Pitzer Study Abroad with Indigenous Communities

Pitzer has study abroad programs in Ecuador, Costa Rica, Nepal, and Botswana, where students commonly spend time with Indigenous communities learning about their lives, strengths, and struggles. For example, students in the Ecuador program spend a part of their semester in the Indigenous community of San Clemente, learning about residents’ successful efforts to achieve land reform. One of the community internships is working with Yachay Wasi, the only fully accredited school in Ecuador teaching Quechua and Spanish in a bilingual program. In addition, the Director of Pitzer’s Ecuador program, Sebastián Granda Merchán, trains Indigenous teachers as Director of the Intercultural Teacher Education program at the Salesian Polytecnic University.

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Some Indigenous-related study abroad research or internships projects created by students are listed here.

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Pitzer's Institute for Global-Local Action and Study (IGLAS) 

IGLAS supports faculty and student learning and research that links local (Southern CA and United States)  dynamics with those in other places and societies. Many students who have been involved in local Native Engagement projects have, for example, worked with or studied issues affecting Quechua  people of Ecuador and through this have developed an understanding of similarities and differences of Indigenous peoples' experiences of colonialism. 

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Supporting Transnational Indigenous Networks

We seek ways to utilize Pitzer's international networks and programs to support transnational connections between different Indigenous communities, schools and organizations with whom we have relationships. For example, we humbly seek to support the strengthening of ties between Indigenous peoples of North America and South America, “the Eagle and Condor”, as affirmed by the 1990 Intercontinental Indigenous Gathering in Quito. In this spirit we are open to creatively partnering with Indigenous nations, communities and schools in order to support transnational cultural sharing and solidarity, in tandem with creating learning opportunities for students and other members of the Pitzer community. 

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See the "VIU Partnership" page for an in-depth description of an international partnership that has supported learning, research, action, relationships, and more.