2016 Program Guide

Offering programs for undergraduate students in:

Real connections. Real work. Learning and action beyond the classroom.

Study off-campus

2016 PROGRAM GUIDEwww.neverbethesame.org

THE U.S.NORWAY NEW ZEALANDECUADORNORTHERN IRELAND FALL 2016: ITALY

Dear Friends,

I am thrilled to introduce the 2016 Program Guide overflowing with the stories and voices of students. It highlights the people, places, and partnerships that define and shape HECUA. It reminds us that educating and working for justice is a collaborative human endeavor. Most of all, it shows how HECUA students are making real connections, accomplishing real work, and finding a community of purpose with others. All HECUA programs are grounded in exceptional teaching and in the lived realities of individuals and communities. In Northern Ireland, students participate in community-driven efforts to collect and curate stories of conflict and healing, and in Minneapolis and St. Paul, they learn from and work alongside leaders and activists in food justice, racial equity, housing and homelessness, and community health. In Norway, students are at the center of seismic shifts in understanding who is an outsider and who is a citizen, and in New Zealand and Ecuador they are addressing the unequal burden that climate change and environmental degradation are exacting on indigenous communities.In fall 2016 a timely new program begins—Sustainable Agriculture, Food, and Justice in Italy. Students will be living on a working farm and learning how people in Northern Italy

are creating new approaches to culture and food production, labor and landholding, and the economics and health of farmers, workers,families, and communities. Internships will provide hands-on experience in Slow Food and Fair Food movements, biodynamic farming, organic food production and distribution, urban-to-rural migration, and more. Access and equity in education is what HECUA was founded on over forty-five years ago. We are still at it. I am pleased to announce HECUA will award over $40,000 in program scholarships in 2016—our largest commit-ment ever. We hope to welcome many more students into the work of creating open, just and equitable communities and world.

In gratitude and peace,

Jenny Keyser, Executive Director, HECUA

aug

uST

201

5

In gratitude and peace,

Jenny Keyser, Executive Director, HECUA

location term page

the HECUa approach

HECUA’s approach to teaching and learning 4

HECUA’s approach to internships 5

International semester programs

International program alum profile: Tong Thao 6-7

Community Internships in Latin America (CILA) ECUAdoR Fall, Spring 8

democracy and Social Change in Northern Ireland NoRTHERN IRELANd Fall, Spring 9

New Zealand Culture and the Environment: A Shared Future NEW ZEALANd Fall 10

The New Norway: Globalization, National Identity,

and the Politics of Belonging NoRWAY Fall 11

NEW: Sustainable Agriculture, Food, and Justice in Italy ITALY Fall 12-13

USa programs

US program alum profile: Stephanie Zadora 14-15

PaRt-tIME PROGRaMS / 8-16 credits

Agriculture and Justice: Building a Sustainable Food System Minneapolis/St. Paul Spring 16

Making Media, Making Change: digital Technologies,

Storytelling, and Activism Minneapolis/St. Paul Spring 17

FUll-tIME PROGRaMS / 16 credits

Art for Social Change: Intersections of Art, Identity,

and Advocacy Minneapolis/St. Paul Spring 18

Environmental Sustainability: Ecology, Policy and Social

Transformation Minneapolis/St. Paul Fall 19

Inequality in America: Policy, Community, and the Politics

of Empowerment Minneapolis/St. Paul Fall, Spring 20

Writing for Social Change: The Personal, the Political, and

the Power of the Written Word Minneapolis/St. Paul Fall 21

Short-term programs

Short-term program alum profile: Alyssa Woodard 22-23

Social and Political Transformation in Ecuador ECUAdoR January 24

Race in America Then & Now MISSISSIPPI Summer 25

Eligibility, cost, and scholarships 26-27

Table of contents

3

We believe:

• Everyone is a teacher and a learner. Knowledge crucial to social change comes from many places, including the community and the academy.

• Educators assist learners in developing and naming values and ethics in relation to the world.

• Both action and reflection must be part of learning, meaning-making, and our experiences in the classroom and community.

• How we act in the world and how we understand our actions and outcomes are intricately linked in the process of social change.

• All knowledge of social reality has historical, political, and economic contexts. Both teaching and learning demand that we explore those contexts.

• At the heart of our engagement with the world is an insistence on asking difficult questions about power, perspective, access, and interests.

We value:

• Interdisciplinary learning. Complex issues demand that we draw materials and theories from a variety of sources and disciplines.

• Integrated learning. We constantly make connections between theory and practice. Students and teachers critically assess competing theories, based on experi-ences in the field and experiences brought to class.

