CENTRAL AMERICA
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Our approach to faculty-led programs and short-term study abroad is in our name: custom. Like a fingerprint, each faculty-led custom program is unique, and our capabilities across 110+ countries are unmatched. By incorporating your curriculum goals, we source one-of-a-kind experiences that better prepare your students for future careers by exposing them to international culture, businesses, and academic engagements. From selecting your destination to identifying interactive engagements that bring your curriculum to life, our thematic approach ensures that your program is finetuned to the learning outcomes and unique needs of you and your students.
Once your program is developed, you’ll work directly with an account manager who will be your champion, working directly with our large team of logistical experts, curriculum specialists, and on-the-ground partners. Our long-time university partners see their account managers as an integral part of their own university teams, ensuring that your program is uniquely yours each and every year.
To begin customizing your program, give us a call at 1-800-422-2368.
Jennifer Fisher leads our WorldStrides Custom Programs team, working directly with university partners to globalize their curriculum through short-term, faculty-led cultural immersions. Jen brings a passion for customized curriculum solutions to this role after more than 25 years working with institutions of higher learning.
Costa Rica unquestionably leads the world with its commitment to preserving the ecosystem for which it is so well known. Nearly 30% of its land is protected, and the nation has succeeded in finding renewable sources for power and attracting significant investment from sustainable development projects. Explore this model for business, development, and conservation.
Costa Rica’s health system is generally regarded as one of the best in Latin America. Public and private healthcare options are available, and costs are generally much lower than in the United States. Students can experience the intricacies of an international facility and put medical skills to good use by volunteering in a clinic or hospital.
With so many ongoing efforts to preserve biodiversity, Costa Rica is an ideal place to pitch in on important projects making a difference for the environment. Build a program around one major community service project, or spend just a few hours getting your hands dirty as part of a larger program focused on a curriculum theme.
Costa Rica routinely ranks among the happiest places on earth to live, and visitors can certainly get a piece of the action. Bring your cohorts together with a pre-orientation travel program full of river rafting, lava hikes, volcano viewing, horseback riding, and relaxing in the hot springs of Arenal.
A national obligation to biodiversity has earned Costa Rica a reputation as one of the most progressive countries in the world on environmental policy and sustainability issues. In fact, Costa Rica aims to become the first carbon-neutral country in the world by 2021. These efforts have attracted a cadre of scientists and inspired businesspeople who are innovating and capitalizing on environmental commitment. It has also sparked a large ecotourism industry that has been a significant driver of GDP.
Frequently ranked among the “happiest” nations on earth, Costa Rica is also famous for the pura vida. Officially translated as “pure life,” the phrase has come to encompass an attitude of optimism and gratitude. Open, friendly, and generally progressive, it is ranked relatively high on indices for human rights, equality, and economic progress. For adventurers, too, Costa Rica is a wonderland of opportunity; student travelers in all disciplines enjoy ziplining, surfing, snorkeling, white water rafting, and hiking on volcanos.
