HIV/AIDS in a Diverse World – The Micronesian Perspective

Summer 2010: May 13 to June 1 with on-campus sessions May 13 to May 16

Program Location

Halfway between the real and the make-believe lies the magical.  Micronesia is the diver’s paradise, and much more.  The land, although small in area, is tremendously varied.  There are high volcanic islands and flat sandy atolls.  There far-flung islands host a great diversity of cultures as well: cultures alive today and cultures that left mysterious archaeological remains.  Today, Micronesia’s people, definitely citizens of the global village, combine traditional values with Western culture.  Micronesia is exotic, but not altogether foreign.

Guam is the westernmost unincorporated territory of the United States, and is the largest of the Marianas Islands.  From four to eight miles in width and 32 miles long, Guam covers approximately 220 square miles.  It is approximately 6,000 miles from San Francisco; 3,800 miles west of Honolulu; and 1,500 miles south of Japan.  The southernmost of the Marianas Islands, Guam shares a common culture with the rest of the group, which also includes Saipan, Rota, and Tinian.  The island was created from the peaks of two ancient volcanoes that sank into the sea and were fused together millions of years ago.

Academic Program

This intense lecture and practicum seminar is based on the principles of participatory learning, in which students will be involved in a set of formal and informal learning experiences that are designed to enhance their understanding of HIV/AIDS in a developing region, and the challenges that its residents encounter on a daily basis.  Specifically, students will examine theories of the origin, statistics, and characteristics of the causative pathogen, incubation, illness patterns, transmission, prevention, and treatment of HIV/AIDS in Micronesia.  Further, in collaboration with the Guam HIV/AIDS Network (GUAHAN) Project, as well as the Guam Division of Public Health and Social Services and the United States Office of Minority Health, students will observe and participate in a variety of clinical, social, and education programs related to HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention.  Through a variety of educational excursions to public and private health facilities, government and non-government sites, students will also have the opportunity to develop or strengthen existing levels of cross-cultural awareness and cultural sensitivity, and gain an appreciation of the diverse economic, political, and social landscape of Micronesia.

Instructional methods include lectures, guided tours, field work, journal assignment and/or papers, and exams.

Tentative course offerings:
HTH 368: International Health and Nutrition Studies (3)
HTH 355: HIV/AIDS and Other Sexually Transmitted Infections, (1)

Please click here for a tentative itinerary and for more information on the director's web site.

Accommodations

Students will reside in hotels in Tamuning, Guam. Group meals will be provided.

Program Costs

For the current projected costs for this program, please click on the following link to the Fees for JMU Study Abroad Programs page.

Application

For more detailed instructions and to download the application, please click on the following link to the Applications and Forms section for JMU Short-Term Programs.

In addition to the Short-term Application, interested students should submit an essay. (The essay should explain your background and qualifications for engaging in international work, your expectations for the program, and what skills you feel you can contribute to making the program successful.) A personal interview will also be required. Applicants must have a 2.7 minimum GPA within their major field of study, with rising junior or senior class standing and a background in the health or social sciences, education or nursing.

For More Information

For additional information about the HIV/AIDS in a Diverse World – The Micronesian Perspective program, please contact the program director:

Dr. Todd M. Sabato
Assistant Professor
Department of Health Sciences
Tel: 540-568-2979
E-mail: sabatotm@jmu.edu
Web site: guamabroad.cisat.jmu.edu