Students take trip to El Dorado
BEEBE — Several students at Arkansas State University-Beebe recently participated in an eight-day field trip to El Salvador.
The field trip was led by instructor Eddie Supratman, who teaches world history and comparative religion. English instructor Ma r y C omsto c k also accompanied the students. Par ti c ipat ing s tudent s were Marissa Chumley of Russell, education; Cheryl Davis of Cabot, graphic desi gn; Kr isten Di xon o f Sherwood , anima l science; Jayson Olvera of Jacksonville, health science; Chaunte Reid of Cabot, education; William Rhudy of Vilonia, history; Jose Ross of Jacksonville, liberal arts; Brian Staley of Ward, biology; Gayle Tanner of Searcy, env i ronmental science; Myesia Vance of Jacksonville, nursing; and Annie Wadley of Ward, liberal arts.
ASUB’s Global Awareness Committee and UNICAES (Catholic University of El Salvador) had been participating in a faculty exchange program for the past three years. This was the first time both institutions arranged for a study-abroad field trip for students.
On the first day, U.S. Ambassador Jean Manes greeted the ASUB group via a video recording. Manes plans to send a group of students from UNICAES in fall 2017. Supratman and Comstock also met with the UNICAES Vice President Moisés Martinez.
The ASUB s tudent s stayed in the guest houses provided by UNICAES. Each day, the students participated in cultural and historic events, such as visiting the Mayan ruins at Tazumal, Casa Blanca, Santa Leticia and Joya de Cerén; an indigo workshop; coffee and cacao plantations; Ruta de las Flores (towns with a mix of colonial and indigenous architectures); historic Santa Ana downtown; and volcanoes.
The students also visited a local orphanage at Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos. This visit was in partnership with UNICAES English Access students. Prior to the trip, ASUB faculty and staff donated clothing, hygiene products and school supplies for the orphanage. ASUB and UNICAES students led activities that included games, snacks and distributing the donated items.
ASUB students also visited UNICAES students and faculty. Students were guest speakers for several classrooms. During the visit, UNICAES celebrated Black History month in February, and ASUB students participated in this program. Also, students Vance and Reid were the keynote speakers before a group of 100 English Access students ages 14 to 18.
The group also attended a lecture presented by one of the Nahua peoples, Ruben Va sque z , a UNICAES student, who spoke about To l t ec/ Pipi l her i t ag e . Another pre sent at ion students attended was a lecture on the El Salvadoran culture, taught by one of the UNICAES history professors, Mauricio Menendez.
“El Salvador is a beautiful country, filled with many wonderful people,” Supratman said. “Everyone in the group has been transformed in many ways by going on this trip. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience with long-lasting impacts.”