International Study Centers Enhance Learning, Research Experience

Picking grapes and harvesting olives may not be on the usual list of after-class activities for Texas A&M students, but for four months, they were for Marquesa Figueroa.

The senior environmental design major spent the fall 2010 semester studying at the Santa Chiara Study Center, one of three study centers sponsored by the university. Though she enjoyed local culture, Figueroa’s passion for design was further ignited by her studies in Europe.

“In architecture, we study buildings from all over the world,” Figueroa said. “But when you see those buildings in person, when you see the details up close and learn not what the building is but all of the history behind it…seeing that firsthand is amazing.”

Studying architectural design in the Italian countryside, formulating improvements in Costa Rica to a local water system and analyzing commercial transportation between Mexico and the United States — all of these hands-on experiences were afforded to Texas A&M students and faculty because of the existence of the university’s three international study centers.

The study centers transport students and faculty to different corners of the world, immersing them into local culture and providing inimitable learning and research opportunities for a host of academic disciplines.

An experience outside of the United States is highly desirable, said Dr. Suzanna Droleskey, assistant vice president of international operations. Since many students have their first ever international traveling experience with study abroad programs, the study centers offer students and parents peace of mind.

“Some parents worry because sometimes neither they nor the student has traveled outside of Texas,” said Droleskey. “These centers represent an option to be in an Aggie community outside of the U.S. that is able to engage and be deeply involved with the local community but in a fairly controlled environment.”

The centers are also beneficial because of the longstanding presences they have within their host countries. Having relationships with the respective cities and local residents allow for opportunities that would not exist otherwise, Droleskey explained. For example, an Italian Texas A&M faculty member who is heavily involved with the Santa Chiara Study Center works with the Museo Galileo (formerly the Institute and Museum of the History of Science) in Florence, Italy; this relationship provides Texas A&M students access to a variety of resources and artifacts, she added.

“Having a center where people can help a student become familiar with the logistics of being in another country and giving someone time to make mistakes and then learn from those mistakes in a safe environment is very advantageous for our students,” Droleskey said.

Santa Chiara Study Center

The oldest of Texas A&M’s international study centers, the Santa Chiara Study Center opened in 1989 in Castiglion Fiorentino, which is located about an hour southeast of Florence. Prior to the creation of the center, the university’s Italian program operated in La Poggerina after it was started in 1982. Living and studying at Santa Chiara is a history lesson itself, as portions of Santa Chiara date back to the 1400s; the main structure was completed in the 1930s and renovated for Texas A&M in the 1980s. Students can complete either a six-week summer session or a complete semester of coursework at the center in a multitude of fields, and many programs available have recurred for several years. In addition, a new interdisciplinary minor in global culture and society will be taught at Santa Chiara for the first time in spring 2012.

Santa Chiara is also the first of the university’s international study centers to open its doors to students from other universities, an action that the remainder of Texas A&M’s centers hope to replicate.

Mexico Center 

The Texas A&M University Center in Mexico opened its doors in 1993 after a donation by Pablo Marvin, a 1966 Texas A&M graduate, and his wife Barbara. An array of programs is offered through the center, which is located in Mexico City, including the Mexico Internship Program and the Faculty Abroad Seminar. Acting as a liaison between the university and entities in Mexico, the center conveys a broad understanding of Mexico’s culture, environment and education system and serves as Texas A&M’s official institutional representation in the country.

Most recently, another donation from the Marvins allowed for the construction of Hacienda Santa Clara, a teaching and research facility in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato. The city was declared a World Heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2009, which will provide distinctive learning and research opportunities for students and faculty. Portions of the facility for meeting and office space have already been built; Hacienda Santa Clara is expected to be fully completed and ready to house visitors by summer 2012.

The Soltis Center For Research And Education

Built in 2009 and donated to the university by Bill Soltis, a 1955 Texas A&M graduate, and his wife Wanda, The Soltis Center for Research and Education fosters a unique international learning environment. Located on 250 acres in San Carlos, Costa Rica, which is about two hours southeast of San José, the center offers a multitude of activities, including research opportunities, study abroad courses, service projects and other educational endeavors. The center boasts state-of-the-art technology and is available for spring or fall semester courses, executive development courses, symposiums and corporate retreats. Dormitories, classrooms, computer labs and other services can all be found within the center.

The Soltis Center is situated in the heart of the rainforest, which creates a multitude of research and learning opportunities, especially in regards to the rainforest and environmental sustainability issues. For example, the College of Geosciences created a weather station at the center that collects data about rainfall and other weather conditions, forming a helpful database for scientists. There is also an ongoing project to catalogue species sighted at the center. The inventory included a total of 267 bird species, 33 amphibians and 58 reptiles at the end of 2010.