Closed: Winter 2016 California-Mexico Dreamers Study Abroad Program

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT:

WINTER 2016 CALIFORNIA-MEXICO DREAMERS PROGRAM:

The California-Mexico Studies Center (CMSC) is pleased to announce the launching of two new California-Mexico Dreamers Study Abroad Programs to travel in the Winter 2016 term. The Winter 2016 program will offer up to 60 DACA-mented students the unique opportunity to study-abroad in Mexico for 21 days.  During their 3-week travel-study experience, the participating Dreamers will also have the chance to travel independently and discover Mexico on their own, and/or visit their birthplace to reconnect with their families and relatives for 9 days.

After their independent family travel, the Dreamers will proceed to Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico where they will immerse into a comprehensive language and cultural educational program at the Centro Tlahuica de Lenguas e Intercambio Cultural (CETLALIC) Institute; which consists of historical, cultural, linguistic, and academic “cátedras” on social movements, the Mexican educational, economic and political systems, various museum and archeological visits, and a 10-day home-stay living experience with Mexican host families while attending CETLALIC.

The CMSC will continue to raise funds and solicit colleges and universities to provide scholarships for applicants who want to participate in our California-Mexico Dreamers Study abroad programs. However, the CMSC cannot predict how many participants can be supported financially by the CMSC through fundraising and sponsors.

Since we have included many Dreamers that were willing to pay all program expenses on their own ($5,000) in our Summer 2016 program, the Fall and Winter 2016 application is open to anyone that is interested to participate as self-paid participant.

Unlike previous California-Mexico Dreamers Study Abroad programs which were partially funded by grants from foundations such as the U.S.-Mexico Foundation and the Juntos Podemos Foundation, the CMSC has thus far not been able to secure foundation grants to support the Fall and Winter 2016 Programs.

PROGRAM APPLICATIONS DEADLINE AND GUIDELINES:

Winter 2016 Program:

• Application deadline: August 15, 2016
• Travel Dates: December 22, 2016 to January 15, 2017
• Open to sponsored and/or Self-Paid participants

Also note that this is the initial phase of the application process, and once you complete and email the application form, you will be instructed to complete the second phase, which requires you to send 2 letters of recommendation.

California-Mexico Dreamers Study Abroad Program description:

The Fall and Winter 2016 California-Mexico Dreamers Study Abroad Programs build upon the CMSC’s Spring and Winter 2015 demonstration programs, which offered 47 DACA-protected Dreamers from 18 different colleges and universities in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, a travel-study experience in Mexico City and Cuernavaca, Morelos.

The Winter program applied improvements based on the lessons learned from the original pilot projects for 16 Dreamers during Prof. Armando Vazquez-Ramos’ Spring Break classes of 2014 and 2015, including a more rigorous academic program with an emphasis on perfecting Spanish language skills, enhancing their knowledge of Mexican culture and history, and guided visits to archeological sites and museums.

Program objectives:

• Establish a replicable educational program model for Dreamers’ Study Abroad Projects at other colleges and universities through the DACA Advance Parole process;
• Establish the administrative framework for a model that can be reproduced by any U.S. institution of Higher Education;
• Continue and expand video and photo documentation of Dreamers’ human stories;
• Prepare participant Dreamers as ambassadors of the model, for them to replicate similar programs at their own colleges and universities, based on their personal experience;
• Train the participants to become advocates and providers of DACA/Advance Parole processing services;
• Allow the Dreamers to spend 1 to 2 weeks in their communities of origin with their family and relatives, and to discover their roots in Mexico on their own;

Requirements:

To qualify, applicants must have current DACA status, commit to assist other Dreamers upon return and meet all program requirements, including:

• Be 21 years-old or older at the time of travel;
• Have a current passport from the Dreamers’ country of origin;
• Secure Advance Parole authorization from USCIS (after being accepted to the program);
• Commit to travel and participate in all program activities;
• Must have at least $2,500 in advance for airfare, registration, tuition, & Advance Parole fees, or the full amount of $5,000 to also cover the $2,500 travel-study expense while in Mexico.

The selected participants will benefit from the Fall/Winter 2016 California-Mexico Dreamers Study Abroad Program’s educational and cultural experience as follows:

• College course credit, Spanish and Mexican Culture instruction;
• Room & Board, field trips, meals and local transportation;
• Visit with family and discover Mexico during the study abroad experience;
• Re-enter the U.S. legally and allow Dreamers to clear the prior unauthorized entry;
• Develop leadership skills to create similar programs or other projects that benefit Dreamers.

TO APPLY:

Download the following application form, fill it out, and email it to: records@calmexcenter.org

If you have any questions, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions Page (FAQ's) before you apply!

Please Join and support our Marco Antonio Firebaugh Dreamers Study Abroad Scholarship Fundraising campaign, which is our initiative to fund our California-Mexico Dreamers Study Abroad programs! ! ! 

• Endorse, volunteer, and promote the Marco Antonio Firebaugh Dreamers Study Abroad Scholarship Fund
• Host a fundraising event for the Marco Antonio Firebaugh Dreamers Study Abroad Scholarship Fund
• Become a co-sponsor of the Marco Antonio Firebaugh Dreamers Study Abroad Scholarship Fund
• Sponsor a California-Mexico Dreamer's scholarship in your name for $2,500
• Donate to the MAF Dreamers Scholarship Fund from $25 to $2,500 !