A long-standing study abroad program with the University of Cordoba in Spain will be discontinued after over a decade in the spring 2025 semester. The program began with seven schools working in the Programa de Estudios Hispánicos en Córdoba (PRESHCO) but eventually shrunk to just Wellesley and Smith College working alongside the University of Cordoba. The semester-long Spanish immersion program involved not only taking classes at the university but also living with a host family and taking trips within Spain to experience local culture and arts. A point of pride for the program, as both former and upcoming participants describe, is how it managed to continue despite the stresses of COVID-19.
According to the Wellesley Office of International Study, reasons behind the cancellation include “[t]he administrative model for the program”, which “was very complex, with legal and financial oversight posing a heavy burden to small finance and legal teams at Wellesley and Smith – for a relatively small number of students”.
The explanation echoes an email sent to students in the Spanish department, which stated that “the US administration feels that it is straining their resources to support a study abroad program.”
It also told students that such strains on the US side include financial, risk management and human resources components.
Speaking about their experiences with the program, former participants Maya Hart ’25 and Emily Rosado ’25 highlighted how welcoming their host families were. Hart called it a “home away from home.”
“I genuinely felt like I became part of the family,” Rosado stated.
Both also mentioned the cultural excursions to other parts of Spain and a stipend for experiences as contributing to the feeling of immersion.
Additionally, neither noted a stressor from COVID-19 impacting their experiences or much of a feeling of a financial strain on Wellesley. Like other former students, Rosado was surprised by the program ending.
“We were all genuinely very shocked to hear the news,” Rosado said.
Svetlana Greene ’26, a student who will be participating in PRESHCO next semester, echoed her surprise and the lack of issues with the program apparent to her.
She expressed disappointment with the end of the PRESHCO partnership: “It’s one of the best programs for Spanish immersion for non-native speakers.”
Given the recent nature of the cancellation, students, faculty and administrators are still figuring out what programs will replace PRESHCO in the future.
Although students will be able to participate this summer, after that programs such as Middlebury Schools Abroad will be a likely choice.
The Middlebury Schools program, however, is not available to sophomores, which may lead younger students to seek other options.
In the email announcing the cancellation of the program, the Spanish department also expressed their hope to “[work] with [Cordoba] University to see if there are any possibilities to continue to work together.”
If students have any questions about the PRESHCO Program’s cancellation or their options for studying abroad, they are encouraged to contact the Spanish department or the Office of International Study.
Contact the editor responsible for this story: Valida Pau, Galeta Sandercock
