From June 5-14, four students and three faculty members from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville gained an enriching cultural experience in Cuba. The students who traveled to Cuba took coursework in Cuban History and Culture, and will interact with an additional 17 students who are taking a tandem online course. The trip provided first steps for SIUE faculty and students to take part in the Cuban Academic Exchange program, which was established between University of Havana and SIU in late September 2012.
The four students who attended the trip were an undergraduate geography major; Allys Diaz, an undergraduate special education major; Dean Gunderson, a geography graduate student; and Roberto Saenz, an undergraduate historical studies major.
In Havana, these students were led by Drs. Larry LaFond and Wendy Shaw, who are instructors for the course. LaFond is the associate dean for student development and general education in the College of Arts and Sciences. Shaw is the associate dean for academic programs and faculty development in the College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Andrew Theising, political science associate professor and director of the Institute for Urban Research, also attended the trip to enrich his own cultural experience.
During the trip, the faculty and students followed a rigorous itinerary that allowed them to view historical and cultural landmarks with a knowledgeable guide. In Havana, the group visited sites of key importance such as the Museum of the Revolution and the Morro Fortress. In addition to field-work in Havana, students were able to visit the Che Guevara Mausoleum near Santa Clara, as well as the city of Matanzas and the Bay of Pigs. In addition to this busy itinerary of site visit students also attended lectures and meetings at the University of Havana.
The faculty and students were all enthusiastic to gain insights into Cuban culture and history, as well as the everyday life of Cubans. LaFond found that the students who attended the trip were especially keen to learn and discuss the culture they were eagerly absorbing. He felt that the “extended conversations” students were having with him during their free time about the places they had seen, the people they had met, and the information they had learned was an especially rewarding aspect of the trip.
“This was the special kind of experience that travel study makes possible, and it is that kind of interaction that can lead to deep, memorable learning that goes far beyond the traditional classroom,” said LaFond.
The object of the trip was to gain a view of the political and economic culture of Havana, which the students and faculty gained from both their scheduled activities and the interactions they were able to have with Cuban people. The people in Havana were very open to their questions and willing to provide a more detailed glimpse into Cuban culture.
“We certainly moved through our itinerary,” said Shaw, “but students were also able to ask the people we interacted with and our guide questions about specific topics they were studying. They were able to tailor their questions to their academic focus, and we had some excellent people in Cuba who were able to support that.”
Some of the topics students studied while on the trip were agriculture, architecture and education. Upon their return to SIUE, the students are continuing with the course, which ends with an all-day meeting on July 20. In the meeting, students who went to Cuba will share their experiences with those who were not able go.
Saenz, who visited Havana with an interest in architecture, is working on a paper about the restoration of buildings in Old Havana. Although Saenz is not a stranger to traveling overseas—he participated in a study abroad program that took him to Spain, Italy and Germany in 2010—he feels enlightened by his experience with Cuban culture. Like the other students, he was excited to gain new information, but he feels that this visit to Havana encouraged him to broaden his perspective on politics, economy and life in general.
“I was able to get a European perspective when I studied abroad, and now I also was able to find out more about the Cuban perspective,” Saenz said. “The more we travel, the more we interact with people around the world. The more interaction we experience, the more understanding we gain, and with this understanding between cultures, we can really benefit from each other.”
Having been to Cuba, Shaw, LaFond and the four students have much to share with the other 17 students in the course. With their insights, LaFond and Shaw are both enriching their curriculum to reflect their experiences and to include the information they gained. At the end of the course, a website detailing the Cuban experience will be developed for the campus community and public to explore.
College of Arts and Sciences: Central to SIUE’s exceptional and comprehensive education, the College of Arts and Sciences has 19 departments and 85 areas of study. More than 300 full-time faculty/instructors deliver classes to more than 8,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Faculty help students explore diverse ideas and experiences, while learning to think and live as fulfilled, productive members of the global community. Study abroad, service-learning, internships, and other experiential learning opportunities better prepare SIUE students not only to succeed in our region’s workplaces, but also to become valuable leaders who make important contributions to our communities.
Photo Information: The travel group standing at the Centro de Estudios Hemisféricos y sobre Estados Unidos (CEHSEU) of the University of Havana. Back row from left to right: Roberto Saenz, undergraduate student in Art and Design; Dean Gunderson, graduate student in geography; and Dr. Andrew Theising, faculty participant in political science. Front row from left to right: Dr. Larry LaFond, co-instructor in English Language and Literature; Dr. Wendy Shaw, co-instructor in geography; Allys Diaz, undergraduate student in special education; Raul Rodriguez, director at CEHSEU University of Havana.