A world of learning: Madagascar

The course: LIME (Lafayette Initiative for Malagasy Education) 

The experience: For over a decade, Lafayette students have been traveling to Madagascar to mentor Malagasy students in preparation for pursuing higher education in the United States. In January, 11 students accompanied by Hannah Tatu, ITS user services specialist, and Arthur Kney, professor of civil and environmental engineering, made the long journey to guide 80 students in their work toward taking the SATs and English language proficiency tests at Lycee Andohalo in Antananarivo, the capital city of Madagascar.

“The Lafayette LIME mentors prepare lessons for the weekdays they are in the classroom, and as a result they form friendships that will last through the years with the Malagasy LIME students,” Tatu says. “The trip was an incredible bonding experience for all of us at Lafayette, and our students showed courage and true flexibility in the face of adversity.”

“The trip was impactful in many ways, foremost the opportunity to support and prepare the Malagasy students for their college entrance testing through the lessons and encouragement delivered by our students,” Kney adds. “With the help of Hannah [Tatu], David Stifel, and myself, our students prepared their lessons throughout the fall semester. I have never helped lead a trip where our students were so engaged, excited, and willing to push through all kinds of challenging situations with positivity that enabled them to connect to others in such meaningful and lasting ways. I am grateful I had the opportunity to be a part of the LIME program.”