• Experiential learning. Internship placements, workshops, field visits, community engagement—these experiences, and the reflections and discussions that accompany them, are integral to HECUA’s approach.

• Holistic learning. HECUA encourages students to view their program as more than an intellectual exercise. HECUA creates a space for students to see that they are actors, and their actions have an impact on political, economic, cultural, and social systems.

A HECUA classroom is not a traditional one. We employ a philosophy of education that speaks openly of values of justice in our classrooms and communities. HECUA students explore the relationship between theory and practice. They do real work, make real connections, and build the skills, knowledge, and partnerships necessary for their future work as agents of change.

HECUa’s approach to teaching and learning

4

1. Build Knowledge and Networks

Supervisors say: “HECUA students bring a historical and social context to their work that allows them to participate at a higher level.”

HECUA works with community organizations as partners and co-teachers. Students investigate the mission and history of their internship sites in class assignments, and a great deal of time in class is spent connecting field work and internship experiences with the course material. In a 2014 survey of alumni, 63% felt that the skills and networks they developed in HECUA helped them find a job following graduation.

2. Empower Students

Supervisors say: “When I work with a HECUA intern, my hope is always that I am training a future colleague.”

HECUA students do real work in their internships, and develop an understanding of themselves as valued members of a professional team. In a 2014 survey of HECUA alumni, responses to the question “what specific skills did you acquire during your time at HECUA?” ranged from “started to become comfortable talking about power and privilege” to “PR, marketing, and audience development work”. Additional proof: 75% of internship supervisors say that completing a HECUA internship makes a recent college graduate more employable.

3. Create Social Capital

Supervisors say: “our intern initiated and built relationships that will continue to be important to the organization.”

HECUA’s immersive, academically relevant internships inspire ongoing engagement in communities and organizing efforts. More than 50% of graduating HECUA students report that they plan to continue their involvement with their internship site as a volunteer (and occasionally as a new employee). These effects are lasting: 84% of HECUA alumni volunteer their time in some capacity.

Internships are a key component of semester-long programs with HECUA, both in the US and abroad. HECUA students spend up to 200 hours in a project-based internship hosted by a nonprofit community partner, and their work is highly regarded by our domestic and international partners. In the Twin Cities, the number of organizations submitting internship project proposals often exceeds the number of enrolled students.

HECUa’s approach to internships

Students say:

“I’m really proud of my involvement with the Midway mural project and being part of the transformation of the Midway-Snelling area. In a few years, when I drive down Snelling, I’ll have a tangible thing that represents my experience at HECUA, and I’ll also be able to share with others my role in this.”— Hafsa,

Inequality in America, 2014

“At my internship, I taught five classes each day. I had worked with children before, but never as an educator. I hope to be a teacher one day, and this experience has provided me with the elementary tools to achieve my dream.”— Kristi,

Community Internships in Latin America, 2014

5

Oslo, Norway6

tong thao, HECUa alum:the New Norway 2011Tong was a Geography major at GustavusAdolphus College, who chose to study abroad with HECUA’s New Norway program. He was motivated by a desire to contrast his own experience growing up in an immigrant family and community with the experiences of new immigrants in Norway. “Seeing how other countries deal with immigrants gave me ideas and a passion for organizing in my own community.”After his HECUA Norway program, Tong participated in one of HECUA’s summer internship programs, where he worked closely with the Frogtown Neighborhood Association. This experience taught him about the district council system and motivated him to join the board of his own district council on the East side of St. Paul. “I started to understand how local politics and decision making can have a wide impact on the lives of people, and on the lives of people in my own community.”

Tong still serves on the board of Dayton’s Bluff Community Council as secretary, and was recently hired by the Latino Economic Development Corporation as an Office Specialist / Associate Business Consultant stationed at the East Side Enterprise Center. “HECUa graduates know how to work with many different kinds of people, share ideas, and see how issues are interconnected.”

7

International Semester P

rograms

CREdItS: Courses are taken as an integrated whole and provide a semester’s worth of credit (i.e. 16 semester credits).

7

ECUAdoR Community Internships in Latin America (CILA)

More info at www.hecua.org/abroad

“ You explore and learn about Ecuador from multiple perspectives: student, intern, volunteer, family member, traveler...these opportunities would be nearly impossible to encounter were you on your own.” —Haley, St. Olaf College

explore competing and collaborating visions for social change. experience the rich political, cultural, and geographical diversity of ecuador.

