tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-128502132012-02-10T06:40:28.740-04:00The college through the eyes of its Vice Director.Sarahnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2461100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-44794981091114553402012-02-07T15:44:00.003-04:002012-02-07T16:36:04.480-04:00

Today we were honored with a visit from Simon Henshaw, Director of the Office of Andean Affairs of the U.S. State Department. His visit was to catch up on Bolivian affairs and to see what the U.S. government has accomplished -- and we are proud to be considered one of their successes.Mr. Henshaw, here with education student Moeni Rodríguez, toured the new women's dormitory that USAID funded......

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-72726758179561912682012-02-03T17:40:00.003-04:002012-02-03T17:47:06.136-04:00

Today was the inaugural mass for the new semester. The president of the Catholic University of Bolivia, Fr. Hans van den Berg, was the special guest. The bishop reminded everyone present that we are all missionaries, called to serve God through our actions, in search of justice for humankind, each with his of her special gifts.It was an incredible day -- all of the students are back, and excited

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-24033116884003561952012-01-28T10:54:00.004-04:002012-01-28T11:13:33.908-04:00

The new semester is upon us!Wednesday was our faculty meeting, where new and old faculty meet to talk about the new semester. Here Dr. Martin Morales, a past director of the vet department, talks to the faculty about what it means to be a member of the family of the College.Today and Monday are registration days. Here students line up to get registered in the system......and administrators get

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-29953198066069922152012-01-13T14:32:00.005-04:002012-01-13T15:00:00.550-04:00

With every year comes changes, and this year brought about a big one: four of our five majors have new directors!Photo (L to R): Andrés Pardo is still head of the Education program, and Nicanor Cuba (Agronomy), María Esther Estévez (Ecotourism), Patricia Meneses (Veterinary Science) and Angelica Quisbert (Nursing) are new directors. None of the new directors is a stranger to Carmen Pampa. Two of

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-31765558788350056572011-12-21T14:48:00.002-04:002011-12-21T14:58:36.649-04:00

Today veterinary student Luis Miranda defended his graduation project, the use of whey as a supplement to piglet feed. He found that using whey increased the profitability of production, and decreased diarrhea.Luis has been working for the far-off municipality of Alto Beni, helping the local government write grants to make their rural communities more successful. This is a very important job:

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-41360782170629762342011-12-05T12:39:00.004-04:002011-12-05T12:53:30.134-04:00

Sarah and I have held alumni reunions in the past, but the one we organized yesterday in Caranavi is likely to be our last -- because the graduated decided yesterday to form an Alumni Association and organize their own meetings from now on!Photo: Sister Christine Cullen, MFIC, joined the group. Sister Chris helped build the original structures at the College in 1993.After a dip in the pool and

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-91395147004682032022011-11-27T17:56:00.004-04:002011-11-27T18:04:05.946-04:00

Today we had friends over to the house for our annual Thanksgiving feast, in thanks for the wonderful friendships we have here in Bolivia.A happy Thanksgiving to all -- though we celebrate it a bit late, the sentiment is there: all of us here in Carmen Pampa give thanks for the incredible support of all of our bienhechores, contributing with funds, prayer, encouraging words and love that

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-33538184564416185882011-11-27T07:36:00.007-04:002011-11-27T08:45:59.443-04:00

This semester, the College held its science fair in the nearby town of Coroico -- and it was a great success. The day started with a short ceremony in the main square, with opening words from our Bishop Juan Vargas. The judges were professionals from the Ministry of Agriculture and a social project called Why Bolivia.There were research projects about biotechnology, the vocation of rural high

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-61618870632068618732011-11-15T14:49:00.003-04:002011-11-15T15:51:22.173-04:00

Today USAID's Deputy Assistant Administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean, Mark Lopes, came to visit the College. He was greeted with students from Afrobolivian communities playing their traditional dance, the saya.He toured the women's dormitories on Campus Leahy, dormitories that were funded by USAID (through ACDI/VOCA-Bolivia), and listened to the heart-felt stories by students who have

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-83364601965914094322011-11-13T14:50:00.005-04:002011-11-13T15:16:53.329-04:00

We had a special visitor yesterday, Hugo Miranda, a facilitator from the U.N.-sponsored project Ser Boliviano Es ("Being Bolivian Is"). The project was started to help Bolivians see what they have in common, to insipre a feeling of unity, togetherness in the country.The facilitator did a workshop about Wikipedia and a contest to encourage Bolivians to start Wikipedia entries about Bolivian people

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-38262621835695505672011-11-04T14:25:00.005-04:002011-11-04T15:00:52.615-04:00

Give To The Max Day, an annual fundraiser of the Carmen Pampa Fund, is in two weeks.You can create positive change here in Bolivia. Your donation will be part of an upward spiral of change, giving a chance to a young Bolivian woman or man who will then multiply that change until many lives are touched.One such young man is Vicente Manrique who defended his research project today, the 100th

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-40397134903801297022011-11-04T08:19:00.003-04:002011-11-04T08:32:45.540-04:00

This year we sent the students home to celebrate Todos Santos with their families -- and to recruit students for next school year! Though campus was empty of students, there was plenty going on: the fiesta of Todos Santos is one of the most important of the year for our rural communities.I put together this short slide show about the goings on of yesterday at the cemetary.See previous posts about

