McNair Research Abroad
During the West Africa trip in the summer of 2011, McNair Fellows traveled to Accra, Ghana to examine challenges of development. Participants enrolled in the McNair Research Abroad course, which facilitated the execution of the research projects. Seminars by the Aya Center faculty served to acculturate the group to the nuances of the new surroundings. Fellows investigated a broad array of topics, which included water quality, drug laws, environmental practices, and the accessibility of higher education. Amidst the hectic pace of the eight-week stay, students ventured outside the city to the historic slave castles, toured the rain forest at Kakum National Park, experienced the rich cultural centers of the Ashanti nation in the Kumasi region, hiked along the Agumatsa River to witness the splendor of the Wli Falls, and marveled at the point where the Volta River Estuary collides with the Atlantic Ocean. All in all, participants learned from many passionate, dedicated professionals working to advance a country rich in natural resources and national pride. Further, they observed firsthand the import of tenacity in the middle of hardship.
