Drew in West Africa: Mali

Academic Program
July 13 - August 7, 2008
Drew University is pleased to offer a unique summer study program that allows a firsthand exploration of the culture and arts of Mali. Since 1984, several hundred students have benefited from the Drew in West Africa program, taking courses in African studies, art and art history. This summer we visit Mali where students are introduced to the ways in which art reflects the social, economic, and cultural changes taking place in modern Africa. We invite you to join us for an extraordinary summer - one that will leave you exscited by Africa and touched by its customs and people..

Mali is an extraordinary country, extending from the savannah to the edge of the Sahara, with thousands of miles of beautiful landscapes, ranging from the Dogon cliffs to the scenic inland Niger River Delta. Mali still contains many vestiges of the period when it was the center of great medieval empires.

The program begins in the capital city of Bamako with a general orientation and introduction to the art and culture of contemporary Mali and to the cultures of its many peoples, particularly the Bamana, Dogon, and Tuareg. The group then travels to interior regions, visiting villages where traditional life remains vigorous. Throughout, particular attention is given to local art and its relationship to the culture producing it. In addition, emphasis is placed on discussions with Malians.

Course Selection
The following 4-credit courses are available with the Drew in West Africa Program:

Program Director
Jerome Vogel has more than 40 years experience in Africa. He was the first American professor at the University of Abidjan in 1964-64. From that time until 1984, as Executive Director of Operation Crossroad Africa, yearly stays in Africa enabled him to develop an unusual depth of knowledge of the people and their culture, as well as how to prepare Americans for their first exposure to African life. His understanding of the country, fluency in the language and a wide network of personal relationships throughout Mali gain him access to African cultures not commonly available to most visitors.

Transportation and Accommodations
Air travel to and from Mali is arranged via round-trip flight from New York City. Private Land Rovers are used for travel throughout Mali.

Students are housed in double rooms in modern, European-style hotels in the major cities and towns. These hotels offer rooms with private baths and restaurant facilities. The program does include walking to village sites, but there is only one day of strenuous hiking down the Dogon cliffs. This excursion is optional.

Program Cost
The projected cost of the program is $5,500. This fee included 8-credits tuition, round-trip airfare from New York, hotel accommodations and breakfasts, and ground transportation within Mali. Students taking summer courses are also charged a $25 registration fee. Students are responsible for their own passport and inoculation fees, as well as for their own lunches and dinners during the duration of the Drew in West Africa program. The cost is the same, whether or not academic credit is desired.

Eligibility
Drew encourages applications from undergraduate and graduate students, college and K-12 faculty and artists interested in learning about Africa from the inside. Students must remain in good academic and disciplinary standing from the time of application through participation.

Application
Applicants to the Drew in West Africa: Mali summer program must submit a completed application, letter of recommendation and personal statement. Drew students should also submit an unofficial transcript. Applicants from colleges other than Drew must provide an official transcript. All applicants who are not enrolled at Drew University must submit a non-refundable application fee of $25 and a Letter of Authorization from their home institution.

Application Deadline
Applications are due no later than April 15, 2008. Those received after the deadline will be considered on a space available basis.

Click here to access the Drew in West Africa application procedures

For additional information on the Drew in West Africa Program, contact:

Jerry Vogel
jvogel@africanart.org
212-226-2080