Leadership Institute: Spanish Language & Community Engagement in Spain

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Improve your Spanish language skills with formal training as you explore Madrid and Andalucía’s vibrant cultural landmarks and hidden treasures.

  • Community Service

  • Language

WHY STUDY LANGUAGE IN SPAIN?

After your pre-travel virtual workshops, embark on a journey through Spain, where history, culture, sustainability, and community engagement come alive. Your adventure begins in the vibrant capital city Madrid, where you’ll explore iconic landmarks, immerse yourself in Spanish culture, and discuss the importance of community engagement, setting the stage for your transformative experience.

From Madrid, you’ll travel to Granada, a city renowned for its rich heritage, stunning architecture, and vibrant cultural life. Granada is a melting pot of history and tradition, offering a unique backdrop for your exploration of community initiatives. You’ll participate in intensive Spanish language training, sharpening your skills to better connect with local communities and fully immerse yourself in the experience. Each day offers new opportunities to explore the city, engage with local leaders, and participate in interactive workshops that emphasize the significance of inclusive community-building.

Experience the warmth and hospitality of Granada during weekend homestays, allowing you to connect with local families and contribute to meaningful community projects. These homestays provide a unique chance to forge connections and make a lasting impact, deepening your understanding of the community’s social fabric.

From thought-provoking discussions at local forums to hands-on activities in community gardens and cultural centers, your experiential adventure continues. Explore the vibrant arts scene, take part in local festivals, and discover innovative approaches to community development. Discover initiatives that emphasize sustainable community practices, visit local NGOs, and witness the powerful role of cultural preservation in fostering community resilience.

This journey is a vibrant blend of cultural exploration, language learning, community engagement, and social impact. During your program wrap-up, finalize your community action plan/project for your return home.

After you return home, reconnect with your group virtually to report on the progress of your action plan/project.

LEARN BY DOING

The Experiment’s programs are designed to build skills that will help you succeed. In Spain, you will learn: 

Technical Skills

  • Spanish language 

Interpersonal Skills

  • Intercultural communication
  • Problem-solving
  • Adaptability
  • Relationship-building  

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

  • The Experiment Leadership Institute participants participate in pre-travel and post-travel programming virtually with their Experiment group. 
  • Outdoor activities include hiking and water activities such as swimming. 
  • Temperatures and humidity can be very high in Spain during the summer. 
  • Students will explore urban life on foot (lots of walking!) and learn to navigate the public transit system.
  • During this program, you will stay with a host family during the weekends and at a student dormitory (residencia) during the week.
  • Cities in Spain are increasingly vegetarian/vegan-friendly and gluten-free options are not difficult to find.  
  • Access to the internet is limited and internet speeds and connectivity vary. 
  • The diverse personal and social identities of participants may, in part, shape their experience abroad. In-country partners will discuss cultural norms and the local context during orientation. Please read our approach to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for further information. All students will have a safe space within the program spaces and with the local staff and group leaders.
  • The Experiment program structure is rooted in experiential learning and cohort-based learning. The participant group experience is a major source of learning for Experimenters and is facilitated by trained Experiment group leaders. 

Program Eligibility

To be accepted, all prospective Experimenters must have completed their 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th-grade year but have not yet entered college or university and demonstrate the following admissions criteria through their online application and interview:

  • Motivation to participate in an Experiment program;
  • Ability to work in a group setting (in school or outside of school) with peers and adults from diverse backgrounds;
  • Proven maturity;
  • Open-mindedness and curiosity about Costa Rican life and culture; and
  • Obtain a passport that is valid through at least February 28, 2025.

Leadership Institute applicants must also have:

  • Leadership potential shown through community and/or school involvement;
  • Commitment to participating in virtual pre-program workshops and sessions and a post-program community action project; reliable internet access during the pre-and post-program components; and
  • Demonstrated interest in climate change, climate justice, or conservation and environmental work.
  • Alumni of past Experiment Abroad programs are not eligible for the Leadership Institute.

Our admissions and program staff will manage the interview and selection process. Participants will be selected through a transparent, verifiable process based on demonstrated interests and potential, reference form, and personal interviews. Interviews will focus on the applicant’s interest in and commitment to high-quality leadership, global competency, civic responsibility, community engagement, and their enthusiasm for participating and completing the follow-on programming. Leadership Institute participants who complete the program, including pre-and post-program components, will receive a digital certificate of completion.

Applicants will also be evaluated on the following characteristics:

  • Excellent social and communication skills;
  • An energetic, positive attitude;
  • Group-oriented and ability to work within a diverse team
  • Ability to implement projects that benefit the applicant’s school and/or community;
  • Demonstrated ability to reflect on learning; and
  • Demonstrated potential to follow through with projects and apply what one has learned to new projects, initiatives, or plans.

How to Apply

  1. Go to the Apply page.
  2. On the Program Selection page, choose Leadership Institute: Climate Change in Costa Rica or Leadership Institute: Spanish Language & Community Engagement in Spain for your first- and/or second-choice program.
  3. Select a program that is not part of The Experiment Leadership Institute for your third choice. We will consider your application for this third program if you are not accepted to The Experiment Leadership Institute.
  4. The application deadline for the competitive Leadership Institute summer is January 15.

Need-Based Leadership Institute Scholarships

All Leadership Institute scholarships are need-based and range from $1,000 to full scholarships covering tuition and international airfare. To be considered for a need-based scholarship, on your online application for admission, please answer “Yes,” to the question, “Would you like to apply for a need-based scholarship?” and complete the need-based scholarship application form emailed to your financially responsible parent/guardian.

