto di Archeologia Cristiana (P.I.A.C.) is a small graduate institution offering its higher education degree of a PhD in Christina Archeology to qualified students. Pope Pius XI founded the Institute in Rome in 1925 as a place to pursue scientific research and graduate education in the field of Christian Archeology. The Institute is located two blocks from the Termini D Station on Via Napoleone III inside a two-story stone exterior and marble interior building. The Institute, which houses an extensive library of 50,000 volumes with an annual increase of 500-600 units, begins its Academic Year in early November starting with the mass of the Holy Spirit at S. Prassede basilica. The P.I.A.C. is part of the Pontifical Universities affiliated to the Holy See.
www.piac.it
AVAILABLE IN SPRING 2009
The following agencies have been contacted to create new internship opportunities for Rome Center students.
- USA Embassy, US Commercial Service and Human Resource Assistant/Recruitment (multiple offices)
- ZTE Corporation, China's largest listed telecommunications equipment provider
- Instituto Cervantes the prestigious and largest Spanish Cultural Centre (tentative),
- US-Italy Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Rome created to promote friendship between Italians and Americans.
WHAT STUDENTS SAY ABOUT THE PROGRAM
CESAR VARGAS ( marketing major) interned at the Jesuit Refugee Service-International Office as a communication officer, translating articles about refugees and proofreading-editing in English and Spanish. “This experience was overall positive. It was a learning experience. It helped me gaining new skills and work in an international setting. It also taught me how to adapt with different groups of people. I also learned about refugees that made me grow as a person."
CHRISTOPHER SIENRA-CANAS (international business major) assisted in the Microfinance Project at the International Development Law Organization. “This was probably the best experience I have had thus far in my academic and professional career. My position was great for my major. My job was interesting with a lot to learn from. The colleagues and stuff I worked with were very diverse, kind group of open, lively, cultured and professional individuals. It helped me to become adjusted to working at an international level."
JESSICA GERACI (journalism major and Spanish/political science minor) served in the European Broadcasting Union where she compiled the weekly news calendar for the Geneva Headquarter. She also assisted with transmissions and feeds. “This internship was my first experience at a broadcasting site and helped me learn both the technical and journalistic sides of making the news. I made many great contacts to use in the future."
MARIA ANGELICA DE GAETANO (international studies and anthropology major and Latin American studies, women studies minor) and NATHAN JUNG ( biology/philosophy major) worked for Emergency where they were trained to became advocate and representative of the organization’s work. “The internship program is a great way to feel part of a community in Italy and get out of the John Felice Rome Center to participate in Italian lifestyle. Through my work with Emergency, I learned that I need to do a better job at keeping up with current issues around the world” Maria Angelica says. “The internship is a great way to learn about your self and Italy” Nathan adds.
ANDREA STEPANSKI (psychology and international studies major) and ROSEMARY REYES (international studies major and communications minor) interned at Youth Action for Peace. “As a result of my internship I learned that working in an Italian professional environment is more laid back than an American one. I liked working in the Italian one because it is less stressful. I also learned that I do not want to work in an office for the rest of my life. I think I would rather work in Academia, perhaps as a professor” Andrea says. “During my internship, I learned that it is difficult for me to use a different language when I am not confident about it. The Italian work environment is stress-free, and Italy’s strong emphasis on family translates into the workplace” Rosemary adds.
WHAT ORGANIZATIONS SAY ABOUT THE STUDENTS
Christopher Sienra-Canas/IDLO: "Christopher worked very efficiently and assisted us greatly with research and data/publications management. Thanks Christopher and Loyola!"
–Jami Hubbard, supervisor
Maria Angelica De Gaetano/Emergency: "Maria Angelica expressed a sincere interest in the contents of the organization …. Her leadership helped organize meetings with Loyola students and inspired them to take part in an exhibit for Emergency held at the Vittoriano in Rome."
–Paola Ledda, director
Cesar Vargas /JRS: "Cesar is a polite and hardworking young man who I would be happy to recommend to any further employer educational institution."
–James Stapleton, communication coordinator