Mexico City July 19, 2007

Business Students at Alliant International University’s Mexico City campus were able to give back to the community, thanks to Systemwide Director of the Division of International Studies and Professor Ilya Adler and his Regional Environmental course.

Dr. Ilya Adler

The course focused on solving environmental problems in the rural, low income neighborhood of Justo Sierrain Guanajuato, Mexico. The International Renewable Resources Institute (IRRI-Mexico), which is hosted by Alliant and of which Dr. Adler is President, combined forces with the Municipality of San Miguel de Allende in Guanajuato and Ecosystem Sciences Foundation to sponsor and build a rain catchment system there.

The system will serve the Justo Sierra school and the Clinic for Basic Health Services. It will be able to serve the needs of 100 people per year. 

“This project provides water for needy students and people, in a state where water is not only scarce, but the water that could be subtracted from the ground is full of toxins, thus rain water solves a major health problem,” said Dr. Adler.

Alliant students marveled at the project and how simple but innovative techniques work. “The course and this experience is the best thing that has happened to me at school,” Said student Daniel Ramos III.  Marian El-Hefny, an Egyptian student, defined the experience as “unbelievable.”

According to Dr. Adler, this kind of initiative goes hand-in-hand with the new Program of International Studies in Development, as well as the new concentration in Sustainable Business. “I am sure experiences like this one will attract students from the United States as well given the new interest in environmental and developmental issues,” he said. “They also reinforce the strong social justice orientation of the university.”

The mayor and the representative of the state of Guanajuato have recognized IRRI and Dr. Adler for their work.

Congratulations to Professor Ilya Adler and his enthusiastic students!

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Alliant International University's Mexico City campus