PUENTES : “BRIDGES” IN SPANISH

We are an international education company, designing and implementing excellent internship programs and immersive trips in Argentina and Uruguay.  We build bridges between participants and professional, academic, and cultural immersion opportunities. 

Since 2014, we specialize in building and implementing comprehensive and customized internship cohort programs in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 2020, we launched internship programs with our proven methodology in Mendoza, Argentina, in neighboring Montevideo, Uruguay, and in a remote modality. We also design, plan, and manage highly personalized and customizable remote and in-person immersive trips of one to three weeks.

How we work with our partners

Puentes partners with universities and institutions to conceptualize, build, and manage dynamic and engaging internship cohort programs and thematic immersive trips, which may be complemented by cultural activities, professional development, housing, participant support, and program evaluation. 

All of the program components can be customized to fit your unique objectives and processes.  Puentes sees each partner as just that – a true partner in all steps along the way.  We work closely with each partner to understand your current state of international programs and future objectives, to seamlessly integrate Puentes and our services, and to implement a cohesive and turnkey solution to meet – or better yet, exceed – your expectations. We have successfully partnered with universities and institutions to build new programs and expand existing ones, to transition their program management from in-house to third party providers, and to replace previous providers in program management; in other words, we know how to come in as a partner at different stages in your program development, and we understand the intricacies of each scenario.

Our partners typically pay Puentes a per participant program fee that includes the services selected and designed for each program. Some partners also choose to provide participants with extra funding to cover airfare and living expenses, especially if the participants are on financial aid or high-need, so that anyone regardless of financial situation can participate and benefit from the immersion experience. We are nimble in working within each partner’s budget, and our goal is to offer services at competitive and reasonable costs.

Internship Cohorts

Puentes works directly with partners to establish, maintain, and expand summer and semester internship cohort programs. 

Our in-person and remote internship cohorts gain access to custom online Portals, designed specifically to streamline the process with the partner’s existing programming.  We work diligently to ensure every cohort becomes a synergetic group, so participants can take advantage of their individual experiences, while also joining together. Our internship cohort programs offer a healthy mixture of participant autonomy (internship work, housing) and group bonding (pre-departure group webinars, on-site orientation, cohort building activities inclusive of cultural and professional activities). 

Each internship cohort program is 100% curated to each partner, and includes internship development, placement, and oversight:

• First, we prepare engaging internships at high-performing businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies with project-based work and close supervision. Our internships range from human rights and educational nonprofits to marketing agencies and tech startups, with many other high-performing nonprofits, government agencies, and businesses in between.

• Next, we manage all internship interviewing and match applicants with internship sites through our tried and true placement process. We work on a rolling basis, with internships available year-round, except in the case of our remote programs which have fixed dates. The majority of participants tend to intern in the months of June, July, and August.

• Finally, Puentes staff are in-country, on the ground (or virtually!) 24/7 to ensure the work is challenging, enjoyable, and fulfilling. We maintain this oversight with an Internship Work Agreement to outline project work pre-arrival, an initial internship meeting, and a mid-internship meeting.  

We recognize that each university and institution has unique existing structures, timelines, and requirements for international education and internships. We know how to come in as a partner at different stages in your program development in order to create and manage a successful internship cohort program, and we understand the intricacies of each scenario.

IMMERSIVE TRIPS

Our immersive trips - sometimes called “faculty-led trips” - are fully customized to the partner’s goals and interests. Tell us what you hope to get out of this experience, and our knowledgeable team will align it to Argentina and/or Uruguay’s diverse industry sectors. These programs typically range from 7 to 21 days, can be carried out via in-person or remote modalities, and contain the following three components:

• Guiding theme to orient the activities and objectives of the program. The theme will be adapted to the participants’ age, profile, interests, and objectives. Examples could include: Entrepreneurship, Human Rights, Sustainability, Community Development, and Archeology in Argentina.

• Handpicked immersion activities to enrich the guiding theme through cultural and professional activities.

• Dynamic culminating project to highlight the theme and achieve real impact in a short time.

Once the partner decides on a program concept, Puentes will prepare a proposal and work with you until it fits perfectly with your interests, objectives, and budget. 

Next, Puentes will coordinate the day-to-day itineraries and logistics, including program-specific activities (i.e. speakers, business and site visits, etc.), cultural activities, day or multi-day excursions, accommodations, food, and transport.

Finally, Puentes staff will manage the trip from start to finish, including any pre-departure work. We’re there every step of the way to ensure all goes according to plan. 

