Dreaming of studying aboard? Want to experience cultural differences, learn about people with totally different backgrounds and all the while exploring new and exiting lands? In this day and age, it couldn’t get any easier when there are plenty of organized opportunities for American students to travel and study aboard. But why study in far-away countries like in Europe or Asia when studying in our neighboring countries is much cheaper and doesn’t include jet lag? If you are a Ram student and are on same page as me, you might not want to miss out on this tremendous opportunity to study and research in Mexico!
It’s been announced that Colorado State University’s pioneer international research and teaching center will open in Todos Santos, Mexico, in an effort to close the cultural divide and improve economic relations between Mexico and the United States.
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Built on a lasting relationship between Colorado State and Mexico, this center was a response to a recent commission by Secretary of State John Kerry to double the number of American students studying in Latin America. Kerry yearns for U.S. universities to prioritize establishing international relationships with Latin American nations in order to supply more opportunities for American students to study aboard.
Sponsored by Black Creek Capital, a Colorado-based development company, this center promises to benefit a plethora of students and faculty as well as researchers, as water, agriculture, infectious diseases will be some of the focal points of the center. It will include a living space housing up to 24 students and faculty, a library, a kitchen and a dining facility, all of which are being donated and constructed by MIRA, whose donation adds up to about $4.312 million.
Following pioneering work of Maury Albertson’s founding of the Peace Corps and the recent 2013 Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization, this Mexico-based research center will inevitably improve Colorado State’s known tradition in its global engagement. In a recent speech CSU President Tony Frank expressed his excitement for beneficial results emerging from the establishment of this center in the years to come.
As stated by Provost and Executive Vice President Rick Miranda, the building of this center is considered a significant step in making CSU closer to tackling world problems, especially in human and animal health.
A variety of programs are expected to arise in this Todos Santos center. Designated programs include one for veterinary students and alumni, who are specialized in neutering cats and dogs to improve both local human and animal health. This program will help reduce the population of unwanted pets. Another program entails the introduction of the Kids Do It All theater program to Mexico by Early Childhood Development students, providing these students an immense opportunity to teach internationally and learn another language by working with local schools and nonprofit organizations. In addition, CSU students will also help locals pick up trash and recycle through a service-learning program in recycling and waste management. Many more programs will be crafted to improve the learning environment for CSU students.
Does this sound appealing to you? Even if you are not majoring in one of the aforementioned areas of expertise and this center doesn’t seem to benefit you as much, cheer for the Ram country for their perennial effort in making the world a better place.
