Published: 01/27/2023

A Mexican foundation, Fundación Empresariado Sonorense A.C. (FESAC) is seeking upper division and graduate students and border activists for an internship dedicated to strengthening a binational community of direct service organizations and individuals dedicated to bridging the border. This is a 12-year-old program that has provided hundreds of students and community leaders with in-depth service-learning experiences. This program has been developed in close collaboration with FESAC’s US partner agency, the Border Community Alliance (BCA): https://bordercommunityalliance.org  BCA has its own summer internship program which can be accessed on its website.

In 2023, FESAC is seeking to recruit interns with interests in such areas as education and healthcare for migrant families, social media management, fundraising, communications, and more. We encourage you to apply if you want a unique bi-national service leaning opportunity to support the Sonoran region and migrant and asylum-seeking communities. Spanish language fluency is useful but not required. To learn more about FESAC’s community development service, follow this link.

Program Details

  1. How to apply: Applications for 2023 are now being accepted. Download the application here. For any questions, please contact FESAC Senior Advisor Bob Phillips at rtp1844@gmail.com
  2. Dates of internship & Terms of service: Determined based on individual assignments and intern availability. All internships begin with virtual assignments. There are opportunities for service-learning placement, with some support for housing, onsite with programs in the Sonoran, Mexico region. Such onsite assignment can be for periods as short as a week or for extended periods such as a summer or 3-12 months. Stipends for intern onsite assignments are not currently available and are being sought.
  3. Qualifications: Applicants should be mature individuals with a personal interest in and commitment to, one or more of, the issues of border region community development, including migration, education, economic development, healthcare, climate change, human rights for women and indigenous communities, border security and public policy. Student applicants should have at least junior standing with an academic and personal interest in one or more of the above-named areas. Graduate students with border related research interests are encouraged to apply. Past work in a non-Western culture is desirable as is an ability to speak rudimentary Spanish. The ability to work independently, as part of a team, and have the proven ability to use initiative and creativity to solve complex problems is important. A passport and, if possible, a Global Entry card are essential for onsite assignment.

Description of current intern assignments

  1. Bulletin Editor & Blog Writer (1-2 people)

Responsible, under the direction of the FESAC Senior Advisor, for the design, content, and distribution of FESAC’s first English language “Bridging the Border Bulletin”. Training will be provided by past Stanford interns who have held this position. Here is the link to the site with all twelve editions of the Bulletin. https://fesac-nogales.constantcontactsites.com/bulletin

  • Create the production schedule and assign writers for articles, photos.
  • Design the layout, graphics, and content focus of each edition of the Bulletin. Bulletins are sent out every 2-3 months.
  • Build a growing list of subscribers
  • Interview and correspond with community leaders and nonprofit organizations based in Sonora to generate Bulletin content
  • Produce regular blog articles and bulletin features of interviewees and their work
  • Spanish speaking/comprehension is useful.

Social Media & Website Manager (1+ people)

This position is responsible for reaching the largest possible number of potential supporters of FESAC programs with factual and compelling content on the community development work of FESAC and its affiliated NGOs and the positive change and return on investment of these programs.

  • Use Bulletin material and original content and interacting with users as necessary on social media accounts
  • Promote recent publications focused on border issues and Sonoran region
  • Contribute to a positive portrayal of border communities and their NGO services
  • Make necessary edits/updates to the FESAC website
  • Improve user experience
  • Update recent content
  • Report on social media performance and implement research/experience-based recommendations throughout internship
  • Spanish fluency is a plus but not a requirement!
  • Reports to FESAC Senior Advisor (a Stanford alum) via regular team meeting, both virtual and on campus for Stanford interns.

Fundraising Campaign Manager (1+ people)

Given the lack of resources available for Mexican NGOs facing the challenges of unprecedented levels of migration, the lack of healthcare, education and resettlement options, climate change and dysfunctional public policies on both sides of the US/Mexican border, it is critical for FESAC and its affiliated direct service NGOs to attract significant and sustained international financial support.

  • Conduct research on possible grant opportunities for Mexican nonprofit/US partner organizations.
  • Demonstrate to funders – foundation, corporate and individual – the impact and return on investment from FESAC’s NGO development work.
  • Develop content for grant and fundraising proposals while working with FESAC support team to maximize donations and continue funder involvement
  • Create fundraising strategies and implement them throughout internship
  • Coordinate all fundraising with Senior Advisor and FESAC Executive Director

_______________________________________