BETHLEHEM UNIVERSITY STUDENT INTERNS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

Lara Kasbari, a rising Senior at Bethlehem University, is interning this summer in Washington, D.C., at Christian Brothers Conference. Lara is a Business Administration major with a minor in Marketing. Lara is shown (right) in front of the White House with Caitlin Schlageter. Lara arrived in Washington on the 11th of June and will return to Palestine on August 5th.


As a part of the Ambassador program at Bethlehem University, Lara had the opportunity to apply for this internship. She is excited about the chance to "experience a real working environment, getting a taste of the American work-ethic and culture. I am so happy to be working for a Lasallian organization, whose values I identify with, and know and love. I look forward to bringing these values and experiences back home to Palestine."


Her specific internship experience is broken into three phases. First, she will help to coordinate the training of Lasallian volunteers. Secondly, she will help with fundraising and grant research. Finally, Lara will work with social and electronic media, helping to continue Christian Brothers Conference's high-quality online and social media messaging. This internship will give her a broad experience of not-for-profit work.

Lara speaks highly of the Christian Brothers,  “The Brothers at the University have been more than wonderful. They are the ones that truly provide guidance, love, and care for the students along with the Bethlehem University faculty. They are very dedicated to the Lasallian mission and have unselfishly served the Palestinian community. Moreover, I would consider the Brothers to be part of my family. Their dedication goes beyond providing quality education: they truly provide a shelter and second home for the students.”

 

Lara has high goals as she prepares for her last year at Bethlehem University, “After I graduate, I hope to continue my education and pursue a Masters degree. I hope at some point in my life to become a teacher, as my own teachers have had such a great influence on me, showing me that teaching is a way to inspire and to influence positive changes in others. But whatever plans God may have for me, I hope to contribute to my society and try to make a difference in my community.”


Lara enjoys studying entrepreneurship, knowing that new businesses are key to helping build up her community in Bethlehem. She also enjoys her philosophy classes as a means to develop her critical thinking skills. She is looking forward to taking Cultural Religious Studies, a required course at Bethlehem University. While further examining her own Christian faith, Lara is excited to learn more about the history, beliefs, and practices of other faith groups. She describes this class as “a chance for an open dialogue and better understanding of one another, and as an opportunity for integration and coexistence.”


On top of her classes and academic requirements, Lara finds time to be part of the Ambassador program, representing Bethlehem University internationally. She is one of the students who greets visitors to the University, showing them around her “second home.” Along with volunteering, she also is part of a debate club and theater team. A member of the Christian Youth Association at Bethlehem University, she often volunteers and participates in spiritual retreats. Lara finds time to relax by reading and listening to music.

As a product of Lasallian formation, it is fitting that Lara is interning with Christian Brothers Conference, furthering the worldwide Lasallian mission of providing a human and Christian education to young people, especially the poor. This intern ship program is made possible by the generosity of the Sir John McGuckin Mentoring and Internship Program of the Northwestern Lieutenancy of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. 

Bethlehem University Foundation staff, along with Lara, will be attending the Holy Land Festival on the 15th of July at the Franciscan Monastery in Washington, D.C.. Please click here for more information. 

To learn more about Lara, click on the links below to visit her YouTube channel, where she describes her life and passions at the University and in Bethlehem.
About Bethlehem University:
Jointly founded by the Vatican and the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Bethlehem University annually enrolls more than 3,200 students in bachelor, master, and professional diploma programs. A Catholic co-educational institution, the University is the only Catholic/Christian university in the Holy Land. The University's mission is to provide quality higher education to the people of the Holy Land and to serve them in its role as a center for the advancement, sharing, and use of knowledge.

About Bethlehem University Foundation:
The Bethlehem University Foundation is the U.S. registered not-for-profit organization entrusted with the sole mission of supporting and promoting Bethlehem University. The Foundation is a means for United States citizens to make a tax deductible donation in support of Bethlehem University.

To learn more about the Foundation, visit www.bufusa.org
or like the Foundation's Facebook page "Bethlehem University Foundation"