While most current first-year students are adjusting to their lives at Lehigh by exploring South Bethlehem and discovering the opportunities across campus, others are adapting by living with strangers, visiting foreign cities and immersing themselves in a new culture.
Lehigh Launch Chile, a new semester-long study abroad program led by Professor Hugo Ceron-Anaya, offers first-year students the chance for cultural immersion while taking courses related to Chile’s rich historical background.
The program was launched this semester, with nine students currently enrolled, who began their studies in Chile in August and will continue until December.
“This program allows students to grow in ways that would take four years back on campus,” Ceron-Anaya said. “Surviving and thriving in a foreign environment builds their self-confidence, making them better prepared for future challenges.”
The students in the program take courses such as Utopia in the 21st century, Ethnicity and Race in the Americas, biology, and Spanish. These courses are designed to align with the Chilean context and enhance the depth of the learning experience.
Helen Guevara, ‘28, is currently a part of the program and said the classes are eye-opening because they tie directly to the local context.
“We learn about Chile’s dictatorship and how race and class play out in Latin America,” Guevara said.
The students are staying with host families in Santiago, which provides them with additional insight into Chilean culture and daily life.
Phoebe Barnes, ’28, another student in the program, said the transition wasn’t easy but has become rewarding.
“I’m used to a noisy house with siblings, but my homestay was much quieter,” Barnes said. “Still, it gave me a chance to really experience the local traditions and celebrations like Independence Day.”
On weekdays, students take the subway to class in Santiago’s city center, and after class, many use their free time to explore Santiago, visit parks or practice their Spanish with locals.
Ceron-Anaya said activities outside of class are just as important as the academic experience.
Students in the program also have the opportunity to go on two field trips — one to the southern island of Chiloe and one to a scientific observatory in the Andes.
“We’ve traveled to the Chiloe Archipelago, where we saw penguins and explored the rainforest,” Barnes said. “In November, we’re heading north to La Serena to visit observatories, which are known for having the clearest skies in the world.”
Ceron-Anaya said seeing students adapt to a new environment is one of the most rewarding aspects of the program. Not all the students are proficient in Spanish, but he said they are eager to work hard to improve their language skills.
“Seeing students who started the semester with limited Spanish ordering confidently in a cafe by the end of the program is incredible,” Ceron-Anaya said.
Ceron-Anaya said since the program’s only in its first year, he anticipates the launch will come with more challenges. However, he’s optimistic about its future and is hoping to expand the cohort to 15 students next year while further refining the program.
Barnes said she’s enjoying the experience, and Guevara said she would recommend the program to future first-year students.
“It’s not just about traveling,” Guevara said. “It teaches you how to adapt to new environments, manage your time and connect you with people from different cultures.”
Ceron-Anaya said Lehigh Launch Chile equips students with skills that will serve them throughout their lives.
“This program gives students a chance to understand themselves and the world in new ways,” Ceron-Anaya said.
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