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-79078455483094731732011-11-01T09:47:00.003-04:002011-11-01T10:40:55.452-04:00

October was a month of many visitors -- and many of them experts, helping the College where help is needed!Two Dutch experts from PUM came to help us analyze our hog, meat processing, coffee and vegetable production businesses. These businesses came to be to help the College earn money and serve as a rural business model. These businesses, however, were not working up to speed, so with the help

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-44163609504025034082011-10-14T21:07:00.003-04:002011-10-14T23:58:33.909-04:00

There was a math and science fair at the elementary school in Carmen Pampa this Wednesday. Juan Velasco and I wandered over to see what was going on, and we were happy to see all of the young ones doing presentations about what they have been learning. Most impressive to me was a education student from the College, Irma Callisaya, who worked with the kindergarten students to teach math operations

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-65417700697771831882011-10-12T01:23:00.002-04:002011-10-12T01:27:31.822-04:00

Confirmation is an important event at the College: students profundizar their faith, and becore more fully integrated into our faith community. The students presented the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit as part of the ceremony: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord. Our Bishop in the Diocese of Coroico, Juan Vargas, lead the mass. Congratulations to

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-90016710789040009572011-10-01T02:57:00.000-04:002011-10-01T02:57:38.378-04:00

Lots of excitement the past few days -- sports, cultural events and fun! The first morning was a new event, cycling. Long jump was a new event, too. Soccer is the perennial fave. There was a distance run, too, about 10 km. Futbal de salón (small-court soccer) is a very common sport at the College. Three sisters played futbal de salón, from different majors (agronomy

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-59597709165100904502011-09-28T00:12:00.000-04:002011-09-28T00:12:26.580-04:00

Today, the first day of the fiesta universitaria, we had a mass then the College admimistration competed in fútsal (small-court soccer), basketball and soccer. It was a beautiful day, and a great start to a full week of activities. Lots more posts to come! Photo: Father Freddy preaches to the student body. Photo: The Campus Manning women's fútsal team.

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-63346424194116520372011-09-25T07:16:00.000-04:002011-09-25T07:16:11.159-04:00

Near the College is a very old "Inca" trail called the Camino de Choro. It starts far above the tree line at 14,500 feet above sea level, and descends over 3 days into lush cloud forest at about 4,000 feet. Toward the end of the trail is a tiny community called Sandillani where there is a community-run ecolodge called Urpuma. That lodge is managed by our student Vidal Pérez, a young man from the

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-24272263960767415972011-09-21T22:42:00.001-04:002011-09-21T22:47:41.588-04:00

Photo: Research proposal writing class, agronomy and veterinary majors I teach the research proposal writing class to agronomy and veterinary students at the College, and one of the activities that we do during the semester is an "elevator talk", a 60 second talk to convince someone in an imaginary elevator to finance their research. It is a lot of fun! and helps the students to frame their

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-30722513410673018442011-09-20T22:51:00.000-04:002011-09-20T22:51:37.760-04:00

Monday the College received the National Director of the European Union's development agency, Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Alternativo (FONADAL), Victor Hugh Almanza. And he came with good news: since the College promotes on-the-ground, grassroots development, FONADAL wants to support the College with business development support and opportunities for students to help develop projects in their

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-12372545255986266312011-08-25T14:09:00.004-04:002011-08-26T01:15:32.332-04:00

Yesterday and today the College was honored to receive Claudio and Stephanie from Cross International, a Christian relief and development ministry that supports good works all over the world. We are pleased to be a recipient of their efforts! They visited the student-run food program that Cross Int'l supports, and visited some local students in their homes. Here Stephanie interviews an agronomy

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-46892130695356974672011-08-13T06:02:00.004-04:002011-08-13T06:08:29.142-04:00

This week, the South Dakota State University chapter of Engineers Without Borders arrived on campus. They are here to help the College and the community analyze and find solutions for problems with water. Welcome! Photo: SDSU's Engineers Without Borders chapter, lead by Professor Bruce Berdanier.

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-41043078030625466672011-08-02T14:59:00.006-04:002011-08-02T20:37:41.480-04:00

Today is the day that indigenous farming communities honor the role they played -- and play -- in the development of the country. From the War of Independence, to the Agrarian Reform, to the establishment of the first indigenous school of Warisata, to the foundation of the College in Carmen Pampa, farmers come from all around the area came to Carmen Pampa to remember the sacrifices they make for

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-82577632128134252952011-07-30T15:42:00.003-04:002011-07-30T16:07:18.653-04:00

Student Carla Taboada defended her graduation project yesterday, an analysis of how elementary school teachers in our municipality accommodate children with special needs. She found that most teachers have special needs children in their classrooms, and modify their lesson plans so that these students can participate in classes with their peers instead of being isolated at home or in a special

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-83622874821770364252011-07-29T00:24:00.004-04:002011-07-29T00:38:10.519-04:00

Photo: Students line up for the flag-raising before the mass.The inaugural mass for this semester was today. The bishop reminded the students of staying faithful to their dreams, even when things seem difficult: it is making it through the difficult times that proves our grit. Keep us in mind and prayer as we start the new semester.Photo: Student Sergio from the agronomy department presents the

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-77537049788790959952011-07-22T09:05:00.003-04:002011-07-22T09:08:00.132-04:00

Second day of sign-up for classes! And the rain continues as students trickle in for the new semester...

