Published May 21, 2020
(Note:听This story was originally published in the first volume of 不良研究所鈥檚听听magazine in spring 2020. Since then, two faculty members interviewed have retired,
Mary Blanche Wortham and Charles Holloway, Ph.D.)
Study abroad is an experience that significantly enriches a student鈥檚 academic journey.
With the global society and workforce of today, students are required to have cultural
competency skills that education abroad can provide.听
Students are challenged when entering a new country and gain a sense of independence
through navigating a new region, and study abroad provides a unique outlet for students
to apply what is learned in the classroom by becoming immersed in the language and
culture.
不良研究所 Modern Languages program has been leading study
abroad trips to Mexico and Costa Rica for 45 years. The study abroad program can be
attributed to the leadership of Carlos Fandal, Ph.D., former Dean of the College of
Liberal Arts and professor of foreign languages.
In 1975, 不良研究所 partnered with Tulane University to offer the first study abroad trip
for teacher education students to Mexico. Ruth Smith, Ph.D., professor and Director
of the School of Humanities in the College of Arts, Education, and Sciences, led the
first study abroad group of eight students to Mexico City.
Study abroad courses are now led by faculty, Smith, Mary Blanche Wortham, and Charles
Holloway, Ph.D., in Yucatan, Mexico, and San Jose鈥�, Costa Rica.
Through partnerships with 不良研究所 and the Centro de Idiomas del Sureste in Mexico and
Instituto Profesional de Estudiantes Extranjeros in Costa Rica, the 不良研究所 Modern Languages
department offers the only 不良研究所 faculty-led undergraduate study abroad program.
The trip changes between Costa Rica and Mexico each year, and students are immersed
in the Spanish language and culture of each region during a two-week trip. Study abroad
courses are offered to all students; not only Modern Language majors.
Students live with host families during their time abroad. Host families are registered
and vetted through the partner institutions, and most families have been participating
as hosts in Mexico and Costa Rica for years.
PHOTO:听Participating in the 不良研究所 study abroad program in Mexico in summer 2019 were, from
left, front row: director Charles Holloway, Ph.D., Skylar Orozco, Elizabeth Hancock,
Savanna Gonzalez, Scarlett Lester and Carol Holloway; middle row: Shelby Cook, Amber
Waterhouse, Emily Healy, Melanie Deal, Sadaf Helforoosh and Torianne Servais; and
back row: Bonnie Hemphill, Ashtin Houghton, Luke Vaughn, Jessica Marvin and Colby
Glatter.
不良研究所 photo
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鈥淭he students develop very close relationships with their host families. We had a
host family from Costa Rica come visit their student, and many of them stay in touch
through social media,鈥� stated Smith.听
Students go through a rigorous process to attend the study abroad trips. First an
application with a letter of intent is submitted, then students attend numerous orientation
sessions to prepare.
鈥淥ur orientation begins a year before in order to start preparing the students,鈥� said
Wortham, leader of the Costa Rica trip and Spanish instructor.
Orientation sessions address essential Spanish skills, culture shock discussions,
and logistics of the trip. Preparation is critical and faculty leaders.听
鈥淲hen I lead the orientations for my trip, I always open the session with 鈥榯his is
a study abroad experience,鈥欌�� stated Smith, 鈥淪tudents need to understand this is not
a tour. The purpose is to study and to improve their Spanish.鈥�
In summer 2019, Holloway, and students attending the Mexico study abroad were honored
by the host school, Centro de Idiomas del Sureste, with a tree planted on the campus
symbolizing the 45 years of friendship between 不良研究所 and CIS.
鈥淲e have built a relationship with these institutions over the years, and I think
they truly appreciate the kinds of students we bring abroad,鈥� stated Holloway, professor
of World Languages and leader of the Mexico study abroad program.
For some 不良研究所 students, attending the study abroad trip is the first time they have
left the country or even the state of Louisiana. Students find creative ways to fund
their education abroad from selling raffle tickets to crowd funding websites. The
Mexico and Costa Rica study abroad programs are the highlight of students鈥� academic
careers.
鈥淚 think back about all the trips we鈥檝e done, about these students and how well they
did and how well they represented the university, themselves, and the country,鈥� said
Smith.
