I am excited to announce that I have been accepted to study in San Cristobal de las Casas in Chiapas, Mexico this summer! I will be taking courses in Maya culture, as well as participating in a Service Learning project with a student attending the local university. It is an exciting opportunity and I am grateful for any amount of support, monetary or otherwise. Check out the full program description here: https://geo.uoregon.edu/programs/mexico/maya-communities-and-social-justice-chiapas Also, huge thank you to Abroad 101 for their generous donation! Here's the link to my program from their website (you can check out a ton of other cool programs through Abroad101 as well!): https://www.studyabroad101.com/programs/geo-mexico-maya-communities-and-social-justice-in-chiapas

My time in Chiapas, Mexico will be well spent exploring the field of work I am interested in and gaining invaluable experience that will help me reach my goals. After I receive my undergraduate degree from the University of Oregon, I plan to pursue my Master's in International Human Rights at the University of Denver. After this, I hope to work with a Non-Governmental Organization on human rights issues in Latin America. While the program's classroom work--which primarily deals with indigenous communities in Chiapas--connects in some places to the work I plan to pursue, I will be gaining most of my direct experience during the Service Learning portion of the program. I will have the opportunity to work with an NGO for a couple of weeks on human rights issues while I am there and really get a feel for the career I want to pursue which will hopefully better prepare for my future. Additionally, Graduate schools like to see this specific experience on an applicant's resume, so not only will this program be advantageous to my future career, but it will also help me when applying to my top graduate program. Moreover, this study abroad program will help me polish my language skills by offering the opportunity to live with a host family and experience the authentic culture of San Cristobal de las Casas in Chiapas, Mexico. And finally, I will be able to achieve my goal of graduating an entire year early by taking twelve credits of upper-division Spanish courses. The courses are exactly what I need to put me just far enough ahead to be able to complete all of my required credits by the end of Spring 2017.

Because scholarships can be limiting for study abroad during summer term, I am relying primarily on my own savings and loans to cover this trip. As you can imagine, as a college student my savings are dismal (but hey, I was able to pay for another term of education, so that's good news!) and loans are not particularly ideal. The total cost of this trip will end up being around $7,000. I have managed to raise most of the money through scholarships and work, but I am still a little short. The money I receive will be going towards the tuition costs of the program.

I know $2500 is a bit of a reach and I do not expect to raise this amount entirely through crowdfunding, but any small amount helps and is greatly appreciated (seriously, every penny counts)! Also, if you are in the Eugene/Springfield/Veneta area and need any odd jobs done (or cans and bottles collected, etc.), please do not hesitate to contact me! I am completely willing to work in exchange for a donation!