Honors Students Study in Peru

For 10 days in May, a contingent of 16 NJCU students traveled to Peru to study the country’s agriculture, history, economy, and geography. Led by Assistant Biology Professor Terry Kamps and Assistant Professor of Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies Virginia Ochoa-Winemiller, the trip was the culmination of the interdisciplinary course Food, Place, and Cultural Performance in Peru. In this honors program, students explored how food choices are driven by culture and may be transformed by globalization, rural to urban migration, diaspora, and other mitigating factors. During their visit, the students journeyed across the country—from Lima to Cusco to Valle Sagrado to Machu Pichu—to visit plantations, an organic farm, archaeological sites, and museums. NJCU Honors courses customarily have a study abroad component that complements the rigors of classroom work. This is in line with the University’s ongoing mission to promote student engagement in a culturally complex world. Currently, NJCU offers study abroad opportunities in nearly 50 countries to better allow students to grow academically, culturally, and personally in an increasingly globally-connected world.