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-66965855946320346982011-07-21T16:43:00.003-04:002011-07-21T16:46:00.010-04:00

Today is the first day of sign-up for classes -- and how incredible to see the students, new and old, with their incredible energy and excitement about a new semester. Even the rain doesn't dampen their spirits (though it does muddy our shoes!).

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-82138750033079877822011-06-26T08:48:00.002-04:002011-06-26T08:50:03.123-04:00

Thank you to everyone who attended the Fiesta de Ayni -- supporters came out in record numbers, and the College raised enough for almost 10 more scholarships for students who want to make a difference for their people. GRACIAS!!!!

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-53364755824334521332011-06-26T08:43:00.003-04:002011-06-26T08:48:23.652-04:00

The students from the College who participated in the Ethics conference in South Dakota shared a traditional Bolivian dance at the pow wow in honor of the 2011 graduates of the Oglala Lakota College. They got a warm welcome, from one group of indigenous people to another.

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-31210816718760709402011-06-17T02:21:00.003-04:002011-06-17T02:39:09.714-04:00

This semester, our Director of the College Research Institute co-taught an ethics class with South Dakota State University, Presentation College, Oglala Lakota College and Sisseton Wahpeton Community College. The conference to review the class is in South Dakota, so we came with some students who contributed to the class. This video shows some of our experiences on the first two days.

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-82193372716378081482011-05-30T12:25:00.004-04:002011-05-30T13:02:34.492-04:00

The story of a baptism by volunteer and guest-blogger Mary Murphy. Thanks, Mary!_____________________Why no fleece? Not because fleece would be inappropriate attire, but because of the mixtura.Last weekend I was in La Paz for the baptism of Jhunior Adiel, the newborn son of Marcela, one of my former Education students who finished her coursework in 2010. Marcela asked me to be the madrina of

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-20084312457462385452011-05-24T08:23:00.005-04:002011-05-24T09:34:50.287-04:00

The Carmen Pampa Fund is holding its Fiesta de Ayni -- an annual get-together for supports of the College -- in St. Paul this year. Current students and graduates will be there, real-life examples of who we are -- some of the faces of Carmen Pampa. And my face, too!Please come and join us if you can! The event will be held June 23rd, at 6 p.m. at St. Catherine University, St. Paul, Minnesota (

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-14990553880751358602011-05-22T23:06:00.005-04:002011-05-23T10:52:42.136-04:00

Have you cooked for 35 people recently? Students from the College’s church group did today, under the tutelage of our own Sister Jean Morrissey. The students invited all of the elderly from the community of Carmen Pampa to a big lunch and BBQ chicken, potatoes and cheesy rice, plus cake made by the Poor Claires in Coroico. This is the second year that students have done this kind of outreach. “

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-69554440577187871332011-05-07T16:25:00.004-04:002011-05-07T17:38:58.422-04:00

Today the College lost a son: Student Stephan Campos was found with the wreckage of a small plane that crashed while on a mission for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. He and three other U.N. officials were working on Proyecto F-57, a project to assesses the environmental impact of coca production in Bolivia. The plane was found in the jungle about 60 miles from Carmen Pampa, after

Hughnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-3467220655256431022011-04-28T10:29:00.007-04:002011-04-28T10:50:10.951-04:00

A late posting of some more awesome Holy Week photos.The Via Cruces, carrying the cross around the community to remember the story of the cruxifiction, is always powerful.After the Via Cruces is the adoration of the cross, where all reflect on sacrifice and selflessness.The Saturday night mass is a LONG one, time to remember our origins as Christians, and share as a community.The mass ends with

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-34521865146676592372011-04-21T23:00:00.003-04:002011-04-21T23:07:48.152-04:00

Tonight was the Last Supper mass. Father Carmelo was the celebrant. One of the most touching moments is when the priest washes the feet of the "disciples," in this case, community members.Sister Jean played the music for the mass, accompanied by our Academic Secretary Manuela and some young women from the high school.

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-60343434525266117522011-04-21T15:58:00.004-04:002011-04-21T16:29:51.077-04:00

Yesterday was a good day for the College: two graduates in one morning!The first was Deysi Piloy. She read about the use of table sugar as a treatment for cuts, and thought it might be a good alternative for people in the countryside where medicine is not always available. She compared granulated sugar with iodine to treat cuts at a health post in a community outside of Caranavi, a day's travel

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-13743734799509952882011-04-18T23:33:00.005-04:002011-04-19T00:07:28.155-04:00

Our friend Suzanne Dulle was inspired by Bread for the Journey, a group she volunteered with in Santa Fe. It was started by Wayne Muller, a therapist, minister, community advocate, and bestselling author of several books. The idea behind their work in the community, she recalls, was based on relationships of trust and respect, reflected in careful listening so that people in need can identify

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-76632683146675476162011-04-18T23:17:00.003-04:002011-04-18T23:25:28.133-04:00

