Angela Jackson
Almost 4,000 miles from the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), a small group of faculty members treks through a clearing in the Costa Rican jungle. Their usual work attire has been swapped for breathable athletic wear as a necessary shield against the humid air. They navigate gentle slopes until their guide for the afternoon, Antonio Palacios, a member of the Ngäbe-Buglé community, signals them to stop.
Hanging from a tree, nestled among the greenery, is a cacao pod. Most people associate cacao with chocolate, but the two are not the same. Chocolate is made from fermented cacao beans, often processed with sugar and dairy. Raw cacao, however, has uses that extend beyond sweet treats. Palacios explains that cacao plays a crucial role in sustainable farming in Indigenous communities across Costa Rica. It also has been a staple of traditional medicine for generations, prized for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
For Tiffany Buckley, PharmD, a clinical assistant professor who teaches in the Graduate Studies in Medical Cannabis programs at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy (UMSOP), this moment reinforces why she applied to UMB’s Costa Rica Faculty Development Institute (CRFDI). She came to Costa Rica to develop a course on the clinical use of psilocybin, a field gaining traction in Western medical research but grounded in Indigenous traditions.
“When you do a quick PubMed search, most of the research on psilocybin is from a Western perspective,” Buckley says. “But if I only build a course using Western research, I would be ignoring generations of Indigenous knowledge, including how it’s been used, why, and in what contexts. I applied to the CRFDI to find a way to co-create this course with Indigenous leaders by incorporating their voices and building partnerships between Indigenous communities, my students, and the University.”
A Faculty-Focused Approach to Global Learning
The UMB Costa Rica Faculty Development Institute is an annual program offered by the University’s Center for Global Engagement (CGE). Each year, CGE brings a cohort of faculty participants to Costa Rica, where they are given the time and space to integrate global perspectives into their curricula. Faculty members from across UMB’s seven schools work together to develop ideas, refine approaches, and engage with experts in global education through workshops on globalized teaching, student learning assessment, and ethical considerations in international education.
Amy Ramirez, MA, executive director of global learning and international services, and Virginia Rowthorn, JD, LLM, associate vice president for global engagement, lead the program and work closely with Carlos Faerron Guzmán, MD, MSc, an associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Graduate Studies and director of Centro Interamericano para la Salud Global in Costa Rica. The team oversees the program’s structure and goals and ensures that each cohort has meaningful opportunities to learn from local partners and apply those insights to their teaching.
Since the program launched in January 2023, 35 faculty and staff members have participated, developing courses, modules, and other learning experiences that bring global content into UMB’s classrooms and co-curricular programs. By examining how countries outside the United States approach health care, social services, and scientific research, faculty participants bring back valuable insights that allow their students to gain new perspectives on applying international practices to their fields.
Adapting Care to Culture
Anjana Solaiman, DNP, assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing and a specialist in maternal-child health, already has integrated the knowledge she gained from the program into her classroom.
During the program, the cohort had the opportunity to hear from Carmen Romero, a birth attendant from the Ngäbe-Buglé community in Costa Rica.
“In the U.S., women typically give birth lying on their backs,” Solaiman says. “But in the Ngäbe-Buglé community, vertical birth is preferred. Women stay upright, using gravity and support structures for comfort.”
Romero explained that local hospitals had previously insisted on horizontal birth as the default. Rather than abandoning their tradition, Indigenous leaders collaborated with local hospital systems to integrate vertical births into clinical settings in a safe, supportive way.
Inspired by that conversation, Solaiman revised a module in her spring 2025 course to highlight how cultural traditions influence birthing practices and how alternative approaches can enhance patient care.
“I want my students to recognize that if a patient requests certain birth practices, it might come from a deeply rooted cultural tradition,” Solaiman says. “I want them to appreciate and respect that choice rather than dismissing it as unfamiliar.”
Global Learning for Faculty, Not Just Students
In December 2024, the program’s third cohort arrived in Costa Rica with a diverse range of ideas. Some focused on strengthening predeparture orientations and curriculum for dental and medical students going abroad for clinical observations. Others explored ways to create more meaningful opportunities for students in the University of Maryland School of Social Work to learn from their peers who have participated in international field placements. While the projects varied in focus, they all reflected a shared commitment to ensuring global education isn’t just about travel. It’s about perspective, partnership, and purpose.
While most universities offer student study abroad programs, UMB’s CRFDI is unique in focusing specifically on faculty development. The program is supported by a generous gift from Leslie B. Glickman, PT, PhD, adjunct assistant professor in the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Glickman, who has extensive experience working internationally with students and clinicians, recognized the transformative potential of developing educators with an appreciation for global learning, who are well positioned to bring that knowledge into the educational experience of UMB students. By immersing faculty in an international setting, CRFDI ensures that global perspectives are woven into coursework, reaching students who travel internationally, as well as those who may never leave the U.S.
This year, the program expanded to include faculty from the University of Maryland, College Park.
Why Costa Rica?
As one of the world’s “blue zones” — regions where people experience exceptionally long and healthy lives — Costa Rica offers invaluable lessons about health care, lifestyle, and well-being. Latin America remains an underrepresented region in global education curricula despite its deep historical, social, and economic ties to the United States.
“The United States and Latin America are neighbors, yet global education programs often prioritize other regions,” Ramirez says. “Given the shifting demographics in the U.S., students need a stronger understanding of Latin American cultures, histories, and values. This knowledge is essential for students entering fields like health care, law, or social work. It can mean the difference between a patient or client engaging with services or avoiding them altogether.”
UMB already has strong ties to the region through Faerron Guzmán, who has been a key partner in facilitating the program since its inception. Based in Costa Rica, he and his team coordinate site visits and build connections with local communities. They also lead workshops on Costa Rica’s history and health care system, including discussions on health care at the Costa Rica-Panama border and child care on Costa Rica’s coffee farms.
“Costa Rica offers a unique context for global learning, where health systems, the natural environment, and community resilience intersect in many ways. At the same time, the nation faces challenges such as climate change impacts, social inequities, and the pressures of economic growth,” Faerron Guzmán says. “By holding the Faculty Development Institute here in Costa Rica, we immerse faculty in these complex settings, offering both inspiration and practical lessons for global education.”
The involvement of Faerron Guzmán and his team is essential for maintaining the program’s ethical foundation and enriching the experience with local expertise. Faerron Guzmán and his team offer a perspective beyond logistics; they also help faculty participants see Costa Rica through the eyes of those who live and work there. Their insights into the country’s health care system, culture, and social dynamics give participants a deeper understanding of the context behind what they’re learning.
Bringing It Home
On the program’s final night, the faculty cohort returns to San José, Costa Rica’s bustling capital city. Tomorrow, they’ll head back to Maryland, back to their classrooms, and back to the students this program was designed to serve.
Over a farewell dinner, they share stories from the week and finalize plans for the months ahead: One participant will present what they’ve learned during an upcoming Grand Rounds; another group is organizing a lunch-and-learn session on global perspectives and patient care. Connections that didn’t exist a week ago have laid the foundation for future projects, partnerships, and conversations.
After three cohorts over two years, Rowthorn has seen these moments before: the sense of perspective gained, the partnerships forged, and the ideas waiting to take shape.
“What stands out every year isn’t just what we learn here in Costa Rica. It’s how the experience changes how we see what we do at home,” Rowthorn says. “This program reminds us that global education isn’t a separate part of learning. It’s part of what makes our teaching, research, and community engagement more meaningful. And it does that by connecting us to people who have something to teach us if we’re willing to listen.”
