Description

A modern metropolis of over 22 million people, Mexico City is home to numerous civic organizations working to improve the situation of Mexicans living in one of the planet's largest cities. This commitment to civic action and development through volunteering attracts a diverse cross-section of people to this vibrant urban setting. With a fascinating blend of Colonial and Aztec roots, this cosmopolitan capital city of a country of over 100 million inhabitants has become a thriving center for commerce, finance, cultural activities, and the arts. For students interested in immersing themselves in an urban environment where Spanish language and the cultures of Mexico come together, and where a commitment to positive social change is of the utmost importance, look no further than spending a summer in Mexico City.

The ACM Mexico Summer Program: Service Learning & Language Immersion is one of two ACM short-term summer opportunities. This six-week program takes students into the heart of Mexico City, where they will be immersed in Mexican culture and Spanish language. A key component of the program is placement in a non-governmental organization (NGO) for the duration of the program. There will be a variety of organizations available to work with, and students will be actively engaged in service learning work with their specific organization. Upon arrival in Mexico City, the NGO placement will be determined by both interests of the student, and their Spanish language ability.

In addition, students will take a Spanish language placement test, and will then take intensive Spanish language classes for the duration of the program. A variety of other classes on Mexican history and culture, along with an assortment of field trips, help to round out the academic experience of living in Mexico. While in Mexico City, students will stay with host families, further immersing themselves into Mexican culture.

Highlights

* Academics:

The Center for International Education (CIEL) at Universidad La Salle takes pride in promoting intercultural programs designed to build bridges between Mexico and other nations. Through intellectually-challenging and emotionally-stimulating learning experiences, they bring students face-to-face with Mexican culture.

This summer service learning program is open to current students and recent graduates. For those students wishing to pursue academic credits, they may work with their college to pursue internship credits for the work done in their NGO and/or Spanish language credits for the Spanish classwork.

All students in the ACM Mexico Summer Program will participate in several areas of study for the duration of the program:

Structured service learning/work experience with a non-governmental organization
(80-100 hours, 6-week option)
(120-180 hours, 8-week option)

Prior to arrival in Mexico City, and at the beginning of the program, staff from the Center for International Education (CIEL) will help place students in a non-governmental organization (NGO) that meets the needs of the student, and is appropriate for their Spanish language abilities. There are a wide variety of organizations from which to choose, and the CIEL staff will work with the individual needs of each student to find an organization that is a match for their interests. Students will be placed in that organization for the duration of their stay, spending approximately 20 hours/week doing work there. For a more detailed listing of organizations, please refer to the (PDF)internship power point or the (PDF)internship directory. Note: Students may extend their stay to eight weeks (at pro-rated costs) to secure additional hours toward possible internship credit at their home campus. If a student is interested in getting internship or service learning credits from their home campus, they should work closely with their faculty advisor prior to participating in the program. They should also alert ACM, so staff can help assure that the student completes any requirements needed to qualify for credit.

Intensive Spanish language instruction (40 hours)

Upon arrival to Mexico City, students will take a Spanish language placement exam. They will then be placed into the appropriate level of language instruction, taking Spanish language classwork at Universidad La Salle for the duration of the program. Approximately 8 hours/week will be spent in Spanish language class. Students will be given a university transcript upon completion of the class. Please refer to the course descriptions page for detailed information about the Spanish language course. Since the amount of instruction is comparable to a typical college class, students who wish to pursue academic credit for the Spanish language class should work closely with their faculty advisor prior to participating in the program.

Classes on Mexican History, Culture, Traditions, and Intercultural Awareness (12 hours)

Throughout the program, students will also experience a variety of classes on Mexican history, culture, and traditions. These classes give students additional perspective on the culture within which they are living, studying, and working. Various speakers will speak on different topics each week, bringing a variety of viewpoints to these areas of cultural awareness.

* Field trips

Scenes of Mexico City

Throughout the six-week program, students will also have the opportunity to go on several day field trips, such as:

* Historic Downtown Center
* Basilica of Guadalupe/Pyramids
* Coyoacán, Frida Kahlo Museum
* Xochimilco/Dolores Olmedo Museum
* Chapultepec Castle and the Museum of Anthropology

Degree Level

Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Languages

• Spanish

Subject Areas

• Latin American Studies
• Public / Community Service Sciences
• Spanish

Cost in US$:

Contact sponsor

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Home-stays

Participants Travel

Independently

Typically Participants Work

Independently or in Groups

Application Process Involves

• Written Application

Typically The Application Process Time is

2-3 weeks after deadline has passed

ACM - Associated Colleges of the Midwest's Mission Statement

The Associated Colleges of the Midwest, a consortium of residential liberal arts colleges, aims to strengthen its member colleges as leaders, and exemplars, in liberal arts education through significant, innovative, and sustainable collaborations. One key component of ACM is to provide exemplary liberal arts learning through a wide variety of off-campus study programs. Almost all of ACM's off-campus study programs around the world are open to students from any college or university.

Year Founded

1958