CIEE Study Program in Santiago, Dominican Republic: Service-Learning

  Dominican Republic

• Santiago: 
Santiago

Term: Fall, Spring 
Dates: Fall 17 weeks: mid-August-mid-December; Spring 17 weeks: early January-late April

Description: The CIEE Service-Learning program in Santiago, Dominican Republic integrates theory and practical learning in a community-based and cross-cultural context. An integrated approach to academics and urban and rural community development provides students with the analytical tools to engage in active service and reflect upon the complexities and challenges facing Santiago's Cibao region in the Dominican Republic.

Academic Program
Since 1947, CIEE has engaged in fulfilling its mission to help people gain understanding, acquire knowledge, and develop skills for living in a globally interdependent and culturally diverse world. The service-learning program serves this mission by providing a framework for students to fulfill their educational and personal goals while bridging relationships in the communities in which their learning takes place. In this sense, service-learning takes theory to practice to meet the challenges of social problems and closes the circle on an experiential learning cycle, while providing benefits to all those who are involved with the program.

The American Association for Higher Education (AAHE) defines service-learning as: a method under which students learn and develop through thoughtfully organized service that: is conducted in and meets the needs of a community and is coordinated with an institution of higher education, and with the community; helps foster civic responsibility; is integrated into and enhances the academic curriculum of the students enrolled; and includes structured time for students to reflect on the service experience.

This program is built upon the four core principles of service-learning, and each component of the program addresses one or more of the principles:

1) Engagement
2) Reflection
3) Reciprocity
4) Public Dissemination

Academic Culture
Like all universities in the Dominican Republic, PUCMM has limited resources compared to most U.S. colleges and universities, but it is a premier private Dominican university. The design and nature of the Service-Learning program requires methodology that is more interactive, field-based, and reflective in theory compared to normal course pedagogies. Students are required to draw upon learned and new knowledge and reflect on these experiences through the analytic scope of research and observation methods drawn upon from the core course.

The language coursework is framed on the foundations of Spanish grammar, but focuses heavily on expanding everyday vocabulary and communication skills with regard to issues in community development and service work in order for students to better communicate and understand the community in which they work.

The core course and capstone projects draw on the expertise of the CIEE Academic Director and faculty from the Department of Applied Linguistics at PUCMM. The service component is coordinated through PRODECO and various non-profit and non-governmental organizations in the Santiago area.

Highlights:

• Strong academic program that bridges theoretical, conceptual, and experiential learning
  
• Service work placement in local institutions where you give back to the community; visit and work with local NGOs and service institutions
  
• Experience living in a developing Caribbean country and learning about the realities of Dominican society, culture, and politics
  
• Week-long rural campo service project

Weekend excursions generally include Montecristi and Dajabón, an economic development zone on the Haitian-Dominican border in the northwest region, where every Friday, the border opens up to allow the exchange of trade and commerce; Santo Domingo and Haina where students visit a batey and sugar ingenio and see the capital; the Samaná Peninsula to observe the humpback whales that migrate there in the spring; and an ecological trip to the Southwest to visit national parks such as Lago Enriquillo, Bahia de las Aguilas, and el Hoyo de Pelentito in the fall. Each trip entails a visit to particular sites that collaborate in community development.

In addition, there are several one-day excursions to sites of interest such as Jamao del Norte, the Hermanas Mirabal Museum and an organic coffee cooperative in Salcedo, Esperanza, and La Vega during Carnaval season. Many field trips are integrated into academic classes. These may include visits to agricultural and industrial projects, free trade zones, clinics, schools, and various NGOs.

Cost in US$: Please check the CIEE website for current program pricing

The CIEE fees for 2008-07 include tuition, housing, all meals, optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities (such as museum visits, festivals, and service retreats), local day trips such as a day-trip to a batey, an economic development zone on the Haitian border, and a day-trip to the Hermanas Mirabál Museum and an organic coffee cooperative in Salcedo), weekend excursions (such as trips to the northern border of Dajabón and Montecristi, the Samaná Peninsula and to Santo Domingo), the week-long rural stay, host institution identity card (for access to the computer lab, libraries and sports facilities), admission fees to host institution events, immersion activities (including language pairs), comprehensive student handbook, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.

Experience Required: yes