The university is committed to ensuring that student-athletes are able to take advantage of the global engagement experiences that are a hallmark of an Elon education.
Members of the Elon University football team will embark on the trip of a lifetime when the Phoenix heads to Costa Rica from March 18-25 for an immersive overseas learning experience.
As part of the Elon Commitment to diversity and global engagement for its students, the junior and senior members of the team will travel throughout Costa Rica during the eight-day trip as the student-athletes will complete their learning requirement.
Vanessa Bravo, assistant professor of communications and a native of Costa Rica, will lead the class on that nation’s culture, society, ecotourism and sports. The student-athletes will learn about conservation projects in several national parks and reserves, and about ecotourism initiatives that attract tourists and are sustainable as well.
“The Costa Rica trip is just another example of what makes Elon special and unique,” said Elon head coach Curt Cignetti. “This is a tremendous opportunity and learning experience for our student-athletes.”
Elon has been repeatedly recognized for sending more students abroad than any other master’s level university in the country, with more than 1,400 studying abroad during the 2014-15 academic year.
Going forward, the junior class of the football team is expected to make a trip abroad to have a global experience each spring. The team will have the opportunity to experience local culture and visit cultural sites, go whitewater rafting, hike in a wildlife sanctuary and go looking for dolphins and whales.
Part of the experience will include time spent doing community service, with the group assisting in a reforestation project and a trip to a local elementary school. Throughout the trip, members of the Phoenix team will be posting updates to the program’s Twitter and Facebook accounts. Updates will also be posted on elonphoenix.com.