Coming from an island where nearly all food is imported, Veonn Caines (Class of 2025, Saint Kitts and Nevis) always knew that agriculture has a future. His research comparing two types of planters in the humid tropics revealed findings that could one day transform how corn is produced—with greater efficiency and fewer losses. Now, as he prepares to graduate, he dreams of bringing that knowledge back home and proving that innovation can also emerge from small places.
When José Antonio González (Class of 1997) arrived at EARTH from Panama, he had never held a shovel nor endured the heat of the open field. What began as a physical challenge turned into a life lesson that led him to discover his passion for the environment and for teaching…

Indigenous Women: Guardians of Ancestral Knowledge
In one of the villages surrounding Lake Atitlán, Guatemala, a group of women gathers to weave and embroider. With their hands, they write the stories of the Maya people in a symbolic language of threads and stitches that form birds, flowers, and serpents. Some sit before backstrap looms, creating pieces filled with hundreds of colors…

EARTH: A Bridge Between Agriculture and Conservation
With support from members of the EARTH community and strategic partners, our University is conducting research to learn more about the species inhabiting the Guácimo Campus—understanding their needs and implementing solutions that respect their life cycles, behaviors, and habitats…

Sam Hansen: Uplifting Communities by Living in Harmony with People and Nature
Sam Hansen (Class of 2014, United States) is part of a sustainability education center based in Costa Rica. There, he manages agroforestry systems, fermentation processes, and teaches courses on permaculture and natural building—all while keeping community development at the heart of his work…