HECUA INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS
ECUADOR
COMMUNITY INTERNSHIPS IN LATIN AMERICA
Explore competing and collaborating visions for social change. Experience the rich political, cultural, and geographical diversity of Ecuador.
Quito, Ecuador
Quito, Ecuador
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
In 2008, Ecuadorians voted in a referendum to adopt a new constitution. Progressives were enthusiastic about the document and the promises of then-President Rafael Correa. That enthusiasm later waned, and HECUA’s Community Internships in Latin America (CILA) program examines why.
CILA students analyze the ideals embodied in Ecuador’s 2008 Constitution and the challenges involved in applying those goals. References to policy changes proposed by then-President Lenin Moreno are preserved here as historical context, not current political information.
Based in Quito, the program combines a project-based internship, coursework on the promise and challenges of development, and field visits ranging from the Pacific coast to the Amazon River Basin. Students live with host families in Quito and begin internships with community organizations during the third week of class.
Past internship sites include Granja Integral Pachamama, El Churo Comunicación, and Casa Matilde. Placements are historical examples and are not guaranteed.
PROGRAM STRUCTURE
- Classroom learning consists of two three-hour seminars taught in Spanish.
- Students spend 20–25 hours per week at their internship placement for the duration of the program.
- The class completes three field visits to regions outside Quito.
- Students begin their internships during the third week of class.
TOPICS & THEMES
- Community participation
- Social movement theory
- Gender issues
- Globalization
- Indigenous peoples' movements
- Afro-Ecuadorian communities
- International development
- Environmental justice
People & Curriculum
FACULTY & COURSES
FACULTY
01
Martha Moscoso
Program Director
Martha Moscoso is a sociologist and historian with an advanced degree in Sociology of Development from Sorbonne University in Paris and a master's degree in Andean History from FLACSO in Quito.
She has researched women’s studies, gender studies, and Indigenous community history, and has published in Ecuadorian and Latin American books and journals. Her education research was supported by the University of Geneva and the International Bureau of Education–UNESCO. She is a member of the Institute of Ecuadorian Studies (IEE) and the Atelier of Historical Studies (TEHIS), and participates in a Citizen Assembly focused on local participation and social change.
02
Adriana Corti
Program Assistant & Field Trip Coordinator
Adriana Corti received her bachelor's degree in Linguistics and Literature from the Catholic University of Quito, with minors in International Relations and Business. As an undergraduate, she interned with the Ecuadorian Ministry of Foreign Relations in Economic Promotion and later worked in IBM's Learning Services department.
Since 2001, she has held a coordination position with HECUA's Ecuador programs. Her interests include family, community development, and international travel. She speaks Spanish, English, Danish, some French, and some Portuguese and German.
03
María Andrade Chalán
Instructor
María Vicenta Andrade Chalán holds a Master's in Local Development with a concentration in Social Movements from Salesian University in Quito, a Diploma in Political Participation, Management and Development in the Local Area from the University of Valencia, and a degree in Management for Sustainable Local Development.
She teaches the Political and Development Seminar and has worked in adult education with social organizations, Indigenous communities, and rural women. Her work includes Indigenous peoples, social movements, multinationality, interculturality, gender, women’s human rights, and social research. She speaks Spanish, Kichwa, and English.
COURSES
Politics and Development in Ecuador
Examines Ecuador’s development challenges and political context, including development strategies over the past 50 years and the model expressed in the 2008 Constitution. Topics include history, Sumak Kawsay/Buen Vivir, Yasuní, Indigenous and Afro-Ecuadorian perspectives, mangroves, food sovereignty, solidarity economy, women in policymaking, and sexual identities.
Community Participation and Social Change
Studies Quito’s social, cultural, political, and popular culture through lectures, discussions, creative activities, site visits, and engagement with organizations working for social change. A creativity workshop supports reflection and integration into Ecuadorian life.
Ecuador Internship
A structured, guided, and monitored internship at a Quito community organization. Students support social-change projects and document their work in a journal; evaluation includes feedback from the internship supervisor and program faculty.
Independent Study Project
A guided research paper on a student-selected topic, recommended but not required to relate to the internship. Methods may include interviews, surveys, life stories, field research, theoretical analysis, and literature review. Papers may be written in Spanish or English depending on home-institution credit requirements.
Community-Based Learning
INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCES
Past placements have included community environmental work, cycling advocacy, women’s economic empowerment, and independent media. Actual placements can change according to organizational needs.
Acción Ecológica
Visit organizationStudents work on environmental issues related to declining fish stocks associated with oil exploitation and water and land pollution caused by oil leaking and spraying. Work often involves research and writing, with possible connections to international environmental organizations.
Biciacción
Visit organizationBiciacción promotes bicycle use in Quito and beyond as an alternative form of transportation and a way to reduce air pollution. Students help organize bike tours, create publicity and marketing, and learn bicycle maintenance.
Granja Integral Pachamama
A collaborative community organic farm formed by women who have escaped poverty and violence. Members grow produce, raise cuy, and market products locally while developing technical and interpersonal skills supporting self-sufficiency and economic independence. HECUA students have participated in harvesting and market sales.
El Churo Comunicación
Visit organizationA youth collective using music, graffiti, guerrilla art, and radio to share information about rights and support recognition in society. Its grassroots work has included arts and cultural events, radio workshops, public demonstrations, and online radio.
Planning Your Program
PROGRAM COSTS & SCHOLARSHIPS
FEE BREAKDOWN
The supplied program fee includes group transportation to field sites, planned group excursions, lodging, meals, local transportation, medical insurance, and administrative costs. Students are placed in individual homestays, and meals are provided by the host family.
HECUA-listed costs may not equal the final amount charged by a student’s home college or university. Colleges may add fees, charge their own tuition, or apply specific financial-aid rules. Confirm total cost with the home institution’s off-campus-study and financial-aid offices. A comprehensive fee breakdown is available through the Program Costs page.
MEMBER SCHOOLS
Members of the HECUA consortium$18,100CHECK MEMBER SCHOOL STATUSNON-MEMBER SCHOOLS
Schools outside the HECUA consortium$18,900CHECK SCHOOL STATUSSCHOLARSHIPS
HECUA distributes three scholarships to students from consortium member schools.
- Scholarship for Racial Justiceup to $4,000
- Scholarship for Social Justiceup to $1,500
- Scholarship for Community Engagementup to $750 for semester-long programs and $500 for short-term programs
Prepare for Quito
PRACTICAL INFORMATION & APPLY ONLINE
LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS
The equivalent of two years of college Spanish is required. Ecuadorian Spanish is generally spoken clearly and at a relaxed pace, offering an environment for students to gain confidence and fluency.
Lectures and class discussions are conducted entirely in Spanish, and readings are mostly in Spanish. Certain papers may be written in English or Spanish. Internships and field projects require Spanish. Students needing additional assistance may attend optional weekly language instruction during the first month.
HOMESTAYS IN QUITO
Homestays are provided for the duration of the semester. Many families have hosted HECUA students for ten or more years and are familiar with helping students feel comfortable, preparing nutritious food, and introducing students to a family routine.
The source describes families as middle- or upper-middle-class and living in secure Quito neighborhoods. Some include students in outings and events while others provide more independence; households may include children of various ages. Accommodations are arranged before the program begins, and host families greet students at the airport upon arrival.