Gina Dow is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Denison University. For the Spring 2023 semester, she is teaching a Denison Seminar. Denison Seminars are a crucial part of Denison’s curriculum that hope to internationalize the learning experience of Denison students. The Spring 2023 seminar focuses on the effects of social policy in the lives of individuals, families, and children in Licking County, Ohio and Quito, Ecuador.

This course (DS 251) is connected with the Service learning course (PRC 2000) offered by Karla Diaz Freire at the University of San Francisco (USFQ) in Quito, Ecuador. The curricula of both these classes are tied in a way that the students in both courses will interact virtually with each other during the semester. By partnering with Diaz who has expertise in social work, this course will benefit from Dow’s experience in the US and Diaz’s knowledge about social issues in Ecuador.

As a part of this Seminar, Denison students will travel to Quito, Ecuador during Spring Break, 2023. During this week-long study trip, students from both classes will learn together in-person. They will meet with social service providers, local community members, scholars, and advocates.

The entire city of Quito was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1978 and as a part of the experience, students will visit important cultural and historical sites in and around Quito.

February 17, 2023