Westfield State students help build a classroom in Nicaragua. (Photo submitted)
WESTFIELD- While Westfield State University is on winter break, some of its students have chosen to take advantage of the study abroad short-term classes. Forty- two students and 5 faculty members are currently in Nepal, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua studying local cultures and environments.
To follow the progress of the courses and view updates and photographs of the trips, please visit the International Program’s official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/#!/InternationalProgramsatWestfieldStateUniversity.
Nepal Expedition
In this movement science course, led by Dr. Kevin Tatsugawa, Assistant Professor of Movement Science, explores the field of wilderness education. Students will learn map and compass, hiking, camping, and backpacking skills. The course will touch on high altitude medicine as students learn individual and group safety tactics and the proper balance between risk potential and educational benefits of adventure. Students will also have the opportunity to hike the Himalayas as part of this course.
Costa Rica
Students traveling to Costa Rica will be studying environmental biology. The field-based course allows students to investigate the diversity of ecosystems in a tropical country and learn about how people interact with their environment. Other topics explored include conservation issues, food production, and tropical organisms such as sloths, monkeys, and scorpions. The course is led by Dr. Timothy Parshall, Associate Professor of Biology and Environmental Science.
Nicaragua
Students travelling to Nicaragua are studying international service learning. For the fourth year in a row, Westfield State students will study the cultural diversity of Nicaragua while helping build new classrooms for the local non-profit organization La Esperanza Granada. The faculty leaders are Kathi Bradford, Director of Alumni Relations, and Kelli Nielsen, president of the Westfield State University Alumni Association.
Westfield State University offers study abroad opportunities in over 250 different programs in a number of locations including England, France, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Spain, Italy, Egypt, the Canadian province of Quebec, and Australia. Students can also participate in an Exchange Program with a partner university which allows them to attend another institution while paying Westfield State University tuition. Westfield State’s Exchange Program includes Capital Normal University in Beijing, United International College in Zhuhai outside of Hong Kong, the Institute of Technology in Sligo, Ireland, Krosno State College in Krosno, Poland, and Jade University in Wilhelmhaven, Germany. For students wishing to stay closer to home, Westfield State offers the National Student Exchange where students have the option to study at a different university in the United States, Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For more information on study abroad options, visit the International Program’s website at www.westfield.ma.edu/educationabroad.
