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1. Pre-departure academic, project planning, and orientation activities
2. Intensive Spanish language and social science instruction combined with an immersion experience in Cusco
3. Community engagement internship and field research project in the city of Huamachuco, Peru. 

Pre-departure work is designed to connect students to MSU faculty mentors to begin preparations for community engagement projects in Peru, while the immersion experiences in Cusco and Huamachuco are designed to enable students to cultivate Spanish language competencies and to acquire the knowledge and understanding of Andean culture and society to effectively function in the Andean communities where they will complete field experiences. The community engagement projects provide a context for students to address complex social, economic, environmental, and health and nutrition challenges facing Andean communities and to apply their academic and cultural knowledge, plus their language and professional skills in partnership with local community organizations to advance outcomes in development.

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Schedule:

Spring Semester:

Students assigned to small teams and begin work on community development projects under the mentorship of MSU professors.

Summer:

1st week:	Students receive 20 hours of instruction for ISS 330C on the MSU campus (pending ISS course approval), plus health and safety orientations.
2nd-6th week:	Students receive 80 hours of intensive Spanish instruction at La Academia Latinoamericana in Cuzco, Peru while concurrently completing the balance of the ISS course from professors in Peru (40-45 hours).
7th-11th week:	Students complete community engagement,  internship and field research projects in a highland Peruvian community.

What can I study?

All students will be required to enroll for a minimum of 13 credits in the following coursework:

• Intensive Spanish (SPN, 6 credits)
• Interdisciplinary Study in Social Science with a focus on Andean culture, society, and community engagement (ISS 330C, 4 credits, pending approval).
• International Field Experience, Internship or Field Research with public or private organizations involved in community development (3-6 credits in one of six co-sponsoring colleges).

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What are the requirements?

Students must be in good academic standing, with a grade point average of at least 3.00 at the time of application.  Meeting this minimum grade point average does not, however, guarantee admission.  A minimum of two years of college-level Spanish or the equivalent is desirable.

Applicants are also required to prepare a brief proposal of a community engagement/field research project which they desire to complete in Peru.  Discussion of student academic interests and preparedness as related to the proposed project will be the focus of an interview with faculty study abroad program coordinators prior to admission.

Applicants’ participation may be denied or their participation approval may be revoked if their conduct before departure raises doubts as to their suitability for program participation.

Course prerequisites may apply; see Course Descriptions (on the MSU Web site) or program leader for details.

Where will I live?

Students will stay in a variety of accommodations including homestays, apartments, hostels, and residence halls.

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Core Components:

1. Pre-program team preparation and planning of projects for implementation in Peru 

Spring semester prior to study abroad program (approximately 12 hrs): Faculty with the appropriate expertise will be recruited from the co-sponsoring colleges to advise and provide technical guidance to the individual teams of students in defining the development problems, seeking relevant information, designing applied field research and development projects to be conducted in Peru, and acquiring the needed resources to implement the projects.  Group meetings of all participants will be convened throughout the spring semester to discuss such issues as methods for conducting field research, community development challenges and strategies in cross-cultural settings, and orientations on safety, health and living conditions in Peru.

One week prior to study abroad program: Students will complete 15-20 hours of instruction in social capital, plus social, economic environmental, health and political challenges facing highland Andean communities and their relevance to implementation of community engagement projects in Peru.

2. Immersion Experience in Cuzco

Spanish language acquisition: The goal is to enable each student to develop adequate Spanish proficiency to effectively complete their field experience/field research/internship within a highland Andean community.  During the initial four-and-a-half weeks that students are in Peru, they will receive 80 hours of intensive formal Spanish instruction (over a five-week period) at a certified Spanish language institute, Academia Latinoamericana de Español in Cusco.  Spanish language acquisition will continue through lectures in Spanish, home stays with Spanish speaking families, completion of reports in Spanish, and the use of Spanish while working on the community development projects in the Andean communities.