Ecuador is a country of dramatic contrast in nearly every sector: social, political,economic, and geographic. Based in Quito, the Community Internships in Latin America (CILA) program weaves together a semester-long, project-based internship, coursework focused on the promise and peril of development, and field visits ranging from the Andean foothills to the Amazon River basin. When they are not in the field, students live with a host family in the urban center of Quito, Ecuador’s beautiful and historic capital city. In the classroom, students study and analyze the political, economic, and social ideas embodied in the Constitution of 2008, and the challenges the country has faced in applying those ambitious goals. In the second week of class students begin work at a diverse range of community organizations. Previous internship sites have included an organic farm (Granja Integral Pachamama), an arts hub for urban youth (El Churo Comunicación), and a women’s safe house (Casa Matilde). Students should expect to end the semester withsignificantly improved Spanish, a deep understanding of models of communityparticipation and development, and a firsthand view of the effects of oil politics and globalization on the Ecuadorian environment and economy.

Courses (taught in Spanish):• Politics and Development

in Ecuador• Community Participation

and Social Change • Ecuador Internship• Independent Research

Project

Housing: Students are placed in individual homestays, and meals are provided by the host family.

Fees:Transportation to field sites, planned group excursions, lodging and meals, medical insurance, and administrative costs are included (listed on page 27).

8

faLL

& S

Pr

iNg

Sem

eSTe

rS NoRTHERN IRELANd

democracy and Social Change in Northern Ireland


NoRTHERN IRELANddemocracy and Social Change in Northern Ireland

“ This is not your usual study abroad program. You will experience things that will challenge your ideas of right and wrong and if you are willing to be challenged you will come out the other side different.”

— Zach, Augustana College

Study the legacy of violent conflict. examine and experience the powerful role citizens can play as agents of social transformation in this international conflict research institute-affiliated program.

What are the root causes of the Northern Ireland conflict, commonly known as The Troubles? What progress has been made toward building sustainable peace? In a country where imposing “peace walls” still separate historically divided communities, how have citizens assumed crucial roles in conflict transformation? Students examine these questions, and more, over the course of this semester- long, program, based at Ulster University in the city of Derry~Londonderry. Students travel through Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland as partof integrated learning experiences that connect classroom with community.In addition to the many structured engagements with communities in Derry~ Londonderry, field visits to Belfast, Donegal, Dublin, the north Antrim coast, and border areas offer students unique opportunities to meet with community members and civic and political activists who have been directly impacted by violence and who are now engaged in building peace and a shared society. An individual internship, woven into the curriculum, allows students to be directly involved in the ongoing work of peace building and community development. In past years internship sites have included Children in Crossfire, The Rainbow Project, and The Playhouse Theatre.

9

Courses:• Understanding the

Politics of the Northern Ireland Conflict

• Building a Sustainable Democracy

• Internship Placement and Seminar (equivalent of

2 courses)

Housing:Students live in dormitoriesin Derry~Londonderry and receive a food stipend.

Fees:Transportation to field sites, planned group excursions, lodging and meals, medical insurance, and adminis-trative costs are included (listed on page 27).

faLL & SP

riN

g Sem

eSTerS

NEW ZEALANd New Zealand Culture and the Environment: A Shared Future


“ . .. I had ample time to explore the country I was in. It was a different way of learning, a more applied version of education. I would do it every semester if I could.” — Delaney, College of St. Scholastica

10

faLL

Sem

eSTe

r

Trace the traditions, innovations, and challenges behind the beautiful landscapes. hear from those at the forefront of solutions to the environmental and cultural challenges of today.

NoRWAY The New Norway: Globalization, National Identity and the Politics of Belonging

New Zealand has long been at the forefront of innovative social, cultural, and environmental practices. In this program students get to know the people, places, and ideas that have driven developments such as truth and reconciliation processes between government and the indigenous Maori peoples, and sustainableenvironmental and governance reforms. Although challenges still abound, students learn—across disciplines—about positive responses. Students spend their first month traveling by bus to key biodiversity and cultural sites, learning, cooking, and discussing together. The next three months are spent in Wellington (which Lonely Planet rated “the coolest little capital in the world”). Students live with local families, work on a self -directed independent study project, attend classes and complete a significant internship. Student internship placements in past years have ranged from Kennett Brothers Mountain Bikes to Sustainable Coastlines, from the Green Party New Zealand to Zealandia Urban Eco-Reserve. Links between environment, culture, policy and community are at the heart of these field study and internship opportunities.

