The latest

This past Wednesday, Vladimir Torrez, an orphan from the Ciudad del Niño in La Paz, defended his research project about coffee plant grafting to reduce nematode pest infestations. Vladimir is also deaf, requiring more work on his part to succeed. We are so proud of him.


Photo: Vladimir raises a cup of sparkling cider as we toast his success.

The unfortunate part was that his aunt came to see his project defense, and couldn't get past a landslide that was blocking the path (it has been raining cats and dogs all week -- The Wet Season). She arrived later, and we all basked in the success of yet another student from the UAC, now ready to go out and change the world.


Photo: Landslide on the road between Carmen Pampa and Coroico, still causing problems as of today.

Farewell, Fair Volunteers

Three volunteers are parting the month: Our English program coodinator Karen Ohmans, our food program coordinator/English professor/visit coordinator Maria Uchida, and our library and high school volunteer/exchange student from University of Wisconsin-River Falls Christine Selby.

We are sad to see them go, but happy for them as they move into new phases of their lives. Much love and success to all three!


Photo: Christine, Maria and Karen on their last night in Carmen Pampa -- we will miss you!

Feed Our Students!

Some years ago one of the students developed a nose-bleed that would not stop. When Sister Damon took him to the hospital the doctor discovered that he was undernourished. The student did not have money to eat.

She found out there were others, so she began a co-op dinner program. Sr. Damon asked Mr. Bud Roche, one of the owners of the Roche Bros. Groceries in Boston, to donate money annually to the program. Students in the co-op program do all their own food purchasing, preparation, and cleanup. They rotate responsibilities of baking bread each morning, cleaning vegetables, bringing wood and gas for cooking, etc.

The Roche Family and Sr. Damon Nolan's family go back many years. In the '40's, Damon's father bought the meats for his restaurant from the neighboring Roche Brother's Butcher Shop in Roslindale, MA. Years later, Sr. Damon and Sr. Jean Morressey both taught Patty Roch at Mt. Alvernia High School in Boston.

Thursday the kitchen of one of the three co-ops was dedicated to the memory of Patty Roche as a small acknowledgement of the faithful support the Roche Family have given UAC students over the years. Shoppers at the Boston Roche Brother's stores should know that part of their grocery dollar finds its way down to Bolivia.

Photo: Students from Campus Manning at the dedication, with a wooden plaque that reads "Cocina de Patty Roche." GRACIAS!

Another Veterinarian Graduate

Eddy Villca, a vet/animal science student, successfully defended his research project yesterday. He studied how to improve hog feed with the addition of amino acids, and found that with modest additions of methionine and lisine, hog grow bigger. This means higher profitability for farmers who raise hogs semi-intensively, like the ones who raise hogs to sell to the UAC's meat plant. And he got a 86% (distinguished). Good job, Eddy!


Photo: New graduate Eddy Villca.

Virgin of Guadelupe

Wednesday was the Fiesta of the Virgin de Guadelupe, one of the aparitions of the Virgin in the Americas to a Native American, a small boy in Mexico. The story, as told by Luis Dumois on Mexico Connect, goes

Juan Diego was a poor Indian that used to walk around the land that now surrounds Mexico City. He lived in Cuautitlán. One day in December, 1531, he was walking to Tlatelolco, when he heard music, and smelled a sweet perfume coming from a small cerrito, -hill-, nearby. Somebody, in a very affable voice, was calling his name: 'Juanito, Juan Dieguito...'. He climbed the Tepeyac hill and he saw a young woman standing there. She asked him to come closer.

When he was in front of Her he saw how magnificent She was: Her clothes had a light like that of the sun, and She was very beautiful. She said: 'Listen, my little son, Juantzin, where are you going?' And he answered: 'My Lady, Queen, my little girl, I'm going to Tlatelolco, to hear the things from God'. She then told him She was the Virgin Mary, mother of the true God. Then She asked him to go to México, to the Bishop's Palace, to tell him that She wanted a temple built on the Tepeyac for Her.

