UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A course in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences that provides students the opportunity to engage directly with Spanish-speaking farmworkers will return this fall.
Last offered in 2022, Community, Environment and Development 497: Community-Engaged Learning with Pennsylvania Farmworkers, is an out-of-the-classroom, community-engaged course offered through the college.
Led by Kathleen Sexsmith, assistant professor of rural sociology, and Adrian Barragan, associate research professor of veterinary and biomedical sciences, the three-credit course offers students a unique opportunity to delve into immigration, local agriculture and labor issues through regular in-person visits with Latin American farmworkers.
Students gain these firsthand insights through a language partnership with Spanish-speaking immigrant farmworkers on local dairy farms. Students will travel to the farm each week to provide personalized English-language tutoring to workers.
The course also emphasizes a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of immigrant farmworkers, exploring issues such as language barriers in everyday life, dairy farm work, barriers to health care access, and community belonging.
The course is cross-listed with the international agriculture and veterinary and biomedical sciences programs, recognizing its significance as a global learning opportunity for students.
Community Environment and Development 497: Community-Engaged Learning with Pennsylvania Farmworkers is scheduled for the fall semester from 11:15 a.m. to 1:10 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays and welcomes students from all majors. Spanish language proficiency is not required, making it accessible to all participants.
The registration deadline is April 15. To apply for the class, visit this link. For more information, contact Sexsmith at kjs95@psu.edu or Barragan at axb779@psu.edu.