Introduction and Purpose

So even though I would consider myself a "tech-savvy" kind of guy, this is my first ever experience blogging! We had our final pre-departure meeting today, and with the trip less than a week away, I'm starting to get excited! My goal is to use this blog to keep my friends and family updated while I am on this journey. Our internet access in Belize will be limited, but I will do my best to update this page daily. I would also like to keep a video diary of my experiences each day, and if that ends up happening I will post them on this site as well. In case you were wondering, the background of this page is an image of the Lamanai ruins in Belize. We will be visiting those sometime during the week we are there. Near the bottom of the page I've included two images. The one on the left is a map of Belize. We will be teaching in Orange Walk, which is located in the northern part of the country. On the right is a picture of one of the nicest hotels in the city, Hotel de la Fuente, where we will be staying. If you are unfamiliar with the purpose of this trip, allow me to explain...

My first year on campus, I was selected to be a part of the Leadership Program at the McCombs School of Business. This is a 4 year track that focuses on developing the leadership ability of its students individually, in a team setting, and in both the local and global community. Students in their final year of the program participate in an international service project. This Spring Break (March 12-18 specifically) I will travel with a select group of students to the country of Belize to share my acquired business skills abroad. Colleges in Belize are sufficient in preparing their students to become electricians, plumbers, mechanics, etc. Although these trade skills are important in a developing nation, colleges such as ITVET (where we will be teaching) have traditionally not equipped their students with the necessary job skills and business knowledge needed to become successful entrepreneurs. However, these skills are vital to the survival of the Belizean economy, as many students have desires to start their own business after graduation.

Over the course of our week in Belize, we will engage with the ITVET students on two essential topics: job skills and entrepreneurship. Our job skills workshop will focus on areas such as interview skills, résumé writing, professional dress, and cover letters. We will also conduct mock interviews, giving our students necessary real-world experience. The entrepreneurship class will provide insights into starting a business, such as how to obtain funding, the importance of budgeting and forecasting, and how to manage resources in a successful enterprise. In addition, I am one of four students to be assigned “Project Champion.” As champions, we are responsible for developing the curriculum we will teach, as well as create any packets or handouts we will distribute to the class. Our team has been diligently preparing for this service opportunity for months, because even though we are sharing our knowledge with one group of students, the potential impact we could have on that country is profound.