He promised the Lady to obey Her, and he walked all the way down to México, to talk with the Bishop, Fray Juan de Zumárraga. In the palace, he had to wait for a while, but finally he was in the presence of the Bishop himself. He told him about all the marvelous things he had heard and seen, and then presented to him the request from the Queen of Heaven. The Bishop did not believe him, so he walked back to the Tepeyac hill. And She was waiting there for him. As soon as he saw Her, he said, 'Lady, Queen, my little daughter, my little girl, I went there to fulfill your orders. The Governor Priest was kind to me, he listened to me, but I think he did not understand me; he did not believe me. So I beg you, my Lady, Queen, my little girl, that you send one of your noblemen; because I am a simple man, I am small, I am like a wood ladder, I need to be guided, so I will fail you, and I don't want you to be angry at me'. She insisted in that he was the one that had to carry Her orders; nobody else. He promised, again, to do as She said.

Next day, Sunday, he went to the Bishop again, and he repeated his story. The Bishop asked him a lot of questions, and finally said that, in order to build a temple, he needed a token, a tangible sign from the Lady.

He came back to Her, told Her everything, and She asked him to come back the next day, and then She would give him the sign he was asking for.

Next day, Monday, Juan Diego did not meet the Lady, because his uncle, Juan Bernardino, was very ill, and he went to visit him. He spent the night there, and next morning, very early, Juan Diego started walking to Tlatelolco, in order to find a priest for his uncle, because he was sure of Juan Bernardino's near death. When he approached the cerrito, he took a different turn, because he didn't want the Lady from Heaven to stop him; he was in a hurry. (He thought that he wouldn't be seen by Her, She that sees everywhere!) But She suddenly appeared in front of him and asked him, 'What happen, my little son? Where are you going?' He was embarrased, and he said, 'My young one, my little daughter, my girl, I hope you are happy; how are you this morning? Do you feel well?' And he told Her that he was going to get a priest, because his uncle was dying. She answered: 'Put this in your heart, my little son: do not be afraid. Am I not here, Me, your mother? Are you not under my shadow, under my care? Am I not the fountain of joy? Are you not in the crease of my cloak, in the fold of my arms? Do you need anything else?' And She told him that his uncle was sound in that very moment.

Then She told him to climb the hill and cut the flowers that were there. He did so, and was very amazed to find a lot of beautiful flowers up there, because it was not the time for them. He cut the flowers and put them inside his tilma (a cloak made by the Indians), and then came back to Her. She took the flowers in Her hands and put them inside the tilma again. And then She sent him to the Bishop, asking him to show what he carried.

Photo: Our Advent candles and replica of Nuestra Señora de Guadelupe at the altar.

When Juan Diego arrived at the palace, he had a long wait to see the Bishop. He told him all the story, about the Lady, the hill, the flowers, the orders from Her. All this time he was holding his tilma, with the flowers inside. Finally, the Bishop asked him to show what he was carrying. When he opened his cloak, the flowers fell to the floor, and there, on the white fabric, was the image of the Lady from Heaven, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe.

Our service was beautiful. Students read the story as the second reading, and Father Alejandro gave a fine homily. May the peace of this season be with all of you as we remember all of our gifts, large and small.


Photo: Father Alejandro blesses students with holy water as they leave mass; Sister Jean looks after her flock.

Guest appearance at the Bootcamp

A one time volunteer, UAC supporter and old friend, Matt Thibodeau, showed up this week in Carmen Pampa. He spent the week sharing with students and cooking for us at the volunteer house. Today he is helping at the bootcamp. Thanks, Matt!


Photo: Matt and Hugh at lunch in the Alto before the bootcamp.

One more!

Gabriel Paco, one of three brothers at the UAC, successfully defended his research project yesterday, comparing composting with and without California redworms, using kitchen scraps, coffee processing waste and cardboard (was generally faster with worms).

Congratulations, Gabriel!


Photo: Francisco Mamani, Humberto Sainz, Gabriel Paco, José Luis Beltrán and Hugh Smeltekop.

Yet another!

We have another UAC graduate, Miguel Quisbert, who did his research project about the toxicity of a medicinal root, maca (Lepidium meyenii), in laboratory mice (the plant was not toxic). This is the third graduate in the veterinary program in two weeks: last week Oscar Nina and Grover Castro successfully defended their projects.

A big congratulations to them all.



Photo: Miguel with his panel of judges (L to R: Agronomy director José Luis Beltrán, Jaime Cahuana, Ramiro Fernandez, Miguel Quisbert and Veterinary/Animal Science director Martín Morales)

Thesis Boot Camp Continues

Weekends are still busy at the Cuartel de Tesis in the Alto. Keep us in your prayers for lots more graduates this year!

