Faculty Members Explore Latin America

An indigenous woman from Peru gathers crops while caring for the llamas near her home.

Wesley College faculty members Dr. Suzanne Fox and Professor Frank Gregory traveled to Peru in Fall 2010 to explore the country and to open the pathway to future study abroad opportunities in Latin America.

Over the past 10 years, the History and American Studies Department at Wesley has taken students, faculty, staff and friends to destinations like Italy and Ireland. "We are going to start to focus on our Latin American studies and the coursework will include material on Peru and other countries," said Department Chair and Professor Dr. Suzanne Fox. "We visited Peru and will visit additional countries to see the feasibility of incorporating these trips into our academic program."

The week-long trip included stops in the capital city of Lima, Cusco and Macchu Picchu. "Cusco is known as the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and there is a lot of poverty," said Fox. "I would like to arrange student exchanges so that students can study in Latin America and also have a positive impact on the area by giving back to the indigenous people." Wesley students also can expect to see additional courses in Latin American studies offered in the future.

While the dramatic changes in altitude and quality of water are a concern in Peru, they are small issues when considering how much students can learn from the experience of studying and traveling abroad. "I got to see places I've never seen and experience new cultures," said senior Christopher Hall, a student who traveled to Italy in spring 2010.

Fox and colleagues in the History Department encourage students to travel while in college because it assists in their maturation process, and is a great time to open one's eyes to new experiences. "I tell students to do it while they're in college, because when you get out you'll be busy doing other things," said Fox.

"When you study a different culture in a classroom you can learn about it, but it's hard to embrace the culture without going there and experiencing it," said senior Alex Lopuchin. "It's cool to study a structure or a building and then go to the sight and know what it is."

Contact Wesley College Professor of History and American Studies Dr. Suzanne Fox at 302-736-2469 or email her for further comment.


Professor Frank Gregory and Dr. Suzanne Fox experience the Peruvian culture while visiting Lima and Cusco in October 2010. The pair hope to offer study abroad trips and coursework in Latin America.