(06/19/09)
Dr. Eric Griffin recently lead a “Living in Yucatán” class in Yucatán, Mexico which introduces students to the region’s unique cultural heritage, from the era of the ancient Maya, through the colonial period and into the present. Pictured above are: Lindsey Brown, David Guyott, Matt Dyess, Shelby White, Dr. Eric Griffin, Michael Mohr and Alex Pieschell on the Nohoch Mul Pyramid in Cobá.
This fall Millsaps College will offer a new major in Latin American Studies. The program draws on Millsaps’ presence in the region and will rely on study abroad and field-based learning opportunities to offer students an integrated approach to study Latin America’s human and ecological diversity.
“While recognizing the importance of the past, the program is grounded in the problems of the present with an eye toward promoting cultural dialogue, social responsibility and environmental consciousness for the future,” said Eric Griffin, associate professor of English and program director.
To complete a major or minor in Latin American Studies, students are required to complete a substantial language core at the intermediate to advanced level. Although Spanish will be the primary language studied in the program, students may substitute French, Portuguese or one of the region’s native languages. Also required is an internship that will put students in the field doing service either abroad or in the local Latin American community.
The Latin American Studies program will be closely tied to Kaxil Kiuic, the college’s 4,000 acre biocultural reserve in Yucatán, Mexico. The reserve is host to the Living in Yucatán program where each year faculty members at Millsaps teach a broad range of classes on the Mexican reserve including archaeology, art, business, computer science, ecology, education, geology, history, literature, math and socio-cultural anthropology. Approximately 40 percent of Millsaps students currently participate in study abroad opportunities and nearly half of the Millsaps faculty have taught a study abroad or field-based learning course.
The program is designed for students interested in developing careers in international relations, business, non-profits or pre-medical students. Several studies have already expressed an interest in declaring a major or minor in the program.
“This program is significantly more interdisciplinary than the typical Latin American Studies program. Alongside the language, literature and culture component students will have the opportunity to blend courses from the social sciences, the natural sciences, and the business school,” Griffin said. “So a student may design a course of study according to the path he or she envisions pointing the way toward either graduate school, a career in international business or even medical school.”
