Here's what you need to know about the new summer programs launching in 2016!
Argentina: Art, Memory, and Social Transformation
In Buenos Aires, your students will study how artists document, remember, and work through the trauma of Argentina’s period of state terrorism. How do past and present artists, as well as future artists, engage with the stories of events and victims of that period. How has Argentine art changed and evolved, and how do new art movements allow more public expressions of personal experience?
Have a student photographer looking for a summer study abroad? This program includes a week-long workshop on photography.
Brazil: Sports, Youth, and Social Justice
With Brazil’s preparations for the 2016 Olympic Games as a backdrop, students will explore the cultural and social roles of sports in Brazil. Taking a multi-disciplinary approach, the program explores the role of sports in both economic strategy (megaevents as a source of income and positive media) and social strategy (sports as a method of providing opportunities for improved living in marginalized communities).
Are you working with education or social work majors who have an interest in community engagement? This program includes a workshop with local “football schools” working with youth from communities most impacted by poverty and social exclusion.
Please note: The program will occur before the Olympic Games and will not include any attendance of events.
Indonesia: Community Nature Conservation in Bali
The beautiful island of Bali is a unique place to see how resource-use patterns, including those linked to tourism, threaten the sustainability of natural resources. Students will compare and contrast three different approaches to conservation: a UNESCO World Heritage Site, state-government parks in Bali and remote East Java, and a community-based conservation program dedicated to the Bali Myna Reintroduction Project. Students will see how conservation efforts can be tied to the economic wellbeing of local communities to encourage the success of these efforts.
Panama: Marine Ecology and Blue Carbon Conservation in the Pacific and Caribbean
Did you know that marine ecosystems—particularly wetlands—store even more carbon than forests? Healthy wetlands help slow climate change. Students will gain a greater understanding of this process and will explore marine biodiversity in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. Panama is an ideal place for this program because the short distance between the coasts means it is easy to conduct comparative studies. This program is recommended to your students who have previous coursework in environmental studies, ecology, biology, or other related fields. Much of the time will be sent in the field, and students should be strong and confident swimmers.
Switzerland: Food Security and Nutrition
Food security, a core pillar of the Millennium Development Goals, is defined as when people “at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.” This program explores how international policies can facilitate or hinder food security. It also looks at the local response to some of the new technologies relating to food production and global food supply chains. On excursion to the peninsula of Istria, students will contrast trends in international policies to local movements promoting organic, local, and slow food.
Students enrolling in these program for summer 2016 are eligible for a New Horizons Grant! Click here to read more and view all eligible programs.
Advising Corner
December's newsletter contained a number of important advising tips and updates. If you have not yet reviewed them, we encourage you to read it now. This month, we are happy to share these announcements and changes:
Anna Jacobs has been appointed academic director for Morocco: Field Studies in Journalism and New Media. Anna has an MA from Oxford University, where her research focused on media and journalism in Morocco. Over the last few years, she has worked with various Middle East– and North Africa–focused news outlets in the United States. Anna’s most recent research project includes a co-authored book entitled Mediterranean Racisms: Connections and Complexities in the Racialization of the Mediterranean Region (2014).
Mary Stucky, former academic director of the journalism program in Morocco and president of Peabody award-winning Round Earth Media, will continue with SIT in the capacity of senior advisor in journalism and new media. In this new role, Mary will provide support and guidance to the journalism program in Morocco and journalism track in Serbia, especially in the areas of feature story development and placement of student stories in top-tier media outlets in the US.
Changes for spring 2017
- The title for the program in Mongolia will now be Mongolia: Nomadism, Geopolitics, and the Environment.
- All language courses will have updated numbers to match what is awarded in the transcript. The final digit of the course number is the number of credits awarded. For example:
Old: Samoan (SAMO1000 / 3 credits / 45 class hours)
New: Samoan (SAMO1003 / 3 credits / 45 class hours)
Updates from Student Affairs
As the new semester begins, the Student Affairs team has issued a few updates.
Presidential elections in Uganda are scheduled for February 18. Program itineraries have been adjusted slightly for both our programs there. During and after the elections, the Uganda: Development Studies program will be in Rwanda and the Uganda: Post-Conflict Transformation program will be in Kitgum, a rural town in the far north of Uganda. We don't anticipate any additional changes to the itinerary, but should any changes arise, they will be communicated in a timely manner.
We are closely monitoring the Zika outbreak and the regular updates issued by the CDC and other medical professionals. Although the risk is most acute for pregnant women or those who plan to become pregnant in the near future, we have urged all students use prudent measures to protect themselves from mosquito bites. Our current safety statement, as well as any updates, will be posted to our Student Health, Safety, and Support page.
The border between Nepal and India remains closed. However, SIT programs are running with little change to the daily schedule. Staff in Nepal are able to deliver our programs and purchase all necessary supplies without concern.
We continue to watch the situation in Tunisia, but do not anticipate significant changes to the itinerary or student experience.
Now Accepting Applications for Alice Swanson Fellowship
The Alice Rowan Swanson Fellowship awards funds to SIT Study Abroad alumni returning to their program country to pursue development projects that benefit human rights in that region. This fellowship is a great opportunity for students to apply their skills, vision, and knowledge to benefit the communities in which they studied abroad. IHP alumni may also apply for the fellowship to return to any of the countries they studied in as part of their IHP program.
Applications are due March 1, 2016.
For more information, including eligibility information, application forms, and a list of past fellows, visit the World Learning website.
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