STUDENTS FROM THE SOUTHERN US LIVE INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE AT ITESO

Published by Daniel Medina Jackson   |    Oct 2023    |    Photo by Luis Ponciano

The development of intercultural skills is fundamental in the training of professionals in all disciplinary areas. The opportunity to travel to other countries brings important benefits to students by giving them a greater understanding of international issues and a wider perspective on other cultures. For these reasons, Shameka Reed, a graduate of Jackson State University in the state of Mississippi, founded Global Gateways, a company dedicated to obtaining resources to offer scholarships to students who study at historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) and wish to study in other countries. "The goal from the beginning was to find affordable options to support young people to study abroad. Most HBCU students have financial aid. As a result, leaving the country can be an impossibility. I want to change that", she says.

The link with ITESO was established in 2018 and progress was made in laying the foundations for the stays, but with the onset of the pandemic it had to be suspended. Despite this, the first steps in the collaboration were taken between 2020 and 2022 with virtual dual immersion experiences in which U.S. students conducted intercultural dialogue sessions with their ITESO peers. It was not until the summer of 2023, with the arrival of three students from Jackson State University, Dillard University and Alabama State University that the first visits could finally take place. "We are a very young company and the alliance with ITESO has been fundamental for us to start with the first stays. It has not been easy, it requires a lot of negotiations, but fortunately, we have been able to obtain financing. We want to expand the options and the number of students with you. We want to include programs for faculty and staff stays as well. ITESO's openness and willingness have been very important. I think there is an important connection between the Latino and African-American communities that we have been able to take advantage of. We have a lot in common," explained Shameka Reed.   

The experiences of the summer students were of value beyond just academics. They forged friendships, visited the city and its surroundings, and gained perspective on their personal and professional development. "It is very important to leave your country and meet people from other cultures. That way, you realize that despite the differences, there are actually more similarities. The most important learning experience I have had in Mex ico and at ITESO has been that we are the same," said Breyunha Smith, a Psychology student at Dillard University in New Orleans, who intends to become a bilingual therapist and return to Mexico to work.

"I am studying to be an educator specializing in languages, I believe this experience will help me when I return and become a Spanish tutor not only to teach the language better but also to change minds about the preconceptions that are held. The key is to teach how to listen and observe others, to put yourself in the other person's shoes," said Jayla Jones, a student at Jackson State University in Mississippi, who is also planning to travel to England to do a master´s degree and learn Arabic once she has mastered Spanish.   

The intention of returning to Mexico and ITESO is present in the students, who agree that their visit has been a transforming experience. Their teachers and the "buddies" assigned to accompany them have had a significant impact on their experience, but the mark of the city and the campus is also visible. "Although traffic can be difficult, the truth is that Guadalajara has so much that we don't miss many things. I am vegan and have been able to find quite a few options in the city. The food is wonderful. And ITESO is like a beautiful botanical garden made campus, you can go anywhere, sit, lie down, enjoy," Breyunha Smith said. 

"I love that you can walk around and get to know in many parts of the city. That is something that is very difficult in the United States, the distances are very long and everything isn´t so accessible. At ITESO the gardens are splendid and the library is wonderful, a very stimulating and advanced space. You can even take a nap in some special cubicles! I haven't tried it yet, but I have to do it before I leave," said Jayla Jones.

"I wasn't able to travel when I was studying for my degree, it wasn't until later that I was able to do it and it really changed my life. That is why I work in international education, because I am convinced that it is key in transforming people's lives," concluded Shameka Reed.