Photo: Martin Alejo and Isidro Mamani working to finish their research projects and graduate.


Photo: Hugh and Reinaldo Mendoza in the internet café in the Ceja of the Alto.

Volunteer Wedding

When our volunteer Maria Uchida arrived at the UAC in 2006, no one imagined that she would one day be tying that knot with another member of the Carmen Pampa community.

Walter Cusi is a veterinary student and bread baker for the student food program. A very responsible, serious young man, he and Maria became friends, then one year ago fell in love.

This weekend, Maria and Walter got married in a small ceremony at the Hotel Esmeralda in Coroico with a justice of the peace in the presence of family and friends.

Much love and success to both of you!


Photo: Maria, Walter and their families.

For more photos see:
Hugh's Picasa Pictures
Jenny Uchida's blog

Lorma Flores graduates

Another graduate! Lorma Flores is the newest UAC graduate, a nursing student who defended her research project about the relationship between nutrition and warts. Great job, Lorma!

Photo: Lorma with her newly defended project with our statue of St. Francis on Campus Leahy.

Practice being an agronomist

Last night were the student presentations of módulos, the extra-curricular activities that agronomy students do to pratice what they learn in classes. The student módulos include vegetable production, biological pest control, soil analysis, citrus crop management, biotechnology and more.


Photo: Gustavo and Marcos talk about their soil analysis project.

Each group of students had 10 minutes to talk about the project that they developed throughout the semester.


Photo: Agronomists Desiderio Flores, Hector Espejo, Angelica Salvatierra and department head José Luis Beltrán judge the presentations.

The agronomists on campus served as judges, grading the presentations on content, presentation and ability to answer questions.


Photo: Gabriel and Vlady explain their worm composting project.

Another graduate!

Photo: Hugh Smeltekop, the new graduate Carlos, and his father.


The UAC has a new graduate, Carlos Gutiérrez. He defended his thesis about the control of coffee borer (the worst coffee pest in the yungas) with an extract from the neem tree. He is the second person in his family to graduate from the UAC -- his sister Rosemary graduated from the UAC in 2003, and is now doing her MS at South Dakota State University.

Good job, Carlos!

Thesis Bootcamp

One of our biggest challenges at the UAC right now is getting students to graduate.

Most universities in Latin America require a research project ("thesis") of undergraduate students. Since most of our faculty travel to and from La Paz to teach their classes, they do not have time to develop and manage research programs at the UAC, and are not very available to help students choose and design their undergraduate thesis projects. So the students choose projects that interest them and help their communities, but lack the intellectual and strategic support that they need.

On top of that, since they have finished their classes, most no longer live at the university, so do not have access to their professors and have to fend for themselves economically, too.

The result of this is that many students have done their field research, but have not analyzed or written up their results. Instead -- understandably -- they are working to support themselves and their families who have made great sacrifices for them to study.


Photo: Student Juan Carlos Paco works on his research project about quinoa harvesting.

When Dr. Diane Rickerl was in Bolivia in July with collaborators from tribal colleges from South Dakota and Nebraska, and she talked about the Thesis Bootcamp that she did with her students from the Prairie PhD program, getting the students together with their advisers, stats people, computers and other resources to help them get their these written. We have shamelessly copied her idea, and with funds from South Dakota State University (through the Larson Foundation) -- and with funds forthcoming from FONADAL -- we have put together our own bootcamp, the Cuartel de Tesis.

The Cuartel has two parts. One is to capture the students who are now living in La Paz and the Alto. We have taken over an Internet café in the Ceja of the Alto on Saturdays and Sundays, providing a place for students to come and consult with me and others from the Instituto de Investigación about their stats, writing, and organization of their theses; and also provide a space for them to meet with their advisers.


Photo: "Our" Internet café in the Alto of La Paz.

The second part is a space in the Instituto's offices with computers, printers and access to Instituto staff to help finish up their research projects. The Cuartel also pays for their printing and binding costs, and the fees that the university requires to organize the project reviews and defense.

And we are making progress. Six students have moved on to the review process at the Universidad Católica Boliviana, the last step before the final project defense. And we expect many more to finish the entire process by the end of the year.


Photo: Student Magdelena Colque works on her research project about forage supplements for goats.