The BVIP has been one of the Foundation’s most successful projects. More than 200 upper-level, bilingual students participated from 1995 to 2001. The program is designed to provide the students with an opportunity to learn about their neighboring country’s culture and commerce. Students gain an overview of U.S.-Mexico business relations through contact with the Chamber, knowledge about a specific industry by serving as an intern in a USMCOC corporate member office, and exposure to another country’s culture by living with a host family.
The Goals of the BVIP are:
- To provide interaction between citizens of Mexico and the United States in various settings.
- To foster future, mutually beneficial commercial relations between the two countries.
- To provide a forum for the exchange of ideas regarding corporate environment, communications styles, culture, and international relations.
- To provide exposure to another culture by living with a host family, attending local events, forums, and symposiums.
- Contribute to the development of future leaders in the areas of trade, commerce, and cultural awareness.
History
In 1995, the Buen Vecino Internship Program (BVIP) was created as a binational student exchange program. Each summer, ten (10) undergraduate university students from Mexico, and ten (10) undergraduate university students from the United States were chosen to live and intern in their neighboring countries.
The program, which ran for six weeks, affording U.S. and Mexican students the opportunity to intern at companies related to their majors. The program encouraged discussions and knowledge sharing on ways to better business and international commerce between the United States and Mexico.
The Buen Vecino Internship Program's sponsoring and participating companies included Aeromexico, American Science & Engineering, Bank of America and Continental Airlines, to name a few.
Throughout the program’s existence, BVIP interns have represented the following Mexican universities:
- CETYS Universidad
- Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey
- Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas
- Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara
- Universidad de Guanajuato
- Universidad de Monterrey
- Universidad de Las Américas Puebla
- Universidad de Guadalajara
- Universidad de Quintana Roo
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
- Universidad Veracruzana
In the U.S. the USMCEF partnered with:
- Adams State College
- New Mexico State Universidad
- George Washington University
- Rice University
- San Diego State University
- Universidad de Turabo
- University of Oregon
- University of Southern California
- University of South Florida
- The University of Texas at Arlington
- The University of Texas at Austin
- University of Texas, Dallas
- Universidad de Texas, El Paso
The Buen Vecino Internship now
The USMCEF currently has an agreement with the University of Dallas in Irving, Texas, for an internship program that allows students to learn more about the U.S.-Mexico relationship by collaborating on the different programs and initiatives of the Chamber and Foundation.
We are open to expanding this program, and offer to students from other Universities in the metroplex the possibility of gaining valuable experience in international business relations; additionally, our Chapters throughout the U.S. and Mexico also offer internship opportunities. Contact us if you would like to explore this possibility!
We appreciate the help of volunteers of who wish to apply their experience and business skills in helping us advance our mission of bringing the U.S. and Mexico closer.
Ready to find out more? To learn more or to partner with our award-winning program, please contact us.
Gabriela Kenny, Director of Communications
Phone: 469-567-0923
Email: gabriela.kenny@usmcoc.org