CLOSE SCHOLARS IMMERSE THEMSELVES


in COSTA RICAN


CULTURE


The Global Close Scholars trip to Costa Rica marked the second Close Exploration trip fund- ed by the Springsteen Foundation in service of philanthropist Anne Springs Close’s vision of a global perspective for Close Scholars. The first group traveled to London, England, and Paris, France, in December 2019.


Organizers intended the Costa Rica trip to be a very different kind of experience, Burkhalter said, because it involved four cities within one country, centered on nature/sustainability, involved phys- ical adventures and included community service, which is the foundation of the Close Scholars program.


Costa Rica’s dedication to the environment astounded 13 group members on a recent Close Scholars’ trip to the country.


Eleven scholars and two chaperones spent May 15-23 traveling in the heart of the Central Amer- ican country to learn about its culture and food while enjoying the ecotourism and adventure for which Costa Rica is known.


Two outings – one interacting with young chil- dren at an orphanage in La Fortuna and the second lending a hand in a sustainability project at the Institutio Monteverde – reinforced the spirit of service that these students embrace at Winthrop with their participation in the Close Scholars program.


Rising senior Miguel Caldwell said the reforesta- tion project proved to be a powerful experience. “In Costa Rica, the environment is so respect- ed. Over the course of the trip, we learned a lot about the locals' relationship with nature, but the reforestation project allowed us to see this relationship in living color,” said Caldwell, an ele- mentary education major from Camden and the incoming Council of Student Leaders’ chair.


Jewel Edwards ’22 said she admired the Costa Ricans’ dedication to preserving the environment


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and their efforts to save wildlife. At the institute, she helped pack soil into tree bags to enable the saplings to survive and learned more about the important role trees play in the ecosystem. Edwards and a few others also toured a sloth rescue site, home to nine sloths that had been injured and could no longer live in the wild.


Shelia Burkhalter, vice president for student affairs who accompanied the scholars, said the group was collectively impressed with the true and abiding respect for nature and the planet they witnessed. “Costa Rica’s pura vida (pure life) mantra is reflected in the use of nature for both food and medicine, the 98 percent of the coun- try’s energy coming from renewable sources, and the respect and concern for all things — including bugs — in the natural world,” she said.


Second Close Scholars’ Exploration Trip Traveling to a different country for a global expe- rience as well as community service added a new component of the Close Scholars experience. The Springs Close Foundation established the Close Scholars program 20 years ago to provide scholarships to students while reinforcing the belief that leadership skills and social conscious- ness can be enhanced through participation in volunteer service.


The trip also allowed some scholars to push past their fears to spend immersive time in nature interacting with wildlife and conquering 13 zip lines and eight hanging bridges. Psychology major Nastajia Hamilton ’22 wrote about con- quering her fear of riding horses during what she described as an amazing two-hour experience through the mountains and valleys.


As an advisor to the group, Burkhalter was most impressed with the scholars. Several students had never flown and many had never left the country. “Yet, they leaned into all of the experi- ences with curiosity, positivity and openness,” she said. “Everyone with whom they interacted found them to be friendly, nice, respectful and responsible.”


Students Reflect on Trip’s Positive Impact Chia Yang ’22 said the trip made her more ap-


preciative of her family’s use of herbs for medic- inal purposes. “I always thought it was fake or that they just made it up,” said Yang, a business administration major. “As I grew older, I came to realize that sometimes nature is the best medi- cine.”


A visit to the Jauri Tropical Farm in San Carlos resonated with her. “Listening to Costa Ricans' way of medicine truly reminds me of my family and makes me appreciate Mother Nature's medi- cine all the more,” she wrote of her impressions.


Miguel Caldwell said the trip showed him that life can be simple and beautiful. “In my experience, as an American, the grander the better. However, in Costa Rica, everything was so simple yet so impactful. The people in Costa Rica understand that the relationship with our Earth is a two-way relationship. They give to the environment and treat the environment with care just as they ex- pect from the environment.”


Learn more about the Close Scholars and the Global Close Scholars program. To make a gift to these life-changing programs, please contact the Division of University Advancement at 803/323- 2275 or toll-free 800/801-1083.


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