Course Focus Topics | Spring Semester Course | Seminar in Mexico

The academic aspects of the program enhance students' “real life” experiences by focusing on relevant issues such as vocation, social entrepreneurship, and cross-cultural conflict. Students attend a preparatory Spring Semester course at Hope, as well as a May/June academic seminar in Mexico.

Focus Topics

The program focuses on the following important topics:

• Vocation - Often defined as "where the heart's greatest desire meets the world's deepest need," vocation is a topic foremost on the minds of many college students trying to find their paths in life. Studying vocation includes exploration of the world's needs, as well as career possibilities, personal potential and interests, and what it means for an individual to live out God's calling for his or her life.

• "I have learned that there are so many opportunities for social entrepreneurship here (in Mexico) as well as around the world. I have a better understanding of its effects and possibilities in developing countries.” - Rachel Streelman ('06)

  Social Entrepreneurship - This development buzzword relates to the ways in which innovative leaders establish and carry out programs to tackle the world's problems realistically, effectively, and sustainably.

• Cross-Cultural Conflict - The ability to recognize, understand, and handle cross-cultural conflict is vital in all aspects of life, whether crossing international borders or more intangible boundaries such as those between religions, genders, races, or social classes.

• Various other relevant topics. The program's flexibility allows students to tailor the academic aspects to the specific challenges and issues they come across during the trip.

Spring Semester Course

Students are required to take part in a two-credit Spring Semester course prior to the trip. This is an essential part of the program, having the potential to greatly enhance students' effectiveness as interns, as well as their cultural assimilation and learning experiences in Mexico. During the class, students are able to:

• Practice speaking Spanish. The most common advice offered by past participants to future interns is to practice speaking Spanish as much as possible before the trip.

• Prepare for internships by conducting research, gathering materials, setting goals, sharing ideas with classmates, and communicating with future internship supervisors at the partner organizations in Mexico.

• Learn about Mexico, including its unique culture, history, politics, and social issues.

• Begin to explore vocation on both personal and academic levels.

• Become familiar with focus topics such as social entrepreneurship, cross-cultural conflict, and other global development issues, including hearing testimonies from others who have lived and worked abroad.

• Take an active role in getting the group ready to meet the challenges ahead. This program is designed for students who are ready to take a giant leap out of their comfort zones and into the heart of the world's beauty and struggles. Like life in general, it is truly a "you get out of it what you put into it" experience. Each member of each "Hope Blooms" group has the freedom and responsibility to take an active role in team-building, brain-storming, adapting the academic focus of the course, and helping each other get the most out of the program, personally and professionally.

Seminar in Mexico

In Mexico, students participate in a four-credit academic seminar which involves readings, journals, and weekly meetings. The course may count as Senior Seminar or other credits. The following components are designed to help students apply their experiences in Mexico to the development of their world views and life aspirations.

• Weekly meetings offer students a forum in which to share their experiences, reflections, ideas, and questions.

• Reading assignments provide valuable insight into the program's focus topics.

• Journal assignments allow students to reflect upon everything they are learning and experiencing, connecting the academic and "real life" aspects of the trip.