Yesterday was Domingo de Ramos -- Palm Sunday -- and as usual, our students did an excellent job with the Passion Play.The mass starts with the priest blessing the palms before giving them out. Instead of a homily, a group of students from the College acted out the story of Christ, from the Last Supper to the entombment. Seeing the story acted out is always so powerful.We are all looking forward

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-41415920380253179612011-04-15T13:33:00.003-04:002011-04-15T14:12:50.793-04:00

I have blogged in the past about our shared insect ecology research project with the Benson Agriculture and Food Institute. Well, the institute is merging with another project, and they had some office equipment that they didn't need any more -- and they thought of us! Photo: Gustavo Troche, Fr. Freddy del Villar, Enrique Cabezas, Elizabeth García and Victor Hugo Agramont.The Bolivian Director of

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-12815781899058975812011-04-08T19:55:00.007-04:002011-04-13T17:35:08.004-04:00

The College has about reached its maximum growth: we want to know every student, and train professionals in every dimension, and knowing them each as a person is part of that. However, we would also like them to be comfortable: many of them still sleep barracks-style, 20 to a room! To help us alleviate this problem, we approached the Japanese Embassy for help -- and they responded! In

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-44188169753949686232011-03-30T07:24:00.004-04:002011-03-30T07:48:21.117-04:00

In December, the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Bolivia, Ms. Yoriko Yasukawa, came to visit the College. Impressed by what she saw, she organized a donation to the College: furniture, computers and box after box of books and journals.Monday we were invited to the U.N. office in La Paz, where there was a short ceremony. "The mission of the United Nations and this university created

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-91578240844950413982011-03-09T07:51:00.004-04:002011-03-09T08:30:53.030-04:00

December through March make up the "rainy season" in our cloud forest region and throughout the country. Around here, this basically means that it rains every day instead of every other day. This results in small annoyances like clothes that never dry on the line and mudmudmud all over everything. In the worst years, like this year, it also means massive flooding in the lowlands, and landslides

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-42312840983660077242011-02-02T21:11:00.000-04:002011-02-03T22:56:56.029-04:00

Last week was registration.Students came from all over to sign up for classes. The ones from far away stayed to get some of their community service work done, and the rest went back home for one last goodbye.Here an agronomy student, Lidia, looks at the class schedule. Our IT man, Diego, checked students into the system.Our accountant Silvia, and her assistant, Silvia, helped students Eddy and

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-55535058346447873972011-01-25T23:21:00.003-04:002011-01-25T23:34:17.904-04:00

January means a meeting with all of the faculty for the coming semester. Contracts are signed, dates and rules are clarified, and most important, the mission of the College is discussed: how do we effectively teach these young people to become excellent professionals and transform society?Some of it is practical and concrete -- how to improve student grammar and spelling across the curricula,

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-70372904701483738962011-01-14T09:18:00.005-04:002011-01-14T09:28:52.786-04:00

Here are some new faces, young people at a mass last night, ready for the entrance exam tomorrow. Father Freddy asked, "Why are you here? Why did you come?" One young woman answered, "I heard it was restful here." "The environment is restful, yes," he responded, "but you will not be resting. Educating yourself is a lot of work, and worth it. You are the answer to the problems that our country

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-22157322534965730322011-01-12T17:30:00.003-04:002011-01-14T09:27:16.248-04:00

Happy New Year, everyone!One of the first tasks of every year is preparation for the College's entrance exam. Since last October, young people from all around have come by the College to sign up to study. This week, these young people have returned for the Semana de Inducción, a week of intensive preparation in math, chemistry and language for the entrance exam on Friday. We have 130 this year

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-61966583062019747852010-12-24T22:38:00.004-04:002010-12-24T22:50:50.168-04:00

Christmas is an experience in Carmen Pampa. Old and young come out for the mass (below, Father Eulogio, preaching)......with children dancing to carols......then hot chocolate for all. The children get presents (thanks, Kimberly, for making that happen!), and there are food baskets for the older community members. It's great to have all the community people together, chatting and sharing.Merry

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-77671743673897348952010-12-22T23:05:00.004-04:002010-12-22T23:21:06.839-04:00

The students left last week, and it was "just us staffpeople" since then. Today was the College's end-of-year staff party, marking the last day of work until the new year. It started with a mass, followed by five-on-five soccer (men) and basketball (women), then a huge BBQ for all. A small gift-exchange and the traditional panetón hand-out rounded out the day.The bishop, official President of

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-72960271762656443422010-12-17T18:44:00.003-04:002010-12-17T19:35:36.205-04:00

A native Andean root crop called racacha produces a corm, a fibrous lump at the base of the plant from which the carrot-like roots grow. This corm is discarded by farmers, but it shouldn't be: it can be peeled, grated, dried and fed to hogs, replacing some of the expensive corn-based feed that hog farmers use around here.Student Irma Villegas demonstrated this with her graduation project: using

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-87918669615531995402010-12-11T07:39:00.004-04:002010-12-14T15:08:50.204-04:00

I knew a guy who met some guy... How many stories start like this, chance occurences that shape the future in unpredictable ways?Andy Engel was traveling in Peru after volunteering as an English teacher at the College, and just happened to meet Michael Schroeder, a history professor at Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania. They discovered that they were both natives of Saint Paul, Minnesota,

Hughnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-91453212020255624792010-12-08T13:45:00.003-04:002010-12-08T15:06:53.890-04:00

Yesterday was an incredible day: we had a visit from the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Bolivia, Ms. Yoriko Yasukawa. She came to see the College and offer support from the many organizations that function under the umbrella of the UN, including the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, UNICEF and many others.Ms. Yasukawa offered to support the College

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-45088843700620745682010-12-05T21:58:00.008-04:002010-12-23T21:43:30.721-04:00

The College had an alumni reunion this Saturday in La Paz -- and it was incredible! About 30 students who work in and around La Paz came and shared food and stories, and we were blessed with the presence of Tara Nolan, the niece of our foundress Sister Damon.There is an Aymara indian tradition of getting together to share food, called an apthapi, a Bolivia potluck. This sharing is saying, "We

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-54848889128379564962010-12-02T08:19:00.004-04:002010-12-02T08:31:02.058-04:00

Today Jimmy Lobaton, a student from the agronomy program, defended his graduation project. It was a business plan to produce and commercialize cassava, a root crop that is the world's third largest source of calories."Presently there are no commercial cassava flour producers in Bolivia -- everything that you find in the supermarket is imported from Brazil," he commented.Jimmy's project has a

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-587195253582067052010-12-01T06:28:00.006-04:002010-12-02T08:35:11.433-04:00

Rubén Ulo has a honey business. He has been working in a settlement near the town of Caranavi for the last two years, training community members how to raise honeybees. The community members bottle their honey in his house, and convince businesses in Caranavi to sell it.It was time to "grow" the business. "The potential for honey in Bolivia is tremendous," he explains. "But we were way below our

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-18602650886636489212010-11-29T23:45:00.005-04:002010-11-30T07:10:33.147-04:00

What do women in the rural, subtropical town of Caranavi think about birth control?That was the question that our latest graduate Daniela Mamani answered with her research project, a project that she defended last week. And the answers were interesting.Women with more children knew a lot more about birth control, as did younger women. Women in rural areas got their information from neighbors,

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-80976245764020549212010-11-22T09:26:00.007-04:002010-11-22T13:43:36.746-04:00

"A university without research is not a university." Father Freddy spoke these words as he opened the College's bi-annual student Science Fair last Friday night.The event opened with a talk by the new Director of the Instituto Interamericano de Cooperación para la Agricultura in Bolivia, Dr. Juan Risi. He talked about the importance of innovation because today, creativity and new ways of

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-85446667519397564862010-11-12T22:00:00.005-04:002010-11-12T22:19:45.479-04:00

The College where I work is an amazing place. The students' dreams for a better quality of life for poor families is palpable, real. That is why I am here: I can't imagine a more incredible way to dedicate a life, my life.But we can't do it alone. Many people contribute to the dream for a better life for empoverished Bolivians, in many, many ways. And we are grateful, always.One way to

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-81783820841678397992010-11-04T23:02:00.004-04:002010-11-04T23:14:36.647-04:00

Last week the niece of the College's foundress, Tara Nolan, was here for a visit as a representative of the Carmen Pampa Fund Board of Directors. She came with our friend Kimberly Lane, and Jorge Crespo, a member of our local board, joined us, too.(Click photo for a larger view. Photo courtesy of Carlos Vaughn.)Fr. Freddy dedicated the mass to Jorge's mother who passed away a few weeks ago.

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-16350333837513556892010-09-08T19:56:00.006-04:002010-09-08T21:06:26.574-04:00

This week was the College's first kermés, a local food festival done to raise funds and share the cooking talents of our students.Students from each major put together their food money and prepared a dish, school faculty/staff and community members bought tickets, and everyone ate together out on the soccer field.Photo: Students line up for their favorite dish.I had pique a lo macho, a pile of

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-72985465221173612402010-09-03T20:33:00.010-04:002010-09-03T21:07:12.823-04:00

Yesterday was the imposición de cofias, the capping ceremony, at the College. After a mass celebrated by our Director General Father Freddy, the fourth semester nursing students were given their caps, a recognition that they are ready for more responsibility in rural clinics and hospitals.Photo: Second year students watch in anticipation for their turn next year.The ceremony is touching: the

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-85337608314292759372010-08-22T21:16:00.002-04:002010-08-22T21:29:16.065-04:00

Yesterday student Freddy Villca became our latest graduate, defending his project working with elementary school children in his home community, Charazani (I visited his home in 2008 -- the story is here). He discovered that the school needed more orientation regarding waste management, and worked with school teachers and administrators to develop an education and infrastructure plan to deal

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-58817938846909013532010-07-24T10:42:00.005-04:002010-07-24T12:07:21.188-04:00

Last March, radio producer Susan Cahill, from a program called "Different Voices" in Ireland, spent a week in Bolivia to create a show about food security and coca in Bolivia. Ms. Cahill was guided by our visiting scholar Kyle Piispanen, who appears on the show, as well as our very own Sister Jean Morrissey and a student at the College!The show highlights the College's efforts to reduce poverty

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-13052913307586807972010-07-15T16:30:00.000-04:002010-07-15T17:25:17.255-04:00

