About the Author
Constance Bourguignon is a senior in Eliot House pursuing a joint concentration in Romance Languages and Literatures and Studies of Women, Gender and Sexuality along with a secondary field in Educational Studies. She is originally from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Read her student view here.
Photo Essay from Guatemala
I wished to make the most of the countless opportunities Harvard offers to explore other countries and experience various education systems around the world. After having visited Namibia, China and France, I made my way to Guatemala last summer to teach dance and arts at Project Somos, a non-profit elementary school serving underprivileged children in the Mayan village of Chibaraval.
On a weekend trip, I visited the Cerro Tzankujil Nature Reserve and snapped this shot of a man fishing under the silhouette of two volcanoes. The picture was awarded the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies Prize as well as the “Elevated Risk, Elevated Reward” Prize from Harvard Global Support Services at the annual OIE Photo Contest in February.
More Student Views
Of Salamanders and Spirits
I probably could’ve chosen a better day to visit the CIIDIR-IPN for the first time. It was the last week of September and the city had come to a full stop. Citizens barricaded the streets with tarps and plastic chairs, and protest banners covered the walls of the Edificio de Gobierno del Estado de Oaxaca, all demanding fair wages for the state’s educators. It was my first (but certainly not my last) encounter with the fierce political activism that Oaxaca is known for.
Public Universities in Peru
Visits to two public universities in Peru over the last two summers helped deepen my understanding of the system and explore some ideas for my own research. The first summer, I began visiting the National University of San Marcos (UNMSM) to learn about historical admissions processes and search for lists of applicants and admitted students. I wanted to identify those students and follow their educational, professional and political trajectories at one of the country’s most important universities. In the summer of 2025, I once again visited UNMSM in Lima and traveled to Cusco to visit the National University of San Antonio Abad del Cusco (UNSAAC). This time, I conducted interviews with professors and student representatives to learn about their experiences and perspectives on higher-education policies such as faculty salary reforms and the processes for the hiring and promotion of professors.
Post-Secondary Education Access in Peru
Over the summer, I visited four public schools in Peru located in two regions, about 1,200 miles apart from each other. I interviewed teachers, principals and high school juniors and seniors. I wanted to discover their perspectives on perceived opportunities and barriers for students to plan for and fulfill their higher education goals. I also interviewed the superintendent at each school district to learn about local initiatives aimed at decreasing barriers to higher education transition.
