LATIN AMERICAN OUTREACH PROGRAMS (LAO)

Short-term bridge programs for Latin American Students. The Latin American Outreach program was conceived to give Latin American students academic opportunities, knowledge of English, leadership, and a broadening of the social-cultural spectrum. These are not profit programs; therefore, the participant only covers part of the cost and additionally they have partial scholarships. The programs offered under LAO are:

1. Intensive English and Cultural Program: The program encourages international students to improve their spoken English skills in an academic setting where the students are motivated to talk with native speakers, speak in public, carry out administrative transactions, and work on real life scenarios. The program is offered three times a year: April, July, and October.

2. Academic Development Program: This program invites international students and their professors in the areas of engineering, architecture, communication and Journalism, Business Administration, and Law, among others, to develop skills related to their fields of study. It also allows them to research in depth their professional careers. During their stay, the students and their professors have the opportunity to start and finish a research project. This program is offered during the months of April, July, and October.

3. Professional Practice Program: This program focuses on putting to use the knowledge the participants acquire at their home institutions in a professional setting at UNM or diverse industries in the community. The students have the opportunity to work with professionals in their area of interest at UNM and observe professionals in the community around the city. This programs is available year round. The three programs have a cost of 1,200.00 USD and their duration is 2 weeks. All programs include: registration, room and board, cultural trips, and medical insurance. This cost also includes transportation from airport/bus station to hotel on the day of arrival and departure. The student is responsible for transportation from their hometown to Albuquerque. All three programs have a limited number of participants and admission is based on a first come first serve basis. The deadlines to apply to the programs are the 1st Friday of the month of January, March, and July.

For more information about the programs, please send emails to lao@unm.edu.