Beck Pryor-CCIA Intern, Community Enterprise Solutions

Beck was an independent major in Music Science, which blends the disciplines of music, math, computer science, and electrical engineering.  Her interest in international development led her to study abroad in Ghana, as well as volunteer with a sea turtle conservation program in Costa Rica prior to her involvement in the CCIA program.  Beck was also very involved in the technical theater community at Columbia, working as an audio-visual technician in Columbia's student center and serving as the Technical Director for CUPAL, the umbrella organization for Columbia's performing arts groups.

Beck interned with Community Enterprise Solutions during the Spring semester. CE Solutions' mission is to design and implement innovative, practical, efficient and effective entrepreneurial solutions that create appropriate access to currently unavailable essential products and services to vulnerable villagers in the developing world. Beck had been very interested in the interaction between the fields of social entrepreneurship and international development for some time, but her CCIA internship was her first personal involvement with the two fields.

Her Experience

While my internship would not seem at first to be directly related to my major in music science (music, math, computer science, and electrical engineering), throughout the semester I saw how the ideas behind my major were very compatible with the way in which parts of the social entrepreneurship and international development fields operate. 

The CCIA program allowed me to explore two fields, social entrepreneurship and international development, in which I had interest in but was having difficulty gaining experience, and led me directly to the opportunity to live and work in Guatemala after graduation.  Without CCIA, finding such an opportunity, especially as an undergraduate, might have been nearly impossible.  CCIA broadened my horizons and gave me insight that I would not have been able to find on my own.

Beck now lives in Guatemala and is proudly working for Community Enterprise Solutions. Follow Beck as she writes about her experiences on her blog.