The Communication Factor
Newsletter of the Cain Project in Engineering and Professional Communication at Rice University Spring - 2004

Mayan Resorts Academic Conference
Provost Heads Contingent to First Mayan Resorts Academic Conference

Provost Eugene Levy, University Professor Neal Lane, Vice President Eric Johnson, and Professor Linda Driskill represented Rice at the first Mayan Resorts Academic Conference June 26-28 at the Nuevo Vallarta Mayan Palace. The conference successfully coordinated a review of international communication programs at Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey and Rice University and led to the discussion of new cooperative arrangements between Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Iowa State University, and Rice University. University Professor Rebecca Burnett of Iowa State University, who was a visiting professor with the Cain Project in spring 2002, represented Iowa State University.

Mayan Interns Renee Pean, Heleo Sanchez, and Sarah Rufca

Participants learned about the mission and curricula of the two universities and worked with Dr. Burnett to refine the definition of intercultural communication as it pertains to students preparing to work abroad. In the final session, small groups met to envision the best possible program to foster intercultural and international communication skills and proposed concrete steps that could accomplish such a vision. Miguel Angel Montoya of Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey has since visited Rice to discuss the plans further.

Mexico is the United States’ number one trading partner, and an increasingly large number of people of Mexican heritage live in the United States. As Mexico and the United States become more closely connected through business and interpersonal relationships, the need to educate students to communicate well with people from other cultures will become more important for political stability and business. Internships and study abroad opportunities can help students learn to communicate.

The Mayan Palace Resort at Nuevo Vallarta

The Mayan Resorts is the largest chain of resorts in Mexico, and six Rice students were given internships there in the summer to experience Mexican business culture. Three of the students, Andrea Zimmer, Kristin Tucker, and Renee Pean, are studying for B.S. degrees in Civil Engineering. Andrea Zimmer will have a double major in German as well. Heleo Sanchez, whose major is computer science, Andrea Metz, who earned a BA in Arts and Music and Sarah Rufca, who is double majoring in history and sociology, were also interns.

The beautiful Mayan Palace resort complex at Nuevo Vallarta is still being expanded, and the student interns were able to be involved in many construction and administrative projects. The resort has the largest swimming pool in the Americas, winding through the property, which has over a mile of beach front. The youth and the significant responsibilities of their Mayan Palace mentors impressed the Rice students. Some of these students will receive scholarships as international communication mentors with the Cain Project in spring 2004.

Students interested in preparing for internships abroad should consider enrolling in “Preparing to Communicate in Five Countries, Many Cultures,” taught by Dr. Ute Cezeaux in the spring (NSCI 307/ENGI 307, one credit hour).

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