 Andean culture and society: The first week of the course will be taught on the MSU campus (20 hours of instruction) followed by 45-60 hours of instruction in Peru.  The thematic foci of the course will be on origin and history of Andean cultures, social and political organization, impact of the La Conquista Espanola on Andean societies, literature, Andean traditions and religious practice, impact of globalization on modern day communities, challenges to social and economic development of present day Andean communities, etc.

 

3. Community Engagement Projects in Northern and Southern Peru

Small teams of two to three students will complete a five-week internship/field experience under the supervision of NGOs and municipal leaders active in community development work within specific communities in the Andes of Peru.  Concurrently, students will complete community engagement projects which involve applied research and/or training activities that contribute to developmental outcomes.  MSU students will live in communities either with host families or in housing facilities arranged by a host NGO.  Students will be assigned to an organization staff person who will provide direct oversight, facilitation and coordination of project activities in the target community(ies).  MSU faculty will be on-site to mentor the students on the implementation of community development projects, to provide technical consultations to the NGOs, and to assist with field research as needed.  MSU faculty will be viewed as a resource to the partner NGOs in areas where they have expertise.

Current plans for 2010 are to assign students to community development projects within the highland city of Huamachuco and surrounding communities in the Provincia de Sanchez Carrion, La Libertad, in Northern Peru.

Teams of students will complete projects under the supervision of Casa Marcelino/Proyecto Amigo, the municipal offices of Huamachuco, the Colegio San Jose (a private school for special needs children and offices of various government ministries (e.g., agriculture, education, health, women), all of which are actively involved in providing services to the poor within the community.  Examples of possible community development/field research projects include: providing educational programs to poor child laborers within Huamachuco; design and construction of affordable solar technologies; assessment and promotion of tourism; development of nutritious foods and nutrition education programs to address child malnutrition; enhancing productivity and markets for native potato and horticulture crops; improving social services for abused and abandoned women; and genetic improvement of alpaca for wool production.

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Photos and Descriptions:

Academic Latino Americana

The Academia Latino Americana is a Spanish language institute with a campus in Cuzco, Peru.  MSU students will be completing an intensive Spanish course (80 h instruction) at the Academia during the four and half weeks that students are in Cuzco.  Upon arrival, students will be tested to assess their level of Spanish competency and then placed in a course with the appropriate level of instruction.  Class sizes will not exceed four students for each instructor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Agriculture

Agriculture is important to those who live in the Andean highlands.  Crop and livestock not only ensure household food security but also provide income for the small-scale resource poor farmers in the region.  The highlands are blessed with a high degree of crop diversity being the center of origin of many genera of domesticated crops (e.g., potatoes, peppers, maize, beans, lupin, etc.).  This genetic diversity can be appreciated upon visits to local markets.  Various species of camellia are also indigenous and raised by the rural people (e.g., llama, alpaca, vicuna, and guanaco).

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Cuzco

Cuzco, is the capital city of the Departamento de Cuzco in Southern Peru.  It was the capital of the Inca empire from its inception in the early 14th century until the Spanish conquest in 1533.  Cuzco, situated a 3,400 m altitude, is known for its Inca ruins (i.e., Sacsahuaman, etc.), Spanish architecture, narrow winding cobblestone streets, artisan markets and presence of native peoples.  MSU students will spend four and a half weeks living in Cuzco with a host family while they complete the Spanish and ISS courses.  A few students may remain in Cuzco for their field experiences/internships while the majority are expected to go Huamachuco.

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Huamachuco

Huamachuco is a city with a population of approximately 45,000 in the Provincia de Sanchez Carrion, Departamento de La Libertad, in the northern part of Peru. At an altitude of 3,200 m, Huamachuco has a temperate climate similar to Cuzco. The city was founded in 1554 by Spanish Augustine missionaries but was previously populated by both Incan and pre-Incan civilizations. The city is located in a valley which is surrounded by gorgeous maintains and rural indigenous communities. The primary source of income for the region is mining and agriculture. The indigenous peoples of the region speak only Spanish which is in contrast to Cuzco where the predominant language in the rural communities is Quechua.