The College was highlighted in the on-line newspaper GlobalPost today, as part of a year-long series on global education. The author, John Enders, visited the College last December, on recommendation of long-time supporter Jorge Crespo, a former Bolivian Ambassador to the U.S., and good friend of the College.The reporter John Enders has been reporting in the Americas for over 30 years, and we

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-50008669291594128172010-06-10T15:04:00.004-04:002010-06-10T16:23:24.952-04:00

There are some incredible birds around Carmen Pampa, called crested oropendulas. They are related to oriels, and they make fascinating hanging nests.Here they are called uchis, and our student Maritza Yanarico studied them for her graduation project. She followed their life cycle and eating habits in Carmen Pampa, examining ten groups of nests.They are highly social birds, working as a team to

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-65146368421260622222010-06-09T14:08:00.004-04:002010-06-10T16:22:04.583-04:00

Smith College professor and friend of the College Mary Murphy wrote about one of our star visiting professionals, David Flannery._________________________________After a career in education spanning nearly half a century, visiting professional David Flannery has reached that stage of life in which many of his peers spend their days playing golf, relaxing with family, or schmoozing with other

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-87098275015463617522010-05-24T10:28:00.006-04:002010-05-24T21:14:46.224-04:00

Lucía Cuno grew up in the tiny community of Mangopata, where undulating hills melt into tropical forest. The community, recently settled, didn't have good roads or a health post, or even a high school. When Lucía finished 6th grade, her father said, "We can't afford to send Lucía to high school -- it is too far away, and she will just end up a housewife anyway." But Lucía had her mind set, and

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-25654601820510141372010-05-13T23:27:00.004-04:002010-05-13T23:44:03.948-04:00

Becky, former volunteer and great friend, agreed to share her thoughts about her visit on the blog.______________________It has been seven years since I lived in Carmen Pampa and worked at the UAC-CP and three years since I visited. I attended the Ayni Festival that the Carmen Pampa Fund and St. Catherine University hosted last week in St. Paul, MN. After seeing the video I was prepared for big

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-71710956308537907342010-04-29T09:21:00.006-04:002010-04-29T12:10:10.350-04:00

Yesterday afternoon I made the 15-minute walk between our two campuses. Half way down the path, I met an agronomy student, a young woman named Fanny Mamani. ¿Cómo estás? I asked. Un poco cansada -- A little tired, she responded -- I came from Caranavi yesterday. How did you get here? I asked. Isn't there a blockade? Since Monday, farmers in Caranavi have been protesting a decision by the

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-4171813717503344402010-04-27T13:08:00.003-04:002010-04-27T13:20:00.415-04:00

Our work at the College is possible only through the efforts of many, many people, contributions made according to each person's gifts and means. We celebrate these many contributions with the Fiesta del Ayni, the Carmen Pampa Fund's annual fund-raising get-together. This year, the event is on May 6th from 6-9 p.m. at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota. The inspiring Sister Damon

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-15597818492717206032010-04-27T12:12:00.004-04:002010-04-27T13:07:45.511-04:00

Two weeks ago, we had another first at the College: the first student to graduate with the new graduation option, a business plan. Most students at the College do a research project for their graduation requirement, but we found that students who wanted to start a business were at a disadvantage. Two years ago we asked Catholic University of Bolivia (our academic home) for permission to

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-87740613631909143182010-04-23T11:03:00.001-04:002010-04-23T16:53:22.087-04:00

Bolivia used to have a shortage of teachers in rural areas, so gifted high school graduates were invited to teach in rural schools. As more students graduated from Bolivia's teaching colleges, these maestros interinos were asked to get their teaching certificates or leave the profession.In 2003, the College in Carmen Pampa started offering an elementary school teaching degree to these maestros

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-64313589492630137312010-04-16T18:35:00.003-04:002010-04-16T18:44:00.837-04:00

A student named Carmen Pampa, from our community of the same name, defended her senior project today, the fifth in the Education department. She studied how elementary students understand their environment.Carmen's father was a librarian at the College, and died in 2003 of tuberculosis. Her mother, who turned to raising chickens with her sons who study vet/animal science at the College, served

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-82905363792045347062010-04-15T22:12:00.005-04:002010-04-15T22:58:57.158-04:00

This week, two members of the Carmen Pampa Fund Board of Directors, Ann Leahy and Tara Nolan, were at the College to do collaborative planning for the next six months, and share our respective successes and challenges. With Ann and Tara's energy and good will, and the spirit present at the College, I think that there is no challenge to great.And here we are: (L to R) your truly, Director of

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-38108965654172457102010-04-15T16:24:00.004-04:002010-04-15T17:12:41.275-04:00

Coca is a plant with a long and complex history. Considered the mother of all plants, it has many traditional uses among indigenous people of the Andes. It wasn't until cocaine was isolated from the leaves in the mid 1800s that it developed its current reputation as a narcotic -- and when used traditionally, it is not considered a vice. It still has an important place in Andean society.To grow

Hughnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-15983495268865347172010-04-08T14:03:00.004-04:002010-04-09T08:12:08.758-04:00

