Saint Mary’s University warmly welcomes three international interns from Howest University of Applied Sciences, Belgium, who will be completing a three-month internship at the University and its partner institutions.

The interns are Ms. Daphne Leenknecht and Ms. Paulien Decroix, both from the Applied Health Sciences program, and Ms. Jara Stael from the Psychology program. Ms. Leenknecht and Ms. Decroix will be deployed at the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) of Solano, where they will gain hands-on experience in community-based health and social services. Meanwhile, Ms. Stael will be assigned to the SMU Psychology, Human Services, and Social Work Department, supporting academic and activities related to mental health and social development.

This internship program forms part of the operationalization of the partnership framework between Saint Mary’s University and Howest University of Applied Sciences, formally signed in March 2021. The collaboration reflects both institutions’ commitment to internationalization, academic exchange, and experiential learning.

SDG 17(Partherships for the Goals, SDG 4(Quality Education)

Written by: Madonna A. Blando, Staff Internationalization Office