For hundreds of years, the myth of Aztlan has engulfed people who pursue an understanding of the migration story of the tribes that journeyed from the North (Aztlan) to the Central Valley in Mexico (Tenochtitlan) and its deep connections to the U.S. Southwest. This study abroad program aims at taking students from the frontiers of the Chichimeca people to the area known as the Xochitepetl or El Cerro de las Flores in the state of Morelos.

Participating students visit pueblos and archaeological sites that still contain collective memories about the history of Mexico as a nation that at its core contains an indigenous framework framed within the cultural knowledge associated to these sites. This program also promotes a better understanding of Mexican Indigenous culture, identity and ancient archaeological places as a way of understanding the level of development achieved by Mesoamerican cultures. Students will also learn about the ancient connection people from Central Mexico have had with New Mexico.