CAMRY DEAN
Staff Writer
This Monday, 30 undergraduate students from Mexico were welcomed to Fredonia’s campus to begin their four-week English as a Second Language program.
The students are a part of a month-long government initiative program, Proyecta 100,000, which is a Mexican agency for International Cooperation and Development.
Naomi Baldwin, Director of International Education, described the program as “helping to promote mobility between students in the United States and students in Mexico.”
The overall goal of Proyecta is to send 100,000 Mexican students to the U.S. and 50,000 American students to Mexico.
In 2014, the program had already sent 7,500 students to over 160 universities in 30 different states.
During their stay, the Proyecta students will be participating in various activities around campus, and Fredonia student groups and organizations are encouraged to reach out to include in, host and organize events with the students.
“We chose activities that are already going on around campus such as sporting events, lectures and movie screenings,” Baldwin said. “Jacob Czelusta, [assistant director of International Student Services] already does a lot with international students, and there’s a lot going on on campus with the Halloween holiday and general fall activities.”
One campus-wide event in particular was inspired by the Mexican-celebrated holiday, Día de Muertos, or the “Day of the Dead.”
Professors in the History and Modern Languages Departments will be involving their students, and the students will be given the opportunity to create colorful altars to honor their favorite deceased celebrities.
The altars will then be put on display during an event in the Williams Center Multipurpose room, and anyone who would like to attend will be able to vote on their favorite altar.
The event will also host lectures from Carmen Rivera, the associate dean for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Ellen Litwicki of the Department of History.
The Proyecta 100,000 initiative is a direct result of the renewal of cooperation between the President Barack Obama and President Pena Nieto of Mexico.
In light of the election season, Baldwin believes this opportunity is especially important in terms of inclusivity and allowing Fredonia students to learn and appreciate Mexican culture.
“Specific to this particular election, there’s a culture fear that’s being filled,” Baldwin explained. “Fear based on people that are different or people who don’t live their lives as other Americans are used to seeing. I think that kind of fear tends to make people contract or hide or to draw back.
“The bigger picture [of the program] is kind of the point. It’s to bring people in that are different, who speak a different language and are from a neighboring country,” Baldwin continued. “We have to give each other the chance to interact and learn from each other and start erasing some of that fear.”
Before their month on campus, some of the ESL students have been exploring new places on their own, such as New York City and Montreal.
With over 1,100 programs offered through SUNY, Fredonia students that are interested in international education are encouraged to reach out to the study abroad office.
“I think [the students] are a great example of the benefits of challenging oneself to study abroad and learn about new places. Fredonia has some wonderful programs in Mexico, both short term and semester-long. I’d love to see our Fredonia students get to know these amazing visitors and then reciprocate by studying abroad in Mexico,” Baldwin added.
Tags: Mexico, Proyecta, study abroad, ESL, international education