Sarah Purcell joined us in Carmen Pampa as a recent graduate in international political economy from the University of California at Berkeley. She is currently collaborating with the student-run food cooperatives at the College*, intending to improve campus-wide nutrition through various approaches. She explainsA long-term yet attainable goal would be the integration of the campus's organic

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-84021134481521652252010-04-04T10:05:00.003-04:002010-04-04T22:12:01.954-04:00

Here are some pictures from our Easter here in Carmen Pampa.Here is Father Freddy blessing palms on Palm Sunday.The students did the passion play -- and a student named Jesús played Jesus.A crowd of people from the congregation -- kids, mostly -- stood and followed Jesus as he carried the cross around the church. They were laughing and whispering and taking pictures and carrying on, which I

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-15137924878996359342010-03-21T00:14:00.004-04:002010-03-21T00:34:01.145-04:00

Rural Andean Bolivia is made up of small-scale farmers that feed large urban populations with poor access to markets, political instability, no mechanized equipment, and in altitudes of up to 13000 feet -- or more. Kyle Piispanen came to study this phenomenon as a graduate student in Applied Anthropology at Oregon State University, and is sharing his ecologist skills by teaching a tropical

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-1822393447872870042010-03-20T23:00:00.005-04:002010-03-21T00:11:12.457-04:00

Yesterday was the anniversary of the nursing department -- and it was incredible to see all of the young women and men in their "hospital whites"! It was a beautiful day, with a mass and a toast to these amazing young people, followed by a dance on the basketball court. Congratulations to these exceptional young women and men.Here students prepare for the anniversary mass.Two students with

Hughnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-76179410336915341872010-03-20T22:32:00.003-04:002010-03-20T22:59:33.516-04:00

One of the students that I supervised, Sonia Moy, graduated yesterday -- she studied the life cycles of two butterflies, Mechanitis lysimnia elisa (Lysimnia clearwing)and Phoebis philea philea (orange-barred sulphur). These species are common in the area, and of commercial value. The project benefited the Nayriri Butterfly house, community-run project at the end of the Inca Trail near the

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-2675624009397395842010-03-15T22:12:00.006-04:002010-03-15T22:45:36.950-04:00

Saturday was the day to see students successfully defend their graduation projects.First was Ramiro, the third education EVER to finish his degree. He worked with elementary students in Guanay, his home town 6 hours from the College, to see how students understood garbage and what happens to it -- and he found that they have a LOT to learn.Photo: Ramiro with his defense committee.Juan Pedro

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-4508026211523909172010-03-12T21:49:00.006-04:002010-03-13T00:19:15.618-04:00

Two more grads! Yesterday was vet student Dani Chambilla, the sister of graduate Rosa and tourism student Guido. She looked at different methods of measuring bacterial contamination of milk from udder infections (mastitis), and found that the California Mastitis Test was reliable and easy for farmers to use.Photo:Dani with her defense committee and her two children.Today was education student

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-764343890934133662010-03-10T14:16:00.002-04:002010-03-10T15:02:55.656-04:00

In December of 2008, President Evo Morales established the National Service of Competency Certification. Under the supervision of the Ministry of Education, this entity gives certificates to workers recognizing outstanding skills gained in the School of Life.This weekend, a graduate of the College, Miguel Ángel Sánchez, stopped by the house, and explained that he and another four graduates are

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-17603128387182567142010-03-03T13:43:00.004-04:002010-03-03T18:21:34.906-04:00

Friday, student Joel Bautista successfully defended his graduation project about the adaptation of different forrages to the local ecosystem. He tried out five species suggested by our collaborators at Brigham Young University, and found that weeping lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula) adapted well to our environment, and that this species could be cultivated to feed cattle, or even dry and sell as

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-36861949502639528132010-02-19T11:47:00.006-04:002010-02-19T13:25:25.549-04:00

This week was a special week for Bolivia. A mix of indigenous Andean and Catholic traditions make the days leading up to Ash Wednesday -- know here are Carnavales -- a time of giving thanks to God and God's many manifestations. In and around Carmen Pampa, people decorate their houses with streamers and confetti, set off fire crackers and sprinkle alcohol in thanks to the Virgin (conceived as

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-5223712479415596962010-02-06T15:01:00.003-04:002010-02-06T15:17:02.399-04:00

This week, Father Freddy and I met with the students from each of the 5 majors, and with the students in the Pre-University program. We wanted to greet the new students in each major, and talk about the mission of the College, and our wishes for them.It was also an opportunity for the students to share their concerns, from a light that is not working in the dorm, to concerns about how the

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-1011297493066695932010-02-03T14:06:00.006-04:002010-02-04T11:51:41.422-04:00

The family of graduates grew by two last Wednesday, two students from old times.The first was María Rey, wife of 2008 graduate Martín Alejo. She did a survey examining what people know about leishmaniasis, a parasite that destroys human tissue, leading to disfiguration and worse. Maria discovered that the groups that knew the littlest about this disease were older women and people that spoke

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-68915593558684648632010-01-17T15:09:00.004-04:002010-01-17T15:46:43.324-04:00

A short while back, I visited a project that some graduates of the College started a year ago. The project, called SIEMPRE FORJA, has it base in a small colony near the town of Palos Blancos called Brecha B. It is about 5 hours from the College via a series of mad taxi rides on dusty roads. (Sarah wrote about it last year on her blog Uchumachi.)The project has grown and changed over the past year