Courses: • Maori Perspectives, Pluralism,

and National Identity• Sustainability, Ecology, and

New Zealand Environmental Policy

• New Zealand Internship• Independent Study Project

Housing:While in Wellington, students stay in homestays. During field visits, students are housed in community facilities and provided with group meals.



“ My mind has been opened to a much greater understanding of not only Norway, but my home country...It was an incredibly stimulating

and educational experience.” — Hannah,

George Washington University

Prosperous and egalitarian, Norway is known for its highly developed welfare state,

immense oil and gas wealth, and global leadership on human rights. Underneath its

idyllic surface, however, the Norwegian state is struggling to adapt to its changing

population. The New Norway program focuses on the social, cultural, and political

effects of mass immigration, and examines attempts to engage new Norwegians

who have come to the country as work migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees.

Classroom time is shared with local researchers, community organizers, and

government officials who are shaping policy and making change with regard to

integration and inclusion. Coursework focuses on national identity, religious belonging,

gender equality, and political culture in the context of the increasingly multicultural

Norwegian welfare state. Students learn about these issues first-hand by interning

four to six hours per week at service organizations, NGOs, and political groups.

In the cosmopolitan city of Oslo, students explore issues of immigration,

identity, and belonging. There are numerous field excursions in and around

the vibrant city center, and students travel to another Scandinavian capital on a

multi-day field trip.

11

Courses (taught in English):• Challenges of Globalization

to the Scandinavian Welfare State: Urbanization and Immigration (equivalent to two courses)• Scandinavian Arts, Film

& Literature• Norwegian Language or

Independent Study Project

Housing:Students live in single rooms in a suite in a student village, and receive a meal stipend for the semester.


faLL SemeSTer

NoRWAY The New Norway: Globalization, National Identity and the Politics of Belonging

See Scandinavia in a new way—as vibrant, diverse, and multicultural.explore how globalization and immigration have changed the social and political landscape of Norway.

12

Students live and work at the Castello Sonnino, a historic estate roughly 12 miles outside the major cityof Florence. Since the early 1800s, the Sonnino family has run the estate, and the current generation is deeply committed to cultural and architectural preservation. Their vision for sustainable development encompasses both the beautifully preserved historic buildings and the 300+ acres of woods, olive groves, vineyards, and working farm land. Students live in apartments (pictured) on the Sonnino grounds, studying the political and economic context of the farming and food movements particularto Italy. They gain firsthand experience of sustainablelocal food systems and the role they play in maintainingrural culture in Tuscany through an internship placement on the farm, in the village, or in nearby Florence. Students study basic Italian and complete a guided independent study project.

ITALY Sustainable Agriculture, Food, and Justice in Italy


Courses • Agriculture and Sustainability in Northern Italy• Economics of Sustainable Food Production in

Contemporary Europe• Sustainable Italy Internship• Independent Study Project

Housing:Students will stay on the grounds of the Castello Sonnino estate. Apartments have fully furnished kitchens, and students will receive both food stipends and cooking instruction.

13

beg

iNN

iNg

faLL 2016

unpack the Slow food movement’s motto of “good, clean, and fair” in its northern italian birthplace. explore how the business of food affects the health and wealth of farmers, workers, families, and communities.

“ Agriculture isn’t just another sector of

industry...but something much more complex. In reality, it is the fruit of a holistic vision that takes in ‘sacredness’ of food, respect for the environment, convivial- ity and culture.” — Carlo Petrini, Slow Food movement founder

14

Stephanie Zadora, HECUa alum:Inequality in america 2011, New Zealand 2012 Stephanie was a freshman at the University of Minnesota when she first heard about HECUA. The Inequality in America program’s social justice mission and multidisciplinary approach spoke to her. At her internship with Sprockets, a City of St. Paul after-school program, Stephanie gained new confidence in a professional environment.“the one -to- one relationship that I developed with my supervisor gave me the confidence to speak up about my ideas.”After Inequality in America, Stephanie decided to do another HECUA program, this time in New Zealand.

“as a Native person, I am interested in indigenous issues. I wanted to see what other Native communities looked like, and in New Zealand, I found amazing similarities in the issues we both face.”Stephanie was recently hired by the Twin Cities Indigenous Alliance program within NACDI (Native American Community Development Institute) as a community organizer. She is charged with leading a new Native organizing model in the Twin Cities.“HECUa showed me how issues and communities are interconnected —and that none of us can make change on our own. I am really excited to bring people together.”

Stephanie Zadora, HECUa alum:Inequality in america 2011, New Zealand 2012

“the one -to- one relationship that I developed with my supervisor gave me the confidence to speak up about my ideas.”

