2023 El Salvador
This course will provide a field opportunity for students to investigate the current practices of an El Salvadoran social enterprise, Acceso Oferta Local – El Salvador, which aggregates agricultural products (fruit, vegetable, fish and seafood) procured from low-income producers. Students will investigate the success factors and challenges of the enterprise, assess its social impact and make recommendations for important enterprise initiatives including the rollout of a new digital training platform, development of an improved financial inclusion strategy and scaling and replication. These opportunities will be viewed through the lens of social impact, financial return, and stakeholder management. In addition, students will have the opportunity to evaluate policy implications on the business and beneficiaries specifically as it relates to El Salvador being the first country to adopt bitcoin as legal tender. Students will also examine how expanding economic impact on the enterprises’ rural beneficiaries can lead to reduced migration to urban areas and other countries including illegal migration to the US.
Students will have the opportunity to interview local producers, product buyers, funders, and policy makers, develop frameworks for assessing scaling opportunities and making recommendations for the social enterprise’s evolution. They will also interact with the management of the key customers of the enterprise including the Executive Vice President of Grupo Calleja, a NYU Stern graduate and former candidate for the country's presidency who has grown his family owned and operated Super Selectos chain to over 100 supermarkets.
The course will build off the Professor’s two cases on this enterprise.
Application Deadlines
Application Deadline: October 1
Location
San Salvador and San Ignacio, El Salvador.
Program Dates
Arrival: Sunday, January 8
Departure: Friday, January 20
Course(s)
Students register for the Spring 2023 course listed below for 3 credits. The travel will take place in January. A permission number will be granted upon acceptance into the course.
Course Prerequisites: CORE-GP.1021, Financial Management
Upper-level undergraduate students seeking to take the course for credit must first gain approval from their advisor and then contact wagner.international@nyu.edu for registration procedures.
This course is open to NYU and non-NYU students/participants. For all inquiries about the program, contact wagner.international@nyu.edu.
Faculty
Professor Scott Taitel, Clinical Professor, NYU Wagner and Director Social Impact, Innovation & Investment
TUITION
Tuition: This is a 3-credit course.
NYU students: this course counts toward your Spring 2023 course load and tuition. Tuition will be due based on the Bursar's Payment Schedule for Spring 2023. Bursar’s payment deadline dates.
PROGRAM COSTS
Program fee: ~$1800. Cost is subject to change based on final itinerary.
A deposit will be due upon acceptance in the course. The program fee is payable by credit card. Program fee covers some in-country expenses and travel, some meals, and lodging. Students are responsible for some meals and all incidental expenses related to any excursions on their free time.
ACCOMMODATIONS AND LOGISTICS
Participants will reside in shared-occupancy accommodations in San Salvador and a retreat lodge in San Ignacio. Students will be transported via bus and private transportation throughout the duration of the course. Your accommodation arrangements are included in your Program Fee.
Travel, Visa, and Other Information
Flight: International airfare to and from the program location is not included in the program fee. Students book their own travel to coincide with program dates. Students should not purchase their tickets before receiving proper instructions to do so.
Passport: All program participants are required to have a valid passport, which must be valid for up to 6 months after course date, not before.
Visa: NYU students will receive information regarding appropriate visa type. Visit the El Salvadoran Consulate in New York for more information on the visa process.
INFORMATION SESSION
Recording from the September 23, 2022 information session is available here. Please note, you must be logged in with you NYU Zoom account to access the link.