Maymester in Mexico: Language, Culture, and Community-based Learning

Maymester in Mexico is a four-credit program with one two-credit course in the spring semester and one two-credit course during May and June in Oaxaca, Mexico. The study abroad experience at the Universidad Autonoma in Oaxaca, Mexico is designed for Penn State undergraduates from all campuses, schools, and fields of study. The program offers a hands-on learning experience to build linguistic and cultural competencies. Classroom and community-based interactions will explore equity-minded and social justice dispositions and instill leadership skills. Students will receive language instruction in Spanish or Zapotec—an indigenous language widely spoken in the state of Oaxaca—and will have the opportunity to build language skills in daily life with a Mexican host family and friends. A unique opportunity in this abroad experience will be to participate in class sessions, collaborative projects, and language exchange with Mexican university student partners. The program also features travel in the local region for experiential learning and ethnographic inquiry in indigenous and Afro-Mexican communities, archeological sites, and exploration of the natural world.

The program is offered through a partnership with the premier public university in the state of Oaxaca, la Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca (UABJO).

Your participation in this Program will offer experiences and knowledge to:

  • Increase your cultural awareness and intercultural competency
  • Explore global issues along with Mexican students
  • Increase online communication skills and instructional techniques
  • Engage in project-based research to deepen understanding of local community health, education, sustainability efforts
  • Develop friendships with Mexican students partners in a virtual and in-person cultural immersion
  • Learn some Spanish (or Zapotec!)
  • Increase your critical thinking and analytical skills

More Information and Application

Accepting applications now for spring/summer sessions. Financial support is available for students from historically underrepresented backgrounds. For application and registration, visit the Penn State College of Education site.

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