The majority of the MSU students will be spending the final six weeks of the program (July and early August) living in Huamachuco completing field experiences that are part of ongoing multidisciplinary community engagement projects.

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Indigenous Peoples

Indigenous people of Incan descent populate the rural communities in the highlands of Peru.  These people continue to maintain their social structures, cultural values, clothing, traditions, and celebrations.  MSU students will have opportunities to interact and work with these indigenous peoples while completing their field experiences in Huamachuco or Cuzco.

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Machu Picchu

The ruins of Machu Picchu are one of the most beautiful ancient sites of the world.  Since its rediscovery in 1911 by the Yale University archeologist Hiram Bingham, Machu Picchu has become a major site for archeological study and tourism.  Although Machu Picchu was a complete Incan city located on an Andean mountain top (9060 m), legend suggests that it was primarily revered by the Incas as a sacred place for religious practice.

MSU students are encouraged to hike the Inca Trail and visit Machu Picchu during their time in Cuzco.  Machu Picchu is only accessible however by train from Cuzco.  With numerous trains departing at various times during the day, one can arrange for either a one-day trip to Machu Picchu or a multi-day trip if one desires to hike the Inca Trail.  Although not included in the program fee, MSU is willing to assist students in making arrangements to visit Machu Picchu in accord with one’s budget.

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Marca-Huamachuco Ruins

The archeological site of Marca-Huamachuco is located on a mountain top within plain site of the city of Huamachuco (approximately 10 km by road from the city).  The ruins of Marca-Huamachuco were constructed by several pre-Incan civilizations over a period from approximately 300 yr BC to the time of the arrival of the Augustine missionaries in the 15th century.  The ruins are positioned on a table of the mountain over an area approximately 5 km in length by 400 – 600 m in length.  Marca-Huamachuco has been classified as the 6th most important archeological site of Peru.  As with Machu Picchu, the selection of a mountain top for the construction of numerous large stone-walled structures suggests a political and religious function for this site.

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Proyecto Amigo

Proyecto Amigo is a non-profit organization in Huamachuco, Peru, which seeks to meet the needs of children and adolescents who are forced to work to support their families who find themselves in poverty.  An objective of Proyecto Amigo is to enable youth to achieve a dignified life and a voice in society.  The mission of the NGO is achieved through programs in education (La Escuela “Siembra), defense of human rights for child workers, a public library, a bakery that employs street youth and support programs for the families of street children.  Approximately 400 youth from Huamachuco participate in programs of Proyecto Amigo each week. This NGO will be receiving two or three MSU students to complete field experiences.  The newly constructed complex offers housing for MSU students who may not prefer to live with a host family while completing their field experience/community engagement project in Huamachuco.

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Textile Weavers

The weaving of textiles is a traditional activity of the highland women both to prepare cloths for the family as well as for sale to tourists as a means of generating income.  The process involves spinning wool from either sheep or alpaca, dying the wool with locally collected organic materials (leaves, fruit, nuts, insects, etc.) and then weaving the desired textiles.  MSU students will have an opportunity to observe tradition weaving in almost every rural village they visit in the Andean highlands.   Centro Tinku will introduce MSU students to a womens’ cooperative in the community of Chincheros near Cuzco.

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For more information please contact:

Dr. Irv Widders
Institute of International Agriculture
321 Agriculture Hall
Michigan State University
E. Lansing, MI 48824

Phone: (517) 355-4693
Fax: (517) 432-1073
widders@msu.edu

Dr. Brian S. Thompson, Professor
Mechanical Engineering
2450 Engineering Building
Michigan State University
E. Lansing, MI 48824

Phone:  355-2179
thompson@egr.msu.edu

Dan Dutkiewicz
Institute of International Agricultural
302 Agriculture Hall
Michigan State University
E. Lansing, MI 48824

Phone: (517) 355-0184
Fax: (517) 353-1888
dutkiew1@anr.msu.edu



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