West Virginia University

Honors Global Service Learning to Tamil Nadu, India with West Virginia University

West Virginia University is partnering with Amizade, a Global Service Learning organization, to offer a 4-credit Honors service learning program in Tamil Nadu, India from June 30-July 21, 2014.  A fuller description is below, and students can learn more by visiting the program’s page on WVU’s study abroad portal at https://studyabroad.wvu.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ViewProgram&Program_ID=924

Interested? Email Ryan Claycomb, Assistant Dean of the Honors College at West Virginia University at or call us at 304-293-2100.

Deadline to begin applications is April 1, 2014 !

Global citizenship, human rights, and education is the first honors program to Amizade’s newest site in Tamil Nadu, India. Through this program participants will have the opportunity to better understand the cultural identity of the region by exploring the rich history and current culture of the Union Territories of Puducherry,(formerly Pondicherry) a colony that was under French rule for over 300 years.

Participants will study Puducherry’s past and examine how that has influenced and shaped its present-day culture through the various elements that comprise culture – namely, history, art, literature, folktales, architecture, music, religion, cuisine, dress, traditions and more.  Participants will also travel to a variety of sites and locations such as landmarks, monuments, public places (e.g., markets, stores), schools, museums, government buildings, and more, to gain a thorough appreciation of local culture and study regional customs and participate in local activities.

As part of this program participants will be exposed to the local life of the small village where they will volunteer as a counselor at a leadership camp.