Work for Climate Change and Take a Trip to Ecuador in May!

11/05/07

Each year a small group of IC students travel to Ecuador as part of a service-learning experience in sustainable micro-enterprise development and management. We spend most of our time living at the Maquipucuna Ecological Reserve, which helps to protect two of the top five places for biodiversity on our planet. Our projects help to support the conservation strategy of Fundación Maquipucuna through the development of sustainable business ideas.

Projects are developed relating to biodiesel, plastic thatch construction, "edu-tourism," and sustainable product development. The course visits several eco-lodges and students experience and learn about ecotourism firsthand. Visits are made to local communities, the rain forest, coffee and cacao farms, local museums, and whatever other opportunities present themselves during our stay.

You can earn credit, travel to an incredibly beautiful cloud-forest, have a once-in-a–lifetime experience, help some wonderful people, have an international experience and really do something substantial to fight global climate change -- all in one program!

This year there will be two classes traveling together to Ecuador. If you are interested in traveling to Ecuador, please register for ONE of these courses.

MGMT 39700 - 01 - Sustainable Entrepreneurship
taught and led by Professor David Saiia

This class is open to first-year students to graduate students (some students have missed graduation to go to Ecuador).
Sustainable Entrepreneurship Foundation: Block II, 2 credits. This will be a mandatory prerequisite to going to Ecuador. Monday 3:00-6:00 p.m.
Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Ecuador. Approximate dates: May 15-28. 1 credit.

RLS 27700 Ecotourism and Natural Resource Management
taught and led by Astrid Jirka

Ecotourism and Natural Resource Management: Block II, 1 credit. This will be a mandatory prerequisite to going to Ecuador. Students who have taken this course in the past or who have taken RLS 13700 will be exempt. Monday/Wednesday 3:00-3:50 p.m.
Ecotourism and Natural Resource Management in Ecuador. Approximate dates: May 15-28. 1 credit.

This is also great language immersion for Spanish-language students! Students registering for these courses are highly encouraged to take a Spanish course in the spring semester if they have no Spanish-language background.

Cost of the travel component of these courses will be approximately $3,000.

Students interested in either of these courses are encouraged to register for either of the Block II components now. Also, please contact either Professor Saiia and/or Ms. Jirka to indicate your interest.

Applications for the travel component must be filled out and turned into the Office of International Programs by February 25:

Application Forms for Study Abroad

Please note: Registration in the course does not guarantee participation in the travel component of the program, as participating students must also be in good judicial standing.

For more information please contact David Saiia ([mailto:dsaiia@ithaca.edu]) or Astrid Jirka ([mailto:ajirka@ithaca.edu]).

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