AT A GLANCE

Program Availability

Filling

Program Date

Jul 1 - Jul 31

Prerequisite

Spanish (at least one year)

Program Fee*

$7,676.00

(does not include airfare)
Group Airfare Cost

$1,300.00

Departure City

New York City

*Program fees may increase by
$500 -$1000 to account for changes
to lodging accommodations.

WHAT'S INCLUDED
  • Certificate of completion
  • Lodging
  • Meals
  • All program activities
  • In-country transportation
  • Health insurance
  • Experienced group leaders

Families or partner organizations are also responsible for arranging and paying for participants' domestic travel to the international departure/return airport in the U.S., whether flying, driving or by other means. By its nature, domestic airfare varies by airline, timing, destination, and availability.

TALK TO AN ALUM
Questions? Ask Us! APPLY NOW
The country itself was almost as beautiful as the people living within it who opened their arms to me without a second thought. I was overwhelmed by the mesmerizing scenery, the fascinating history, and the intricate language that filled every street.

CLAIRE, The Experiment alum, Spain

Sample Itinerary

This itinerary is only a sample and is subject to change. Because of factors such as group size and availability of in-country offerings such as festivals, your experience — including sites visited and the number of days spent in each location — may differ somewhat from the one presented below.

View Itinerary Details

Pre-Travel Virtual Program

  • Participate in pre-program virtual workshops with your Experimenter group from May – June. 
  • Complete virtual modules centered on topics such as leadership and personal development, and building your learning community. 
  • Begin brainstorming your community action plan/project.  

Day 1

Program Orientation 

  • Meet your Experimenter group at your departure city in the U.S. for program orientation with your group leaders.  
  • Get to know other members of your group during orientation activities.  

During program orientation, you will stay at a hotel near the airport. 

Days 2-4

Orientation in Madrid 

  • Learn about the history and culture of Spain through visits to famous sites and museums throughout the city, such as the Palacio Real, Prado Museum, Reina Sofía Museum, Plaza de la Encarnación, and the historic Hapsburgs District. 
  • Explore downtown Madrid and its diverse neighborhoods, navigate the metro, and sample Spanish cuisine in local restaurants and markets. 
  • Get to know other members of your group during activities and discussions. 
  • Practice your Spanish language skills with locals and shop clerks. 
  • Picnic and people watch like a local in the serene Retiro Park.  
  • Go on a daylong excursion to the “Imperial City” Toledo, a UNESCO world heritage site, and marvel at its diverse architecture and historic sites and learn about its expansive cultural heritage.    

During the orientation period, you and your group will stay in a centrally-located hostel. 

Days 5-27

Host communities and homestay

  • Spend time with Spanish families and communities as you share meals and do activities with your hosts, such as art and a film night.
  • Explore your host community and the surrounding area with your group, such as hiking nature trails, visiting the seaside and nearby beaches, or kayaking at a reservoir.
  • Participate in most of your program activities with your host siblings in a peer-to-peer exchange to better practice Spanish language and learn more about teen life in Spain. 

During this period, you will stay in a dormitory-style student residence during the week and with a homestay family during the weekend.

Intensive Language Training in Granada

  • Attend small-group interactive language classes at the Centro de Lenguas y Educación Intercultural language school for four hours each day.
  • Go on language-based excursions throughout the city with the guidance of your local teachers.
  • Participate in cultural events and attend a flamenco show.
  • Visit the Alhambra, city gardens, and local museums.

During this period, you will stay in a dormitory-style student residence during the week and with a homestay family during the weekend.

Day 28

Program Reflection and Wrap-up in Madrid

  • Enjoy a final day in Madrid, doing some last-minute souvenir shopping and celebrating a final dinner with your group.
  • Reflect with your group on your experiences during the program as you prepare to return home.
  • Plan your community action project for your return home. 

During the reflection period, you and your group will stay in a centrally located hotel.

Day 29

Departure and Return to Home

Post-Travel Virtual Program and Community Action Project Implementation  

  • Implement your action plan/project in your home communities.   
  • Reconnect with your group virtually and report out on your action plan/project proposal monthly for the following 2-3 months.   

Past Group Leader

The Experiment’s group leaders go through a rigorous selection process and have extensive experience with youth education, local expertise in the country or region of their program, language abilities, knowledge in their program theme, travel logistics and management know-how, and experience with health, safety and risk management.

Megan Bloem

Megan received her bachelor’s in Spanish and Sociology with a sub-plan in Law, Justice, and Social Change from the University of Michigan. As an undergraduate student, Megan enjoyed volunteering as an English Conversation Circle facilitator to help international students find community and connect with US culture. She’s also proud to be a first-generation college student and was an active member of First-Gens @ Umich. Megan’s first experience abroad was for a summer internship to teach English at the University of Minho in Braga, Portugal. She then studied abroad for a semester in Granada, Spain, and completed a summer internship in Barcelona. In 2021, she returned to Portugal for a year as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant at the University of Madeira. Upon returning to the US, Megan has enjoyed helping engineering students at the University of Michigan plan and prepare for successful research and study abroad opportunities. Megan is passionate about learning languages, intercultural exchange, and working with students.

Program experts

The Experiment's programs are led by accomplished and experienced faculty and staff who typically live in the country of study. Program leaders are responsible for instructional content, classroom and field experiences, and daily program operations.

Arturo Tapia

Arturo Tapia believes that education is the best way to make the world a healthier place. He is a passionate and energetic educator who values the importance of culture and art.

Arturo holds a master’s degree in cultural tourism management and local development, and a bachelor’s degree in art history. In addition to being a frequent guest speaker for the Faculty of Education at the University of Granada, he has extensive experience as a cultural heritage guide. On the local level, Arturo has developed educational projects for schoolchildren and adults through local organizations and the University of Granada.