Articles

PUNTACANA Ecological Foundation and the University of Virginia Tech fortify relations.

In 2003, the Ecological Foundation began to establish relations with Virginia Tech through its Office of International Research, Education, and Development, as well as other units like the School of Hospitality and Tourism, the School of Geography, the College of Osteopathic Medicine and Engineers without Borders. That same year, we received the first group of students and professors to give a complete class in our facilities at the PUNTACANA Biodiversity Center. This was the beginning of a process of collaboration and interchange between both institutions.  

In 2006, we received the second group from the school of Hospitality and Tourism, which gave a second class in our facilities from January 1 - 15. This same school has facilitated an intern for the PUNTACANA Resort & Club. We are pleased to announce that in January we will host a complete semester at the PUNTACANA Biodiversity Center. This class counts on a total of 15 students and 6 professors and covers areas like Geography, Biology, Spanish Culture, Tropical Ornithology and Forestry. This demonstrates the confidence and close relations that we have developed with such a  prestigious university through its Office of International Research, Education, and Development, in the person of Mr. S. K. De Datta, Director of the Office of International Research, Education and Development. To make this interchange more effective, Virginia Tech hired a person to handle all local affairs, Ms. Heyddy Pichardo, Coordinator of Logistics, within our offices at the Biodiversity Center. Ms. Pichardo is in charge of all logistical aspects referring to the universities, students and professors.  

It is important to mention that the students, who are currently participating in the semester, have prepared a community program teaching English to students of Los Manantiales Public School, in the community of Veron.  

Another important achievement, and a product of the relations which we have established with Virginia Tech, is the improvement project in primary health services for the community of Veron through the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine, which includes the complete remodeling of Veron’s Rural Clinic in collaboration with the Public Health State Organization (SESPAS) and the PUNTACANA Foundation, as well as the network of medical staff necessary to fulfill the demand of basic medical services of this community.  

As expected, we have also established very good relations in the environmental area, and it is for that reason that we have been coordinating a project with Engineers Without Borders that will explore some options in the area of Quality Control of Water, especially in the handling, treatment and reusability of residual waters. This program will bring to our facilities a group of engineering students who will be supervising and providing ideas for the implementation of new technologies for the treatment and reusability of residual waters, as well as the advantage of the same ones in aquiculture projects. 

We are extremely proud of the achievements we have reached during this period, and it is for that reason that we are working on plans and strategies that will allow us to extend our relations with Virginia Tech, and to be able to offer our hospitality to them and be thankful for all the support they have offered us. Within the strategic plans, we are working on the possibility that, within the next five years, we could count on a university campus in our facilities and support of universities like Virginia Tech.  

We are thankful that the Office of International Research, Education, and Development chose our facilities as a base for the beginning of its plan to establish operations in the Caribbean area. Also to the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine for their contribution to the community of Veron, and to Engineers Without Borders, for their great support to our environmental initiatives. We also want to thank all the professors, students and administrative staff of Virginia Tech, the Ecological Foundation and PUNTACANA Resort & Club for their devotion and support of these projects.