School of Arts and Sciences Review Winter 2014 | Page 36

News & Events

Through State Department partnership, SBU summer institute
offers Latin American scholars immersion in U.S. history, culture

T

wenty Latin American
students were welcomed
to campus for five weeks
during summer 2013 to expand their leadership abilities
and deepen their understanding of U.S. history and culture.
This was the fourth year St.
Bonaventure participated in
the Study of the United States
Institute (SUSI) for Student Leaders in partnership with the Institute for Training and Development. The State Department selects
students based on high academic performance and leadership potential.
The focus of the program, led by Department of History faculty
Dr. Phillip Payne and Dr. Maddalena Marinari as the academic directors, is U.S. history, the evolution of U.S. society, culture and
values. Melissa Yaworsky is the grant coordinator. Among them
they plan and execute the programming and travels.
Presentations, discussions and reflections engaged the participants from Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela, and cultural enrichment activities and regular interaction with their American
peers stimulated their interest in the United States.
In addition to St. Bonaventure’s history department instructors,
faculty from the university’s political science, arts, journalism,
women’s studies and education programs shared their expertise
for the curriculum.
According to Payne, one of the strengths of the program is the
faculty.

“We always receive positive feedback on the quality of our academ X