Engaging in the Challenges of the World
Opportunities Across L&LI Programs
A pillar of our mission is to prepare and equip students to engage in the challenges of the world. Once students enter college – sometimes even before – they begin to explore the questions of what courses they want to take, what major they want to focus on, and what degree they want to walk away with. Students spend hours considering what careers, passions, internships, fields to pursue, and how their studies and degrees might help them get there.
Our goal is not to steer students one way or another, but to provide them with the resources, experiences, support, and tools to prepare them to engage with these questions and the challenges they see and face in the world. As they pass through our programs, it's our mission to send off more prepared for whatever is next than when they started.
We do this through curating our programs to offer excellent academic courses that grow students minds through spiritual formation, discipleship, faith-based community living, international internships, short-term experiential and study tours, and more.
Each of Living & Learning International's programs offer a variety of tracks and disciplines, giving students a wide range of opportunities based on their interests.
L&LI programs prepare students to engage both with the challenges they will face in the world and the challenges we face together as a society. Whether a student wants to grow in their knowledge and experience of the public health, is looking to develop spiritually, desires hands-on experience in a medical field, or is passionate about bridging cultural barriers through language learning, we have a program for them.
Hands-on Internships
We have seen students thrive in internship placements around the globe. Like Ava, who spent time during her semester interning at Las Valdivias Ceramics Studio in Quito, Ecuador and shared this video that gave a glimpse into her experience.
I’ve learned so much about running a ceramic studio and experienced the unique approaches they take here in Ecuador. Above all, I’ve had the privilege of working with the most amazing woman—Pamela—who is incredibly talented and passionate about ceramics, and dedicated to raising awareness about the art in Quito. Thank you, Living & Learning Quito, for this unforgettable experience. I never could have imagined getting the opportunity to do something like this.
— Ava, Spring 2025
Reid studied Information Technology at Liberty University. His major required him to complete an internship in his field of study and he decided to do that in Rome! He spend a summer interning at Fat Tire Tours working in their office managing sales, bikes, and managing their online systems. Watch what a day in Reid's internship was like.
Audrey, a student from California Baptist University is on her journey to become a doctor. She spent a summer interning at a hospital in Quito and was able to observe an open heart surgery.
I just got out of a heart surgery that I was able to observe alongside the doctors and nurses and anesthesiologists. So my experience has been just absolutely amazing ... I've been learning so much here and done multiple rotations in different departments like infections, day hospital, pediatrics, and so much more. I'm so grateful for this opportunity and to further develop my passion of becoming a doctor one day.
— Audrey, Summer 2024
In Baltimore while attending the East Coast program, Kaeley, an Environmental Science Major at Dordt University, interned at an urban forest organization. You can hear her share about her experience on this episode of the Living & Learning Podcast.
This program has helped me to see how public health can be connected to all careers through a faith based perspective. I interned at an urban forest that is actively being restored and it was so neat to be a part of the restoration process! The community at this program is amazing, and all staff are so supportive and caring. Coming to Baltimore has truly been one of the best experiences of my life!
— Kaeley, Spring 2024
See more unique and internship experiences like Faith's internship at a law firm in Ecuador.
Short Term Experiences With Long Term Impact
Equipping students for a variety of experiences doesn't only come from long-term programs. Students who embark on a short-term study tour or mission trip with L&LI often go home feeling fueled and ready to pursue their next steps, whether that's more cross-cultural experiences or their future career path.
Taylor was studying at Liberty University and found clarity and direction from the Lord about her passions and career goals when she took a short-term trip to Costa Rica. Taylor is experienced in ASL and and had an incredible moment being able to cross the spoken language barrier using her signing ability. Now, Taylor has both the desire to pursue a career that will allow her to use ASL and is passionate about finding more international experiences and it all started with her Experiential Tour.
Nursing students from University of Northwestern - St. Paul travel with L&LI Experiential Tours to get cross-cultural field experience. Naomi was on a trip with her classmates to Spain when she was invited to shadow the nursing team in the operating room, something she always dreamed of doing. She and her fellow nursing students returned home with a greater awareness of cross-cultural care.
If you'd like to learn more about the mission and story of Living & Learning International, you can read about it here.