Professor Ellen Brinks with Linda Farm Community children making ecobricks for the CSU compost project. Zambia, Summer 2015
Professor Ellen Brinks with Linda Farm Community children making ecobricks for the CSU compost project. Zambia, Summer 2015

English Students,

There’s talk about an exciting opportunity to go to south-central Africa in summer 2016 and work in local communities … and earn three English upper-division credits. An hour-long information session will be held on Monday, November 16th, at noon, in LSC308.

After a very successful inaugural year in 2015, Dr. Ellen Brinks will be taking CSU students to Livingstone, Zambia from May 22-June 11, 2016 to contribute to community education and community health initiatives. It’s “boots on the ground” work, and only the adventurous with interests in global or international projects should read on. (Read all about last summer’s trip).

“What would I be doing?!?” 

The program runs for three weeks and centers on your engaged work in one of three areas: community education, community health, or sports education.

“Why would I want to go to Africa?”

Besides being what CSU students in 2015 called “the best experience of their lives,” this program counts for three English upper-division credits, regardless of your concentration.  It gives you a very unique international experiential learning opportunity in a stable, welcoming community in Zambia and enables you to give back to others. It’s the only CSU Education Abroad program that offers an opportunity for Community Health work, if that is something you’re passionate about. You will be residing and working in the town of Livingstone, right at Victoria Falls, a center of African eco-tourism. (Livingstone is the size of Fort Collins).

“How much would it cost?”

Projected expenses run around $7000, which includes airfare and all local transportation costs, room and board, excursions, vaccinations, insurance and three CSU credits. A real bargain. Students on FAFSA financial aid can put the entire amount on their student loan, if they take one more summer 2016 course for three credits. Students on Pell Grants and all students may be eligible for scholarship money as well!

“I think I’d be down for that!”

If you want to know more: please come to our informational meeting on Monday, November 16th, at noon in Lory Student Center 308. There will be returning students there (three!), someone from Education Abroad to answer questions about scholarships and financing and applications, and myself, the faculty leader of the program. There will be time to address all your questions, along with a powerpoint presentation with lots of pictures of the program. 

Feel free to email me if you are interested and can’t make the information session, or if you have any other questions! (Ellen.Brinks@Colostate.edu)

Cheers,

Ellen Brinks
Professor of English
Honors Faculty
Leader, Community Education and Health Summer Study Abroad program