SAN JOSE, Costa RicaThis summer, Anthony Chamberlain celebrated 20 years of serving as the director of BestSemesters Latin America Studies Program (LASP), based in San Jose, Costa Rica. Since he began in 1980, more than 1600 students have gone through the program.
Chamberlains expertise in Costa Rican culture is further demonstrated in his book, Privatization in Costa Rica: A Multi-Dimensional Analysis, published in 2006. The book provides an assessment of the last 25 years of privatization efforts in Costa Rica, and argues that one-dimensional thinking about the privatization of state services is misdirected. A historical perspective on privatization in general within the context of commercial globalization is followed by a review of Costa Ricas political economy and its integration into a global market in terms of privatization.
Anthonys passion to engage students and help them understand the history and culture of Latin America in the context of North America has been key to the success of the Latin American Studies Program, says Kyle Royer, CCCU vice president, finances & administration.
For more about LASP, visit
www.bestsemester.com/laspThe 12 semester- or summer-long student programs offered by the CCCU are categorized as either culture-shaping programs or culture-crossing programs. Culture-shaping programs are: American Studies Program (Washington, D.C.); Contemporary Music Center (Nashville, Tenn.); Los Angeles Film Studies Center (L.A., Calif.); and Washington Journalism Center (Washington, D.C.). Included in the culture-crossing programs are: Australia Studies Centre; China Studies Program; Latin American Studies Program; Middle East Studies Program; Programmes in Oxford; Russian Studies Program; and Uganda Studies Program. All programs undergo regular site visit evaluations by the Student Academic Programs Commission (SAPC).
The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities is a higher education association of 185 intentionally Christ-centered institutions around the world. There are now 110 member campuses in North America and all are fully-accredited, comprehensive colleges and universities with curricula rooted in the arts and sciences. In addition, 75 affiliate campuses from 24 countries are part of the CCCU. The Councils mission is to advance the cause of Christ-centered higher education and to help its institutions transform lives by faithfully relating scholarship and service to biblical truth.