Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) has been awarded a $41,000 grant from the U.S. Department of State and Partners of the Americas to develop a study abroad program focusing on the African presence in Cuba.
“This capacity building grant will allow Winston-Salem State University to develop a signature and sustainable study abroad and research collaboration program in Cuba,” said Dr. Joti Sekhon, director of WSSU’s Office of International Programs. “This unique program will allow WSSU students to explore the cultural and historical connections between African Americans and Afro-Cubans, and critically examine the historic and contemporary exchanges between these two constituent populations of the African Diaspora in the Americas, as well as Cuba’s engagement with Africa.”
The program will be developed in partnership with the Fernando Ortiz African Cultural Center in Santiago de Cuba and is expected to begin with a pilot in May 2018. During the pilot, students and faculty will travel to key historical and cultural locations, attend lectures and engage in dialogues and experiential learning activities. Project leaders and a small group of faculty will prepare for the pilot through curriculum development and Spanish language learning seminars. Students selected for the program also will prepare for the program via Spanish language and Cuban history and culture classes.
Read more about WSSU’s grant from the US State Department.
Originally published June 8, 2017. Written by Jay Davis.