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-90712686536888681932009-12-26T12:30:00.003-04:002009-12-26T12:50:24.679-04:00

Every vacation at the College, some students stay with us to help maintain the gardens, care for the animals and repair the dorms. Sister Jean bought food for the students to make a Christmas Day meal. Roasted chicken, potatoes, sweet potatoes, sweet plantains, and salad. Yum!In the evening, Sister Helena and her nephew Sean came from Coroico to have dinner with Sister Jean, Sister Carmen and

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-81273450334723429892009-12-26T11:37:00.003-04:002009-12-26T12:29:05.729-04:00

The Midnight Mass in Carmen Pampa is a sight to behold. Every year, women from the community teach the children a dance -- and this year it was a dance of angels.I don't know what happened to my camera, but the effect is kinda cool.

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-38341344910231383322009-12-17T09:41:00.005-04:002010-01-17T15:08:52.424-04:00

Federico Carrizales has been in Carmen Pampa for much of his life. After being orphaned, he and his sisters were taken in by Sister Damon to finish high school in Carmen Pampa. Federico's sister Cecilia, and later his other sister Claudia, came to the College and graduated; with a final push from Sister Chris, Federico's graduation marks the fulfiling of a promise made to Sister Damon: graduate

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-81900136740864092962009-12-04T20:00:00.004-04:002009-12-05T08:45:14.216-04:00

Today we had an Advent service with all of the departments at the College. Our Director Father Freddy gave a short presentation about the liturgical focus of each of the four weeks, and Sister Marleny lead us in a reflection interspersed with singing.The reflection focused on preparing your heart for Christmas. How can better put into practice our love for our brothers and sisters in the world?

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-31273082280121173722009-11-26T19:15:00.006-04:002009-11-27T10:33:11.692-04:00

November 20th brought two new professionals into the family of graduates at the College. In the morning, Juan Carlos Ballivian defended his research project analyzing a survey of families in the municipality where the College is located (Municipalidad de Coroico). His results showed that most families have from 4 to 6 members (though some had as many as 12!), and that families on our side of the

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-71031645182211102442009-11-26T19:00:00.002-04:002009-11-26T19:06:33.656-04:00

We have so much to be thankful for here in Carmen Pampa, but the thing that I appreciate the most is the opportunity to do something meaningful with my life that I also love to do. And surrounded by wonderful people!We celebrated Thanksgiving early this year, on last Sunday, and invited the Franciscan Sisters, the priests from Coroico, and some friends from along the way. We were going to have

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-68506056256790021792009-11-18T21:01:00.003-04:002009-11-18T21:12:38.528-04:00

Our professors who teach on Campus Manning (vet, tourism and nursing professors) were living in an old building from way back, when the Franciscan Sisters and Xaverian Brothers ran the high school. This year, we are adding a second floor and remodeling the whole thing. This is how it looks so far:One of our "indispensables" is Donato Monrroy, our Campus Manning maintenance man and keeper of

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-15629625538645032692009-11-05T21:12:00.003-04:002009-11-05T21:40:07.171-04:00

The second day of Todos Santos, November 2nd, people go from house to house, visiting and praying for the souls visiting from the Other Side. Tara Nolan and I did some visiting Monday in San Pedro, a nearby community where some students at the College come from.We prayed for the souls of the Mamani family, then watched as kids came in to pray. Around noon, the souls leave the house for the

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-71095629862139636022009-11-02T21:00:00.004-04:002009-11-02T21:56:47.165-04:00

Todos Santos, All Saints Day, is a special time for the families around Carmen Pampa. The souls of departed family members return to the community once per year, and visit their living relatives. Last night I went up to the neighboring community Chovacollo to see friends and pray for the souls that were at their houses, visiting.At one compadre's house, the family was up baking bread for the

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-28114785102387135042009-11-02T18:01:00.004-04:002009-11-03T09:42:32.703-04:00

Sister Damon Nolan's niece Tara Nolan and I went to see Javier Álvarez this weekend to chat about the College's coffee project. Javier used to organize the coffee purchases from communities around the College. When Tara asked about what he is doing now, he told us part of his life story.Javier and his wife studied at another campus of Catholic University on the Bolivian Altiplano, and Javier

Hughnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-80900383804165933472009-11-02T13:24:00.004-04:002009-11-02T20:58:58.021-04:00

Last week the College had two more graduates, both in the agronomy department.First was Rosemary Gutiérrez who compared 5 different varieties of beans here in Carmen Pampa, and discovered that two of the five were good producers, especially when inoculated with a bacteria that helps the plants get the element nitrogen from the atmosphere. Beans are important because they can improve protein

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12850213.post-37810722131497349492009-10-10T14:55:00.005-04:002009-10-15T17:23:28.004-04:00

Last summer, Smith student Catherine Moriarty came to the College for an internship with Mary Murphy, Smith professor and long-time friend. Since then, she has graduated from Smith with a bachelor’s degree in Latin American Studies and a minor in Spanish, and returned to the Carmen Pampa as a visiting professional (volunteer). She has quickly become a key piece of the English program in our

Hughnoreply@blogger.com0