Emily Thompson a first-year nursing student at University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire will be traveling to Latin America next month to further her studies in Health and Wellness and First Aid. Emily is minoring in Spanish for Health Professionals and was looking for a summer education opportunity abroad. Her cousins had studied in Spain and she wanted to have a similar experience. University Studies Abroad Consortium, a nonprofit organization since 1982, has provided students with life-changing opportunities to live and learn in countries around the globe. They have more than 50 affordable, authentic study abroad programs in 26 countries, There was a program in Costa Rica available and she will be heading there mid-May.
To raise funds for the venture, Emily decided to have a Bake Sale/Garage Sale this past weekend. Her family has had garage sales each year, so they decided to make this a joint fund raiser for her. The baked goods, including lefse, buttermilk doughnuts, snicker doodles, pies and krumkakes were made by Emily and her mom, aunt and grandmother. A 2025 Kasson-Mantorville graduate, Emily has wanted to pursue a career in the medical field as long as she can recall. She is hoping to raise $6,000 towards the trip.
She will be staying with a host family in Heredia, Costa Rica for the two months of her visit. She is looking forward to learning to make tortillas, learn about the culture and enjoy the country. Her host family will pack her a lunch to take with her each day to the National College where the studies take place. She will be taking two sessions, one is Spanish First Aid and the other a Spanish Health and Wellness course, and will earn credits toward her degree at UW- Eau Claire. Emily will also be taking a dance class and doing sightseeing including a volcano and traveling to Panama. She will be returning to the states on August 1st.
Emily plans to be employed in the medical field in four years and feels the Spanish program will allow her a wide choice in opportunities. After that she plans to work toward her Masters in psychiatric nursing.
