Staff Spotlight: Dr. Sandi Smith

I have vivid memories of my first visit to Belize. I was so curious and enthralled with the bio-diversity and the human cultural diversity. I had a really exciting feeling that Belize would be a mesmerizing learning laboratory for students and faculty from a wide range of academic interests and disciplines. I had never been so excited about the Education Abroad possibilities.

I work with an AMAZING leader! Our founder and CEO is so authentically passionate about building learning partnerships between colleges/universities and local Belizeans. She is incredibly creative in facilitating ways to partner with the learning goals and expertise of students to enhance the dynamic development of her beloved country and community.

As a social enterprise, our organization is committed to making a positive impact in Belize. Thus, our work is not only about catering to the needs and interests of students who want to study/intern abroad. I must not only be thinking about the learning opportunities for students, but I am also always creating learning and development opportunities for local Belizeans alongside our students.

What keeps me so excited about my work is the impact a meaningful intercultural experience can have on the learning and personal development of anyone who participates. It is the feedback I get from students that makes me so proud to invest my career in administering Education Abroad.

I have heard countless times that students value their Education Abroad experience as one of the most important experiences of their life, and the confidence they have that the international experience will transform their life direction.

I would absolutely love to spend a month or more in the Toucan Education Programs' Service-Learning in Belize Program.

1) It would give me the opportunity to interact with real people in the community on a daily basis, and give me the opportunity to learn so much from their skills, values, and perspectives of the world.

2) I love the methods that support the focus on Intercultural Learning. With intentional assignments in cultural learning, I would love to challenge myself with the assignments that provide me the opportunity to learn more about my own cultural perspectives and behaviors, while practicing interaction and communication skills with Belizeans from many different cultural experiences.

It is quite unique among Education Abroad organizations that Toucan Education Programs is an in-country social enterprise. Started by a Belizean who is focused on building bridges between the learning desires of college/university students AND the needs of her community and country.

I love that we explore organizations and communities in Belize and let the grassroots needs and opportunities guide our programs and partnerships. Instead of asking a school if they can supervise an Intern because the student wants this experience, we ask the school what needs they have and then find a faculty-led group or Intern, or program that can contribute to the learning and outcomes the school needs.

From the perspective of Toucan Education Programs, a successful Education Abroad organization builds intentional learning and development opportunities for those going abroad, and the receiving country/community.

International and intercultural learning is about a two-way relationship. Not merely a financial transaction, but a privilege of human interactions and understanding.