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Career Center (CC): Tell us about the organization you founded. How did you get started? How did you get involved with it and why?

Courtney Horstman (CH): I was inspired to start my own program helping disadvantaged youth in Brazil after I signed up and paid for a summer volunteer program through a nonprofit organization two years ago. I was looking for adventure, travel, and a program that would give me real hands-on experience.

I lived in a Brazilian home for eight weeks, working with kids in a slum community in the same city. Over my two-month stay I became very close with my host family and with the people in the community. When I returned to the States, I started brainstorming ways to create a program that would benefit the community where I had worked. So I created my own program, Program Santa Luzia for students to travel to Brazil to work with high-risk children for a summer.

CC: What was your goal and what did you hope to accomplish in Brazil?

CH: I wanted to create a program that would do two things:

1. Build a creative environment for children where they could get tons of love and positive attention.
2. Show other students like me another corner of the world. I want other people to have the amazing experience of immersing themselves in this vibrant culture and discovering what "third-world country" actually means.

CC: How did your experience at Cal shape your decision to do this type of work?

CH: Berkeley exposed me to global concerns and illuminated not only the possibility of study abroad, but also the general importance of international travel. I was exposed to global politics and issues in my classes and all over campus.

I was inspired by volunteer projects and grass roots organizations that I heard about on campus. I received strong encouragement from Berkeley staff and campus literature to study abroad, and found many opportunities to win grants and fellowships for research and projects out of the country.

CC: Did you have any internships, travel experiences, special skills, and/or extracurricular activities that helped you get and prepare for this experience?

CH: My experience working with The Peoples' Test Preparation Service at Cal helped hone my teaching skills and taught me how to create a curriculum. The San Quentin Tutoring DeCal also contributed to my experience working with underserved students.

I also used skills from outside my experience at UC Berkeley. My work with children from babysitting and previous employment as a nanny through high school and junior college were a great help to me in creating a program for the children in Brazil. I realized that the jobs that I had used to earn cash before I could get a "real" job had provided me with a range of useful skills and experiences with children of many different ages. I drew on this experience to help me work with kids in Brazil. It wasn't until I applied these skills that I realized just how much they were worth.

CC: How has this experience changed you? Can you elaborate on how it enhanced your vision or goals for the future?

CH: I have become much more comfortable in a leadership role. My experience running my own program has taught me that I can be a leader, and showed me the impact that my actions can have. My leap of faith to create this program has had a wider ripple effect than I had expected. Every single person who has participated, volunteers as well as community members, has been affected by something that I created. I am more aware now that I, and any individual, can make a difference.

CC: What are the rewards?

CH: The friendships and bonds that bubble up between people. Working with people from a different culture and finding a common link is one of the most rewarding things about working in Brazil. And, of course, the kids. The smiles on their faces at the end of each day are priceless.

CC: What are the challenges?

CH: Working with children in poverty leads to a battle against poverty itself. Results can't be seen right away. So it can feel unrewarding at times. To keep going, it's necessary to find rewards in small changes and isolated moments, like a hug from a child.

CC: What is your greatest accomplishment with this organization?

CH: I am proud that I was able to pass on the experience I had to other people and give participants a positive, inspiring experience. And I'm proud of my dedication to seeing the project through.

CC: Do you have any general advice for students who may be thinking of doing something similar (how to get started, resources, etc.)?

CH: I think the most important lesson is to follow a vision. If you believe in something strongly, and you find other people who believe in it also, nothing will stop you from succeeding with it. So go for it.

The campus Education Abroad Program (EAP) office has a large supply of resources organized by country/region with information about overseas travel, study, and volunteer and paid work, even for people who are not directly participating in EAP. You can find home stays, nonprofit organizations, work-abroad opportunities, and travel resources there.

Working abroad requires in-country cohorts that are eager to help or host a project. This is the most important part of getting started. Talk to as many people as you can in the place you want to work and tell them your ideas. Once you find people who are interested in doing the same thing you are, you're on your way.

Additional Resources

Nonprofit Career Info Night - Wednesday, October 18

Career Fields - Nonprofit