Twenty-Second International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

Study abroad programs are widely recognized as transformative experiences for students; however, the potential to address hidden risks to sustainability remains underexplored. This paper examines a study abroad model led by the VN Center for Social Justice in northern Costa Rica in partnership with the University of Cincinnati. The program engages health science students in border communities where migration, climate change, cultural heritage, and economic sustainability intersect. Through field-based learning with women-led development associations, ecotourism initiatives, organic farming projects, and migrant support organizations, students confront multiple layers of unseen unsustainability. These include economic dependency on tourism, structural inequities affecting migrants and women, and cultural erosion amid globalization. Participatory engagement and reflective exercises allow students to connect local realities to global sustainability challenges, fostering critical thinking, ethical awareness, and global citizenship. The study highlights the pedagogical framework of the VN/University of Cincinnati study abroad program, featuring case studies that illustrate hidden vulnerabilities. It also offers recommendations for higher education institutions to design experiential programs that empower students while supporting community-led initiatives. The experiential learning model shows how study abroad can go beyond cultural tourism to actively engage students in real-world sustainability challenges, helping them understand both the practical meaning of sustainability and its impact on different community members, including those who are often left behind.