Maximo Nivel Service Learning Project

Bay State College’s Service Learning Committee is offering a new, international, interdisciplinary service learning opportunity for faculty and students.   Working in conjunction with Maximo Nivel, the selected group of faculty and students will develop learning objectives that will be achieved through service in established programs in either Guatemala or Costa Rico.  Programs that are available include working in health care facilities, orphanages, daycare and nutrition centers, schools, construction sites, or a variety of environmental/conservation sites.  The specifics of country and project will be determined after the group has been selected.

Maximo Nivel

Maximo Nivel was originally an intensive language institute.  They have now grown to include international volunteer and internship programs.    This organization will place our group into a work project based upon our requests.  They will coordinate housing for us, and advise us on travel, what to bring with us and the day-to-day life in the country we go to.    They have a main office in each of the countries they have programs in;  it is here where they provide an intensive (2 hr/day) Spanish language class, access to computers and the internet, free coffee/tea, and weekly fun/social activity.  They offer 24/7 emergency contact.  Most importantly they will provide a full orientation to the project(s) we will be working on. 

We will be responsible for traveling to/from our worksite each day – this can take between 10 minutes – 1 hour each way via public transportation.

Maximo Nivel will arrange for our housing with a local family.  These families have been screened and most have been host families for several years with Maximo Nivel. 

Meals will be provided.  There is a full breakfast daily; lunch is typically soup or a sandwich and dinner is “a more social affair as volunteers all gather together and talk about the day’s activities.”  Dinner is usually meat and/or pasta.  Maximo Nivel is able to accommodate vegetarians and other dietary restrictions with advanced notice.

Three faculty members have talked with other college programs who have worked with Maximo Nivel and they have had very positive experiences.  The number one recommendation is “remember to be flexible and let Maximo Nivel know what you want to accomplish.”  These other programs all stated they felt very safe.

For more information on Maximo Nivel, click here. 

To APPLY to the program, click here.