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Updates from Ceiba: Diversity Scholarships broaden access to study abroad

by Ceiba Foundation on Oct 13, 2021

Diversity Scholarship Broadens Access to Ceiba’s Study Abroad Programs

https://ceiba.org/study-abroad/scholarships/

A mystical exploration of Maya ruins; a face-to-face encounter with a sea turtle underwater; the thrill of seeing something totally new in the world’s most diverse rainforest; it is experiences like these that make Ceiba’s study abroad programs in Ecuador and Belize life-changing. But not all students have the privilege to embark on a learning adventure overseas. For example, in 2018-2019, Black students represented a disproportionately low 6.4% of U.S. study abroad participants, while 68% of study abroad students were Caucasian (NAFSA 2020). With a shared goal of addressing this inequality of access, the UW-Madison Botany Department's Humboldt Fund and a generous anonymous donor enabled the creation of our new Diversity Scholarship. The funds will help BIPOC students with financial need attend one of Ceiba’s education programs with scholarships of up to $5,000 for summer and up to $20,000 for full semester programs. The global competencies acquired through study abroad -- exposure to different perspectives and societal systems, social responsibility in a global context, tolerance and resilience when faced with different cultural norms, and learning a second language -- have lifelong benefits, including increased competitiveness in the job market.

Apply for a Diversity Scholarship

Give to our Scholarship Fund

My Damselfish Teacher: Marine Biology of Coral Reefs in Belize

In a welcome return to in-person programming, 15 students spent two weeks studying coral reef ecology with Ceiba in Belize. The group travelled — masked and vaccinated — to Belize City, then over sparkling Caribbean waters to the Glover’s Reef Marine Reserve a remote atoll some 40 km offshore. The 800 patch reefs with a profusion of corals, sponges, and tropical fishes, provided a perfect place for research. Palm trees, turquoise water, sugar-white sand; all the elements of a tropical island were there as students collected data, analyzed results, and presented their findings. One team compared the size and abundance of queen conch in fished and unfished zones within the reserve, while another examined herbivory rates on seagrasses in those same two zones. Other groups focused on parrotfish feeding, damselfish territory defense, and the effect of invasive lionfish on local fish populations. A pod of dolphins kept our group company in the water! Students saw amazing marine life, experienced the challenges of conducting field research, and explored the complex issues in coral reef conservation. Are you ready to join Ceiba as we get back to what we do best? We'll give you an academically fulfilling immersion in some of the most pristine sites on the planet! Sign up for our field courses, internships, or EduTour Adventures to the Amazon and Galapagos today!

Check out our 2022 EduTours!

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Funds Ecuador's Coastal Conservation Corridor

It's widely known that tree planting is a key component to combatting climate and land degradation, as trees soak up atmospheric carbon dioxide, add nutrients to the soil, and prevent erosion. Trees incorporated into farms (agroforestry) and pastures (silvopasture) can also augment local incomes. One of Ceiba's goals in the Conservation Corridor on Ecuador's coast is to restore riverways and reconnect fragmented forests by supporting widespread tree planting, but such efforts clearly require huge numbers of tree seedlings! The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has awarded Ceiba a grant that will be used in part to support community tree nurseries, such as the one shown above. The funding will provide employment opportunities and technical assistance in land restoration and forest conservation in communities along Ecuador's Manabí coast. Our goal is to stem the loss of biodiversity and climate change while stimulating economic opportunity for local people.