A recent visit to campus by two nursing students from the Autonomous University of Queretaro in Mexico represented the newest addition to an enriching exchange relationship that has run for 15 years.
Hope and the Autonomous University of Queretaro established a formal relationship in 1996 that has since included exchanges of students, faculty, and academic and cultural programs. The nursing exchange began last spring with a visit by seven Hope students and faculty to Mexico, and continued this year with a two-week stay in Holland in April by two students from the university.
During the exchanges, the students have an opportunity to gain insights into nursing practice in the host nation by attending classes, meeting with faculty and students, and visiting hospitals and other health-care-related settings.
Nayelli Margarita Paulino Trejo (pictured at right) and Montserrat Escuder Acosta (pictured at left), who are both entering the final year of their nursing education in Queretaro, were at Hope from Sunday, April 17, through Saturday, April 30.
"I really wanted to know about how health-care is managed - how the students get their knowledge and skills," said Trejo. "I wanted to learn about the culture and the health system, and how they work."
Trejo and Acosta noted that they both enjoyed not only the nursing lessons they learned, but the Hope and Holland communities as well - including even the unusual snowfall on Monday, April 18, and the change from their climate back home.
"It was a wonderful experience. We enjoyed all the time that we spent in the classes and the lab," Acosta said. "We enjoyed meals with the students. The students and professors were friendly with us while we were here."
A new group of seven students and accompanying faculty and staff from Hope will travel to Queretaro later this month, from Friday, May 13, through Tuesday, May 31.