As the parents of two students who studied and traveled abroad while at UVM, we've witnessed first-hand the tremendous personal and academic growth that an international experience provides college students. That's one reason we decided in 2006 to develop a UVM semester-abroad program in Belize. We are currently accepting applications for the fourth year of the program—spring semester 2010.
Why Belize?
For people who love what's special about Vermont, Belize—the smallest country in Central America—is a no-brainer: Like Vermont, it's small and rural, has an agricultural base, depends heavily on tourism—and English is the official language.
Unlike Vermont, Belize has rain forests, Maya archaeological sites, and the largest continuous barrier reef in the western hemisphere (not to mention it's 80 degrees in the winter)! It also has an incredibly diverse population that includes Mestizo, Creole, Maya, Garifuna, and Mennonite citizens. All of this makes Belize an attractive place to study abroad.
Academics
Our students study with UVM faculty and staff, and take courses—including field trips—offered by Galen University (our partner institution in San Ignacio) alongside Belizean students. While the theme of our Belize semester-abroad program is sustainable development, our students also can choose among courses such as Indigenous Perspectives on Development, Social Issues in a Developing Country, Ecological Economics, Adventure and Eco-tourism, and Maya Culture and Archaeology.
The centerpiece of the program is a 4-credit service-learning course entitled Applications of Sustainable Development. All UVM students and an equal number of Belizean students enroll in the course. In 2009, students worked on projects such as developing and teaching an environmental education curriculum to primary school students, assisting an environmental organization in developing a solid waste management plan for the community, and developing policy and procedures manuals and materials for a battered women's shelter.
Community engagement
We encourage our students to become engaged in their various communities—Galen University, San Ignacio, and Belize—both in and out of academics. Non-academic highlights for our students have included playing on the Galen athletic teams (last year, all of our female students played on the women's soccer team and several of our male students competed on the national champions men's softball team), paddling in La Ruta Maya—a four-day canoe race across the width of Belize from the Guatemala border to Belize City on the Caribbean coast, and hiking and camping with students from the Galen Environmental Club.
Overcoming barriers to studying abroad
Although the importance of studying abroad in the global society of the 21st century has been emphasized by a range of experts, we understand that there are perceived barriers for many students and their families. We've designed our program to minimize or eliminate these barriers:
Who should consider our Belize semester-abroad program?
In the past three years, our students have represented a range of UVM majors—from Community & International Development and Environmental Studies to Economics and Sociology. We are looking for students, regardless of major, who are curious about the world and serious about their studies.
If this sounds like your student, encourage him or her to explore the program website (learn.uvm.edu/travel/belize) and then get in touch with us. And if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
Sincerely,
Jay Ashman, Senior Lecturer
Community Development and Applied Economics
Belize Program Academic Director
Jay.Ashman@uvm.edu
802-310-6645
Meg Ashman, Extension Professor Emerita
Community Development and Applied Economics
Belize Program Coordinator
Meg.Ashman@uvm.edu
802-922-1135
Last modified August 03 2009 01:45 PM
