Posted on Tuesday, October 07 2003 - 08:58 PM - Students

The Tucker Foundation sent us the following from John Bellows: The Cross-Cultural Education Service Project (CCESP) was conceived in order to bring together the three important values suggested by the project title: cultural exchange, education, and service. Each year, a team of approximately 30 students, doctors, engineers and faculty members participate in the two components of this program: a weekly seminar throughout the fall term, and two weeks of service and cultural exchange in rural Nicaragua.

During the fall seminar, students are educated on the character and the challenges of developing country. The seminar aims to prepare students to be informed, conscientious, and able to reflect intelligently on their experiences when they travel. The first hand experience, by far the most powerful part of the program, takes place for two weeks in the rural, under-served community of Siuna, Nicaragua.

There, the program focuses first on cultural exchange, as the team members have opportunities to form personal relationships with Nicaraguan University students, social workers, and community leaders.

While forming relationships, the CCESP team is involved in many human development projects that directly benefit the people of Siuna. Past projects have included medical training and clinics, construction of public buildings, and agriculture development. The unique combination of education and service makes the CCESP a transformational experience for many participants, and it is a model for many other service projects.