Cuba may not see too many visitors from the United States, but that hasn’t stopped Missouri Southern from sending multiple groups to the small country.

In the summer of 2003, the College is helping three more people go to Cuba. Dr. John Lewis, associate professor of business, Dr. Barbara Box, director of nursing, and Dr. Ree Wells, associate professor of sociology, are all going to Cuba as part of the Council on International Educational Exchange study tour. The professors will spend 10 days, June 27-July 8, gathering information about Cuba to share with Southern faculty and students. What’s gleaned from the trip will help in preparation for the fall 2003 Cuba Semester.

Wells has gone on a CIEE tour before. She said when she went to Brazil five years ago, it was a wonderful learning experience, structured specifically for college professors.

“You really get numerous snapshots of the country,” she said.

The visit to Cuba will be a blend of formal lectures, on-site visits, tours and cultural activities shared by many college professors from across the United States.

“They keep them busy from morning until evening,” said Dr. Chad Stebbins, director of the Institute of International Studies.

Lewis, Box and Wells each submitted applications to the International Grants Committee to ask for assistance to go. Stebbins said the committee will give them each $2,550 for the trip, about 80 percent of the trip’s cost.

He said the “working tour” will help the professors gain a deeper understanding of Cuban culture. In 1997, Stebbins went to Russia on a CIEE sponsored trip and said the trips are designed to bring back knowledge about the country for the College’s use.

Wells said she has been thinking about going to Cuba for a long time.

“I have an interest in the culture and way of life of the people,” she said.

As a sociologist, she finds the structure of Cuban society fascinating and hopes to learn what the people eat and read and what their music and dances are like.

“I’m particularly interested in their health care and education,” she said.

She plans to share what she learned while in Cuba with her classes and other faculty members.

Two of her colleagues have already been to Cuba twice — Dr. David Locher, associate professor of sociology, and Dr. Larry Cebula, associate professor of history. In March 2002, the pair took students enrolled in an interdisciplinary course to Cuba for a research trip. The two professors went again in December 2002 with the Alumni Association.

“I’m honored to have been selected,” Wells said. “I’m grateful for the International Grant Committee’s support.”

She believes it will be a collaborative learning experience, because the College is sending professors from different disciplines.