Cortland alumni get second chance for study abroad

07/16/2024 

Since 2014, health professor Jena Nicols Curtis has been bringing SUNY Cortland students to southern India to conduct public health research, documenting the needs of children living in dire poverty.

Her next trip will be a little different.

Curtis is collaborating with SUNY Cortland Alumni Engagement and the university’s International Programs Office to create an international experience for a different group of travelers: SUNY Cortland alumni.

The 10-day trip planned for January 2025 will see this group of Red Dragon adventurers tour historic and cultural sites, immersing themselves in Indian culture, traditions, spirituality and wellness practices.

Participants will take part in traditional India health and spiritual wellness practices including yoga, meditation and Ayurvedic massage in the lush hillsides and serene coastal villages of Southern India. They’ll also explore the rich history and culture of the region. Planned excursions include:

• The Karla Caves, one of the largest and most well-preserved Buddhist prayer halls in all of India, carved back to the 2nd century BCE.
• A tranquil journey aboard kettuvallan, traditional Kerela houseboats that have been used for 5,000 years to transport rice, spices and other crops through the intricate network of backwaters in coastal India.
• The Anamalai Tiger Reserve, a pristine, 42-square-mile reserve of tropical jungle, shola forest and grassland rising to 8,000 feet in elevation in the Western Ghats mountain range, one of the world’s hot spots for biodiversity and endangered species. Here, alumni will visit the Kozhikamuthi Elephant Camp and learn about elephant conservation from the naturalists who care for the gentle giants.

Details about the trip, including the itinerary, costs and important dates, are available on the Alumni Engagement website. There will also be an information session at 7 p.m. next Thursday, July 25, via Zoom.

The idea for the trip grew from a conversation between Curtis and former International Programs Director Mary Schlarb, who is now the university’s assistant vice provost for student achievement.

 “Mary and I were researching the impact of study abroad and talking about how transformative it actually is,” Curtis said. “The ability to experience incredible places and different cultures through the eyes of experts, while also connecting with your peers from home, is life-changing. It’s something every student should have access to.”

That led to the development of a second-chance trip for alumni, including those whose study abroad opportunities were limited during their undergraduate years because of COVID-19 or other circumstances beyond their control.

Kayla DeCoste, the university’s assistant director of study broad, advises numerous study abroad programs in India, Australia and France, and is crafting the new adventure with experiences likely to engage alumni. 

 “This trip is a great balance of culture, adventure and indulgence for any alum who would like the chance to explore India while reconnecting with SUNY Cortland faculty and classmates,” DeCoste said.  

The trip will be led in India by Curtis and her former graduate student and current Dryden High School health teacher Amanda McCaslin M ’18. McCaslin helped Curtis facilitate a monthlong student research trip to India in 2017 and is excited both to return to the subcontinent and to bring lessons on Indian holistic health practices back to her Dryden classroom.

For more information, please contact Jena Curtis at jena.curtis@cortland.edu.