“as a Native person, I am interested in indigenous issues. I wanted to see what other Native communities looked like, and in New Zealand, I found amazing similarities in the issues we both face.”

“HECUa showed me how issues and communities are interconnected—and that none of us can make change on our own. I am really excited to bring people together.”

Program

s in the U.S.

15

CREdItS: Courses are taken as an integrated whole and provide up to a semester’s worth of credit (i.e. 16 semester credits).

More info at www.hecua.org/usa16

SPr

iNg

Sem

eSTe

r MINNEAPoLIS/ST. PAULAgriculture and Justice: Building a Sustainable Food System

examine how race, class and gender impact access to food. build relationships and learn from local organizers, farmers, and advocates.

“ I made so many connections with people in the

community. After completing the program, I am actually able to see the concrete ways I can continue this work as a career.”— Hallie, University of Minnesota

Two linked semester courses use interdisciplinary and field- based methods tounpack sustainable agriculture and justice, exploring the food system, land ownership, labor practices, and policies. Students gain hands- on growing skills, and travel to food shelves, grocery stores, community centers, and conventional and small- scale farms. Each student has an individual stay on a sustainable farm, and completes a field project in a hunger relief organization or urban community farm. Observing and assessing others’ successes as well as their own, students build the ability to be part of change in food systems. A 4- or 8-credit food systems internship is available concurrently with the two courses or in the summer following the program. In past semesters students have interned with the Land Stewardship Project, Frogtown Green, Mill City Farmers Market, and others.

Courses:Two linked courses allow students time for other commitments while having an immersive, community based experience.• Environment and Agriculture:

Agroecosystems in Context• Justice and the US Food

System• Internship (optional)

Credits:This part time program is worth 8 semester credits. Students who complete an internship will receive 4 to 8 additional semester credits.

Housing:Available in Minneapolis-based Augsburg College’s dormitories.

MINNEAPoLIS/ST. PAULMaking Media, Making Change: digital Technologies, Storytelling, and Activism

What happens when six corporations control the production of the films, television, and news the majority of Americans consume? What is lost when the last Black- owned television station is sold? What stock stories are told and retold when media companies are driven by revenue and not by the public good? Join an active learning community that grapples with these questions. Produce films that push back against the homogenization of the corporate media landscape. Making Media, Making Change is taught in collaboration with St. Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN), a bustling studio and media access center thatputs cameras into the hands of historically underrepresented creators. Students of all experience levels will leave the class with three short films to their credit, including a final work created in collaboration with a local nonprofit. In addition to hands-on training, students meet the leaders of the local media justice landscape. Students see their work situated in the context of a growing movement to make media accessible, relevant, and reflective of the diverse voices demanding to be heard. A 4- or 8-credit internship is available with community partner SPNN in the summer following the program.

Courses: Two linked courses allow students time for other commitments while having an immersive, community based experience.• From Consumers to Creators • Digital Laboratory• Internship (optional)

Credits:This part time program is worth 8 semester credits. Students who complete an internship will receive 4 to 8 additional semester credits.


More info at www.hecua.org/usa 17

SPr

iNg

SemeSTer

MINNEAPoLIS/ST. PAULMaking Media, Making Change: digital Technologies, Storytelling, and Activism

find a home in the growing media justice movement. Seek out and amplify hidden stories. No production experience necessary.

“ This program is great for people

with a lot of film production experience as well as those with none at all. You are provided with tools for filmmaking and for making positive change.” — Jordyn, University of Minnesota

More info at www.hecua.org/usa

“ Enjoy your time here, and make the most of it. Be open minded, inquisitive, and curious. Learn more, be challenged. HECUA was an ego check and I appreci-ated it very much.”

— Gabriela, University of MN

What is art for? Who is allowed to be an artist? Where do you find art, and what happens when it finds you? Seek the answers to these questions not in a gallery or a museum, but on busy street corners, vacant storefronts, and empty lots. Meet local artists whose work addresses issues of inequity and injustice. Step into a poetry mobile and tour a formerly foreclosed house transformed into a living museum. Tap into a growing movement of artists pushing the boundaries of what creative expression does, where it unfolds, and whose voice it amplifies. Students dive into debates about access, gentrification, and funding for public art projects, and see first-hand how artists in Minneapolis are asking hard questions, opening new dialogues, and building power in their neighborhoods. Art for Social Change is taught in partnership with Pillsbury House + Theatre, an innovative center for creativity and community. Students meet and intern with PH+T staff, resident artists, and a myriad of leaders from the City Council, neighborhood associations, and local businesses. Students receive mentorship from public artists to create their own community-engaged art projects, allowing them to explore their personal identity, power, and perspective.

