UA News

Education students and their faculty mentors hope small change can make a big difference for a community in Mexico.

Over the last 15 years University of Arizona students have been welcomed into the homes of residents of Guanajuato, Mexico, as part of the College of Education's Summer in Mexico, or Verano en México, study abroad program.

Todd Fletcher, UA associate professor of special education, rehabilitation and school psychology, used an array of networks to develop Verano en México. Since its inception, the program has benefitted hundreds of students preparing for careers in regular, bilingual and special education, English as a second language, social work, speech and language therapy and school psychology.

Students live with community members for the just-over five-week program and are taught intensive Spanish language classes. They also observe in Mexican public schools where they  teach and work with Mexican educators, children, youth and their families for 20 hours each week. They also take regular university classes while there.

With the theme of "change," Fletcher, his faculty colleagues and students from his Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in Exceptional Learners class have begun an effort to give back to Guanajuato. They have started raising funds for a community development center that will help develop literacy, technology training and health education, build a library and provide mobile teaching classrooms to serve as a resource to remote rural communities.

"In class Dr. Fletcher always speaks how we as students and professionals can make a difference and how we should be the change we want to see. We began calling ourselves the fellowship of change and from there we have developed a relationship with an organization called Change for Change that is founded on the notion that a little can make a lot of difference," said Susan Baker, a graduate student in special education and president of the newly formed Arizona Students of The University of Arizona Change for Change Club.

Change for Change is a national organization that supports philanthropic efforts by collecting donations of small change. The UA  club contributes its share to make big changes in Guanajuato.

"The UA's Change for Change Club is the first chapter in the West," Baker said.

Fletcher also has secured a 12-year lease for Resplandor International Cultural and Education Center, a non-profit facility being built in Guanajuato. Students began their fund-raising effort to support Resplandor and its programs with an April 13 bake sale on campus and a Change for Change campaign in UA residence halls. Another bake sale will be held in the UA College of Education on April 20.

In addition, Fletcher is exploring grants that will help sustain the project over time. He credits his work and the experiences of students in Verano en México for the Resplandor effort. "Students who have been to Guanajuato through the Verano en México program are transformed by the experience. They come back as educators who are more empathetic and who have greater cultural context to draw from for students and families who are here in the United States outside of their known cultural context," Fletcher said.

A scholarship fundraiser to honor former students and to help new students enroll in the program will be held on Saturday, April 25, at La Hacienda de Loma Linda in Oro Valley. Suggested donations are $30. Former and current students, faculty and interested UA and Tucson community members are invited to attend. The event will feature a night of music and entertainment provided by local artists.

All donations are tax deductible and all proceeds will go towards UA student study abroad, research and service scholarships associated with the Resplandor International Cultural and Education Center in Guanajuato.