¡Bienvenidos!

Welcome to the official site for the 2011 VISAGE Costa Rica trip!

Here you will find all the information related to our trip, including pictures, personal reflections from our students and important links to the places we will be staying at and visiting in Costa Rica.

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About Our Program

Vanderbilt University
“Civic Engagement as it Relates to Tourism and Sustainability”
Monteverde Institute, Costa Rica
Saturday, May 14th to Saturday, June 11th, 2011
The Vanderbilt Initiative for Scholarship and Global Engagement (VISAGE) combines the university's deep commitments to international study and civic engagement through innovative scholarship and service opportunities abroad. This year 14 participants will be learning about  Ecotourism, Civic Engagement, and Corporate Social Responsibility in Costa Rica.

A combination of home stays, service opportunities, contact with local leaders, and travel to multiple sites (coffee cooperatives, sustainable futures projects, ecological conservation organizations) will provide students a composite experience that allows them to observe the effects of tourism and economic development on our host communities.  Students will consider the particular challenges facing residents, specifically with regard to ecotourism, sustainability, civic engagement, and corporate social responsibility.