Courses: • Art and Culture in Political,

Social, and Historical Context• Social Justice Theory and Field Practice• Internship and Integration

Seminar (equivalent of 2 courses)

Credits:This program is full time, with classes two days a week and a 20 hour per week internship.

Housing:Available in Minneapolis -based Augsburg College’s dormitories.

18

SPr

iNg

Sem

eSTe

r MINNEAPoLIS/ST. PAULArt for Social Change: Intersections of Art, Identity, and Advocacy

explore the ways in which artistic expression defines, preserves, and transforms cultural identity. investigate how art shapes and animates global and local discourse.


“ The things we learned in class are immediately relevant to real world problems and solutions. I liked learning from multiple instructors and experts in the community.” — Grace, University of Minnesota

These four linked semester courses reveal the dynamic interplay between ecological and social change. Coursework is interdisciplinary and discussion wide-ranging, pulling from field observations, conversations with community partners, writtenmaterial, and lectures. The class works to support ecosystems restoration and organizing efforts in the Twin Cities area and greater Minnesota. Students will explore structural inequalities in their own communities, examining patterns of privilege, power, and oppression. They study the restoration of degraded ecosystems, witness and participate in citizen science, and assess how policies and partnerships foster ecologically sound social transformation. Past internship placements for Environmental Sustainability include the Land Stewardship Project, MN350.org, and Spark-Y Youth Action Labs. Students will leave prepared for advanced leadership at the intersection of environmental and climate justice, with a profound understanding of the work being done locally and nationally in those fields.

19

Courses: • Environmental and Climate

Justice• Ecology and Socio-

ecological Systems Change• Field Research Methods

and Investigation• Internship and Integration

Seminar

Credits:This program is full time, with classes two days a week and a 20 hour per week internship.


faLL SemeSTer

MINNEAPoLIS/ST. PAULEnvironmental Sustainability: Ecology, Policy, and Social Transformation

apply systems thinking and sustainability theory to real world cases. Partner with organizers transforming communities and restoring ecosystems.


“ This was a totally different style of teaching—involved, in depth, and hands-on. Everyone in the

class has similar passions, making it a lot easier to connect.” —Cody University of MN

In America today, the wealthiest 160,000 families own as much as the poorest 145 million families. The wealth gap in America has reached levels not seen since the Great Depression. Inequality in America delves deeply into the complex causes and impacts of the unprecedented gap between the rich and poor in the United States. Students engage in a hands- on examination of the social systems that feed increases in poverty and inequality. They examine how institutional racism, classism, and sexism play a role in forming short sighted and damaging public policy. In a simultaneous internship with a local non profit students will begin to test and implement their own change -making skills. Past internship sites have included the Council on Crime and Justice, Southside Family Charter School, Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless, and Take Action Minnesota. Students will meet local organizers, build professional networks, and spend 160 -200 hours on site, working for organizations dedicated to social transformation. Everyone leaves the classroom with increased confidence in their own abilities to effect change in their communities, and a deep understanding of the local non profit landscape.

Courses:• Inequality in America: A

Political Economy Approach• Political Sociology of Building Power, Change and Equity• Internship and Integration


Credits: This program is full time with classes two days a week and a 20 hour per weekinternship.


20

faLL

& S

Pr

iNg

Sem

eSTe

r MINNEAPoLIS/ST. PAULInequality in America: Policy, Community, and the Politics of Empowerment

examine the growing gap between rich and poor in the united States.gain concrete change-making skills through internships and discussions with effective activists.

MINNEAPoLIS/ST. PAULWriting for Social Change: The Personal, the Political, and the Power of the Written Word


“I loved the combination of peer critiques, field trips, and internships. I learn by doing, so this semester was the most educational learning experience I have had.” — Brooke, University of St. Thomas

Creative writers have long used their work as a tool for social critique and as a means of calling for and creating change. This seminar balances writing workshops (in fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction) with critical reading and reflection sessions, field work, and a semester-long professional internship, claiming voice as a means of empowerment. Internship sites in past years have included Coffee HousePress, the Loft Literary Center, Line Break Media, and TC Daily Planet. Using the Twin Cities’ diverse literary community as a laboratory, students explore how writers can use their work to undermine oppressive systems. They examine what social forces affect which voices we hear and why some voices are silenced. This program best serves students from any major with a particular interestin writing who want to explore how they can use their craft to help create the kind of change they want to see in the world. All student writers, from beginningto advanced, are welcome. Field components of the program include visiting local nonprofit presses and independent bookstores, and attending readings and other literary events. Students meet with local independent bookstore owners, and private and public arts funders.

21

Courses:• Creative Writing in Political, Social, and Historical Context• Writing Workshop in Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction• Internship and Integration


Credits:This program is full time with classes two days a week and a 20 hour per week internship.


faLL SemeSTer

MINNEAPoLIS/ST. PAULWriting for Social Change: The Personal, the Political, and the Power of the Written Word

examine the force of words, the power of literature, and the role of the creative writer. Pair writing intensive workshops with field visits and a relevant internship.

2022This photo has been released into the public domain by its author, Markuskun, at the wikipedia project.

alyssa Woodard, HECUa alum:Inequality in america (2013) Race in america (2014) Alyssa was a first generation college student at the University of Minnesota, studying nursing. Firsthand experience led her to the conclusion that this was not what she wanted to do. She found herself dropping classes, not sure what she was doing in college. A friend in her public speaking class introduced her to HECUA. “I remember the first day of class — it felt right.”She did her internship with Habitat for Humanity’s organizing staff in the Frogtown neighborhood of St. Paul. She and her internship supervisor went for walks and discussed the neighborhood’s history. She made connections between racial equity, public policy, schools, and housing. “People asked if I was scared to be working in Frogtown. It made me realize the stigma associated with low-income neighborhoods and affordable housing.” Her HECUA experience left her with newly developed networks of people and organizations.

“My supervisor had a ton of contacts and he would introduce me to everyone. I still run into and work with people that I met during my internship.” After her HECUA program, Alyssa went back to the University of Minnesota with a renewed interest in learning, and took the classes she wanted to take. After graduation she was hired as the conference coordinator for Restorative Justice Community Action. “I get to utilize all of my passions and interests in this job. I don’t think I would be here today if not for HECUa.”

CREdItS: Summer and J-term credits vary and are easily transferable to your home institution.

23

Short-term program

s

More info at www.hecua.org/programs/jterm-summer

“ This program was the perfect blend of in -class lectures from local experts, visits to organizations directly affected by the issues we discuss in class, and free time to discover the culture of Ecuador on our own terms.”

—Kelsey St. Olaf College

Students enrolled in this English-language based program will spend a month in Quito, Ecuador, exploring the perils and promise of development. They’ll hike to the crest of the foothills that surround the city, and see the sprawl of new construction. They will stroll through the historic town square on a guided tour of Ecuador’s not-so-distant past as a Spanish colony, and travel through the countryside on two multi-day field trips—one to the mountains of Imbabura Province and one to the Amazon basin. Classroom time is spent in conversation with leaders from the local non profitand political communities. Particular emphasis is placed on indigenous rights, gender equality, the protection and management of natural resources, and Ecuador’s relatively new constitution. Students see first-hand how Ecuador’s indigenous populations are shaping debate and policy in political and cultural institutions, and analyze the growing division between the leftist movement and a historically conservative upper class.

dates: January 2-24, 2016

Credits: 4 credits (equivalent to one semester- long course). Credits are easily transferable to your home institution.

Fees:Round trip airfare to and from Quito, ground travel to field sites, food, lodging, and medical insurance are included.

lodging:Students are placed in individual homestays, and meals are provided by the host family.

24

jaN

uar

y Te

rm ECUAdoR

Social and Political Transformation in Ecuador

Travel from the amazon to an (inactive) volcano and back again. Study political participation and voice in an evolving cultural landscape.

More info at www.hecua.org/programs/jterm-summer

“Being able to meet and talk with so many individuals who changed the course of history in this country has changed my life.” —Sara, Minneapolis Community and Technical College

The summer of 2014 saw the beginning of a dramatic shift in public conversation around race in the United States. As the tragic deaths of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Rekia Boyd, and other unarmed black men and women dominated the news, powerful protests forced Americans to confront the twin realities of institutionalized racism and police brutality. Protests spilled onto the highways of major cities, occupied shopping malls, and dominated digital spaces, framing dissent around a single rallying cry, originally posted as a Facebook status by thirty-three-year-old Alicia Garza: “Black lives matter.” Race in America: Then and Now dives into questions of racial justice in America today, and the continuing role of race in the United States. Students meet with civil rights activists who were active in the 1960s and those who are active now, as well as lawyers, politicians, educators, and youth. Field experiences open upconnections between intersecting oppressions. By the end of the month, students have a profound understanding of the civil rights movement and its motivations, strategies, successes, and failures, and are prepared to make meaningful contributionsto their own communities.

25

dates: June 6-27, 2016

Credits: 6 semester credits (one and a half courses, total). These are easily transferable to your home institution.

Fees:Round trip airfare to and from Jackson, ground travel to field sites, food, lodging, and medical insurance are included.

lodging:The program is offered in partnership with the Fann Lou Hamer Institute at Jackson State University. When they are not traveling, students will be housed on campus.

Sum

mer

JACkSoN, MISSISSIPPIRace in America: Then and Now

Trace the history of the civil rights movement through the South. See how america’s present is inextricably linked to its past.

ie

26

applicationThe application for all domestic and international programs can be found on the web-site, here: www.hecua.org/apply-now.

Financing your HECUa Experience:

1 Financial Aid For students at private colleges HECUA programs are generally less expensive than a semester on campus. At all schools, financial aid can nearly always be applied. Contact your financial aid or study abroad office for more information.

2 outside Scholarships Scholarships are available for travel and study abroad. We list some of these on our website, but check with your off- campus study abroad office to learn more.

3 HECUA Scholarships HECUA administers four kinds of scholarships to students in HECUA programs. We will award approximately $40,000 this year in the following categories:

Scholarship for Racial Justice (up to $4,000) This award is available to students of color in HECUA programs whose home institution is a HECUA member school.

Scholarship for Social Justice ($1,500) This award is for first -generation college students, students from low income families, or students of color whose home institution is A HECUA member school.

Scholarship for Community Engagement ($750 for semester -long programs, and $333.33 for short-term programs) HECUA provides a number of these scholarships each semester to students who have worked for social change and whose future goals will be strengthened by a HECUA program.

additional scholarships These awards are offered in partnership with individual HECUA member schools. Scholarship amounts vary—please contact HECUA for more information.

Member and Non -Member Schools:All students are welcome on HECUA programs. Students whose schools are among the 22 HECUA members receive program discounts, as reflected on the program costs page, and member campuses have approved most HECUA programs for credit. We often have student participants from non member schools. The application process is the same, but students will need to seek approval from their home campuses. *More information on the website at www.hecua.org/apply-now/non-member students

the application process, aid, and scholarships

Eligibility: Applicants must have completed their first year of college, and be in good academic standing (any GPA below 2.0will receive extra evaluation).

International Semester-long Programsincludes tuition, room & board, ground transportation, reading materials, and emergency medical insurance.

USa Semester- long Programsall uSa semester long programs are based in minneapolis /St. Paul, mN. includes tuition, reading materials, and tickets to opportunities associated with the program.

USa Part -time Semester long Programs (choice of 8, 12, or 16 credits)Part-time program fees include tuition, nearly all reading materials, some field visits (including meals while traveling) and tickets to opportunities associated with the program.

January term and Summer Programsincludes tuition, airfare, visa expenses (for ecuador), reading materials, and all on the ground

expenses (room and board, ground transportation, and emergency medical insurance).

27

Program costs listed below are what HECUA charges for participation in its programs. The final amount that a student pays might be higher and can vary from college to college. Many colleges assess additional fees or charge their own tuition for off-campus programs, and some have special financial aid rules for off-campus study. All students should check with the off- campus study office and the financial aid office of their home institution to confirm their final cost for a HECUA program. The tables below are meant to provide a rough guide to costs per program (prices may be subject to change).

Program fees

All HECUA programs are competitively priced, and with small class sizes, internship placements with oversight and support, and access to professional networks in students’ fields of study, they offer tremendous value.

Program Member School Cost‡ Standard Cost*

8 credits $7,680 $8,480

8 credits + 4 credit internship $10,240 $11,040

8 credits + 8 credit internship $12,800 $13,600

‡Price for University of Minnesota Students: (8 credits: $5,040, 12 credits: $6,720, 16 credits: $8,400)

Program Member School Cost Standard Cost*

Race in America (summer) $3,400 $3,600

Ecuador $4,150 $4,350

*Denison University students pay the standard tuition rate.

Program Member School Cost† Standard Cost*

• Art for Social Change $12,800 $13,600• Environmental Sustainability• Inequality in America• Writing for Social Change

†Price for University of Minnesota/Augustana students: $8,400

Program Member School Cost Standard Cost*

Ecuador (CILA) $16.000 $16,900

Northern Ireland $18,300 $19,100

Norway $18,400 $19,200

New Zealand $18,300 $19,100

Italy $18,300 $19,100

2016 Program Guide

Documents

Transcript of 2016 Program Guide