DES MOINES, Iowa -- The Drake University women's golf team will be participating in a 2018 Drake J-Term travel seminar, Chile and the Global Economy, which will take the program to Universidad de los Andes in Santiago, Chile for the next two weeks (Jan. 8-21, 2018).
 
The course instructor, Drake Associate Professor of International Business and Strategy Dr. Matthew C. Mitchell, PhD, has created an academic and cultural endeavor that will include experiential learning.
 
"I hope these Drake student-athletes have an amazing experience in Chile and experience something different, learn something different, eat something different and try something different that they never thought was possible. As a result, I hope they become stronger as individuals and as a team," said Dr. Mitchell.
 
The team will spend the mornings in class and will take cultural trips to San Cristobal Hill, Funicular, and La Moneda; as well as a two-day trip to Valparaiso, Chile.
 
During the two weeks, the team will also have five practices to help prepare for the 2018 season.
 
"There are three components to the trip, it's education, culture, and golf; in that order," said Drake head coach Rachael Pruett. "I want this travel seminar to be what the team talks about when they come back in 10 years after they graduate. I also want them to be able to look back and be glad that they had this once in a lifetime experience."
 
The J-Term trip also supports the Drake University's goal of graduating responsible global citizens, as these student-athletes will be afforded educational and cultural immersion opportunities that cannot be replicated on the golf course or the classroom.