To complement our internship cohort programs and immersive trips, Puentes ensures a comprehensive experience with our supporting program components. Examples of services that we provide, which can be chosen, combined, and assembled as you see fit:

Cultural immersion

• Welcome dinner for all interns after their second orientation seminar, to provide a space to connect with each other and with the Puentes team during their arrival weekend.

• City tour to see key sights and neighborhoods upon arrival.

• Local cultural activities, such as a tango lesson with a professional tango instructor to learn Argentina’s iconic dance and a lesson on how to make a traditional dessert called “chocotorta” and how to prepare and drink the regional beverage of “mate.”

• Day trips to nearby destinations like a typical Argentine ranch.

• Community Impact Day to volunteer with local nonprofits to make a positive contribution to Argentine or Uruguayan society.

professional enrichment

• Puentes Connect event with all interns, internship supervisors, and local alumni from U.S. universities to facilitate community building and networking during an evening gathering with food and beverages.

• Professional development seminars on making the most of a global internship experience and on building an international career path.

• One-on-one professional development workshops with participants on topics like resume building, informational interviewing, time management, and more.

• Mixer with Argentine or Uruguayan students and young professionals so that interns can meet and mingle with local peers through facilitated group activities.

Housing

• Comfortable, pre-screened, and well-located housing in homestays, shared apartments, or student residences.

• Housing check in with the Puentes team.

• Bedding, towels, weekly cleaning, and Wi-Fi. For homestays, breakfast daily and dinner fives times per week.

participant support

• Pre-departure information and webinar, plus a customized online Portal with resources on living in Argentina/Uruguay or working remotely.

• Airport reception and transfer to housing.

• Remote work training session to share best practices on working virtually. *For remote program only

• Orientation seminars on living and working abroad, including health, safety, transportation, culture, communication, and finances.

• Welcome pack with SIM card, public transportation card, adaptor, sweets, and tote bag.

• Eight co-working days for each intern to book and use at a local co-working office during their program.

• On the ground and/or virtual general and emergency support, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

• Weekly emails on program activities, local current events and recommendations, and professional tips.

• Upon successful completion of the program, invitation to join the Puentes Alumni Network with connections around the world and continued resources and support.

Program promotion and participant selection

• Preparation of promotional materials for online program brochures and for information sessions.

• Puentes Information Sessions to help recruit potential applicants.

• Support as needed in the processing of student applications, ranking of candidates on agreed upon selection criteria, and selection of students for the program.

Program evaluation

• Quantitative and qualitative evaluations by students, presented in mid-program and end of program reports, together with recommendations for future programs.

Academic credit

We are pleased to partner with Trinity Christian College (TCC), a registered School of Record, to provide Puentes participants with accredited academic transcripts, transferable to their academic institution. Learn more about how academic credit is awarded here.

• Receive 3, 6, or 9 university credits upon successful completion of the Puentes Remote or In-Person Internship Program.

• Receive one transcript, mailed or e-mailed to a chosen address.

• The home university must approve the transferable credit.

Study abroad coordination

We can manage your study abroad programs in Buenos Aires, Argentina, too! We are an ideal partner to oversee boutique study abroad programs for universities that are looking for a more hands-on, personalized, cohort experience for their students.

• Liaison with Argentine university staff and administration, and management of student application and registration in local university.

• Partner in academic program conceptualization and development, including the identification, interviewing, and hiring of local faculty as needed.

• Advising for students on academic course selection, and facilitation of student integration in local university’s sports, clubs, and extracurricular activities.

• Monitoring of students’ attendance and academic progress to ensure successful program completion, and coordination of academic transcripts from local Argentine university.

Speak with us

The first step in working together is a phone call. So that we can introduce ourselves a bit more, find out about your objectives for international immersion programming, and begin to brainstorm how we can partner, please sign up for a brief phone conversation with our CEO and Founder Ann Noguer. Then after our conversation, we can assemble an initial proposal for your consideration.

You can also email us any time at partners@puentesabroad.com to ask further questions or tell us about how we can help to bring professional and cultural immersion programming to your students.

Stellar client proof

A good indicator of future success is past performance. Our current clients are top universities and institutions, such as Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, University of California at Los Angeles, Boston College, Ohio State University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and more. Through extensive and thorough selection processes, these partners have chosen Puentes as their exclusive provider in-country, and each year they renew their partnership with Puentes, based on prior years’ successes.

And easy to reach, breathtaking destinations in our region: