More than 4,000 members of the Baja California Sur community have attended workshops or classes at the Colorado State University Todos Santos Center, according to the Center’s 2016-2017 Program Report released this week.
“As the CSU Todos Santos Center enters its third full year, we remain committed to our core mission, which is to cultivate generations of global citizens and thriving communities through collaboration, experience, and exchange of knowledge,” said Kim Kita, Director of Special Projects and Partnerships at CSU.
The report outlines more than 50 community partners engaged with the university’s international hub, and showcases more than a dozen for-credit courses at the Center for CSU students.
“These numbers demonstrate the academic and community efforts that have taken place through the Colorado State Todos Santos Center, but we know the impact is much greater,” said Tony Frank, CSU president.
Elizabeth Albañez Patron and her son Diego are enrolled in the CSU English courses offered to the community. As a mom, she’s watching the immediate impact the courses are having on her son – he is already teaching English words to his elementary school teachers.
“We are very grateful for the opportunity to study English,” said Albañez Patron. “These classes have been of great help. We have learned a lot of things, and this is giving our children the opportunity to change their lives.”
After two years of programming at the Center, CSU has integrated into the region, offering annual programs and courses such as a Kids Do It All theatre program with students from Colorado and Mexico working together to create a community play, regular spay/neuter and vaccinations clinics for pets in partnership with local partners, service learning collaborations, and joint research in ecology, wildlife biology, agriculture, among others.
The offerings at the Center have been a conduit for building relationships and cultural understanding, Frank said.
“It is with great pride that we take this opportunity to reflect on the impact of the programs offered through our Todos Santos Center,” he said. “We are grateful to the community of Todos Santos for partnering with us, and we look forward to deepening our connection in the coming years through expanded programming and enhanced interactions among learners.”
View the full CSU Todos Santos Center 2016-2017 Program Report here.
About the CSU Todos Santos Center
The Colorado State University Todos Santos Center is the university’s first international location and is core to CSU’s mission of teaching, research, service and outreach.
The Center provides opportunities for CSU students and Baja California Sur residents to collaborate with local partners and businesses to identify needs, conduct research and produce impactful outcomes.
CSU’s vision in Todos Santos is to cultivate generations of global citizens and to be a part of creating thriving communities through collaboration, experience and exchange of knowledge in areas such as agriculture, infectious disease, elementary education, environmental and social sustainability, wildlife ecology, veterinary medicine and public health.
