This summer marks the second year Texas A&M University-Texarkana participated in a Texas A&M University System initiative to provide immersive study abroad experiences at Hacienda Santa Clara, a 340-acre study and research center just outside of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

According to the press release, from May 25th through June 3rd, a group of seven students and two faculty members represented A&M-Texarkana and joined a team from West Texas A&M University. The teams concentrated their efforts into teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) to local children and adults.

The Hacienda Santa Clara campus is located in the Bajio region, which is in the country’s high tech and industrial corridor. San Miguel de Allende is an acclaimed international art center as well as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Hacienda is a leader in creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship. The campus offers students, faculty, and researchers from both Mexico and United States a unique learning environment. Hacienda Santa Clara is a new model in education that provides modern amenities on an ecologically sustainable campus that allows a network of educational institutions and private and public sector organizations to work together to solve real-world problems. 

The international studies office at A&M-Texarkana promotes and facilitates study abroad experiences for students.  Cultural competency and the expansion of the global mindset are key factors in producing qualified employees in an ever-increasing globally connected world.  Study abroad experiences allow students to develop cultural competency while receiving academic credit toward their degree programs. 

For more information contact Jennifer Felps, Director of International Studies at Texas A&M University-Texarkana at Jennifer.felps@tamut.edu.

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