MacServe Costa Rica   

Service Learning for Globally Engaged Alumni

in Costa Rica's Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve in Monteverde

Serve, Reflect, Learn

Alumni and friends travel together to Costa Rica on a trip, and end up gaining a deeper understanding of themselves and the community through service activities, cultural experiences and discussions. The McMaster Alumni office arranges a trip to Costa Rica in alternating years through VIDA, our partner organization in Costa Rica.

Time is primarily spent in the town of Monteverde - the green mountains - which is home to Reserva Santa Elena, a nature reserve that VIDA has supported since 1995. We spend a week in March learning and volunteering in and around the Reserve and enjoying the natural attractions of the country.

MacServe Costa Rica is open to Mac grads, their families (children must be 13+) and friends. Together we learn through social events, workshops and trips to local community organizations. Work we'll do at the nature reserve is decided quite close to the departure date but has included painting, repairing trails, and preparing food in the cafeteria. Other experiences through the week include visits to local farmers markets, coffee plantations, wildlife walks, nature hikes and other local social/cultural/historic activities.

Click here to read an article about the MacServe trip that took place in 2017. The next trip will take place in March 2019.

Further information:
Kris Gadjanski
905.525.9140 x21837
gadjank@mcmaster.ca