VGCC Plan Study Abroad in Costa Rica, Yard Sale to Help Finance Summer Trip

In an effort to help students increase their global awareness and to earn college credits this summer, Vance-Granville Community College is sponsoring its first Global Studies Program trip.

Twelve students will travel to Costa Rica May 19-June 13. They will be enrolled in Environmental Biology and either Elementary Spanish or Intermediate Spanish during their stay in Costa Rica. The Central American nation was chosen for the trip because of its environmental bio-diversity since it is home to both rain forests and cloud forests.

Four Vance-Granville instructors will accompany the students on the trip. Spanish instructor Margaret Chavez-Smith is a native of Costa Rica, and Lydia Powell, program head for psychology, spent several years in the area. Steve McGrady, program head for science, and Phyllis Brady, biology instructor, will help teach the Global Studies students.

Such a trip is not inexpensive. The cost of the program is about $3,500 per student. The students have been conducting numerous fundraisers, such as yard sales and selling pizza weekly to students and staff, and sponsoring a barbecue lunch.

The next fundraiser scheduled is a yard sale and bake sale to be held on Saturday, April 1, on the parking lot of the former Winn-Dixie store on Dabney Drive. The sale will begin at 7 a.m. Students have collected numerous “treasures” and hope the community will come out and support their efforts to expand their global horizons in their study abroad experience.

GLOBAL STUDIES – Michelle Cordova of Wake Forest, seated left, a pre-nursing student, Jeannette Bailey of Henderson and T.J. Murtagh of Bullock, standing, both College Transfer students, are among 12 from Vance-Granville Community College who will go to Costa Rica this summer for a Global Studies Program. They invite the community to support their efforts by shopping at their yard sale Saturday, April 1, beginning at 7 a.m. in the former Winn-Dixie parking lot on Dabney Drive. (VGCC Photo)