Eleven medical students from the Universidad de Sonora in Hermosillo, Sonora are participating in a month-long program in conjunction with the UA that allows students to experience the U.S . healthcare system.

The program, Intercambio MǸdico Cultural y de Salud Pǧblica Sonora-Arizona, which will end June 30, offers students the opportunity to improve their ability to speak English, learn to perform medical research and go to clinical rotations at Tucson medical facilities.

The program, which is the first of its kind, is a collaboration of the Universidad de Sonora, the College of Public Health, College of Medicine, the Center for English as a Second Language, the Office of Border Health and the Arizona Department of Health Services.

The program was born after two Sonoran medical students approached the UA College of Medicine, said Oscar Beita, coordinator of health careers outreach for the office of minority affairs in the College of Medicine.

The dean of the Universidad de Sonora will be meeting with program coordinators on Thursday to discuss the expansion and continuation of the program.

Program coordinators hope to expand the program to UA medical students who wish to experience the Mexican healthcare system and learn medical Spanish.

“”I think it’s a great opportunity and is very important because Sonora and Arizona are so close, it makes sense for students to learn the other’s healthcare system,”” Beita said.

The department of journalism has been chosen by the New York Times and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists to host an intensive training program for Latino student journalists in January 2008.

The Hispanic Student Journalism Institute, which will be hosted next year by Florida International University, will allow students to work closely with reporters and editors from the institute to write stories before they are posted on the institute’s Web site. The best stories will be printed in a newspaper published at the end of the program.

In addition to the institute’s reporters and editors, two University of Arizona professors will be chosen to participate in the training program.

When choosing hosts for the institute, the New York Times looked at a wide range of schools and factors, said Jacqueline Sharkey, journalism department head.

“”The University of Arizona was chosen because the department focuses only on journalism, the U of A is a Hispanic Serving Institution and also an accredited journalism institution,”” Sharkey said.

Americans have fewer confidants and smaller social networks than they did two decades ago, according to trends found in new study conducted by University of Arizona and Duke University sociologists.

The study, which was published in the June issue of American Sociological Review, was conducted by Miller McPherson, a research professor of sociology at Duke University and professor of sociology at the UA, Lynn Smith-Lovin, Robin L. Wilson professor of sociology at Duke University and Matthew E. Brashears, a Ph.D. candidate in sociology at the UA.

According to a comparison of nationally representative survey data collected in 1985 with data collected in 2004, the mean number of people with whom Americans can discuss matters important to them has decreased by nearly one-third.

Although it was also found that the number of Americans who reported having no one to confide in doubled to almost 25 percent, the study did find that racial diversity among social networks has increased.

Researchers speculate that these trends could be the result of new technology that isolates individuals or the increase in the number of hours spent by Americans at work, which may result in less time to be social.

Brashears said the decline in Americans’ social networks may induce citizens to feel less responsible to engage in civic responsibilities.

A new charter school affiliated with the University of Arizona is enrolling students who will be entering the sixth and seventh grades for classes beginning August 17.

Non-profit and open to the public, The Wildcat School was created in order to create a college preparatory environment for students who would be first generation college students or come from low-income backgrounds.

The school, in addition to offering quality teachers and small class sizes, will also provide students with the benefits that come from its collaboration with the UA College of Education and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Students can take advantage of UA student mentors and tutors, as well as learn from activities in research using facilities at the UA.

“”Because of the affiliation with the university and the smaller class sizes we hope to help student prepare to go on to college,”” said Richard Reyes, director of The Wildcat School.

Although The Wildcat School is currently enrolling only grades six and seven, it hopes to add one grade each year until it reaches full enrollment in grades six through 12.

Those interested in admissions can call an admissions counselor at 520-294-5473, or visit the school’s Web site at www.wildcatschool.org.

The University of Arizona Foundation recently elected five new board members.

The newly elected members are G. Wallace Chester, Karl Eller, Linn T. Hodge, Peter Salter and Thomas W. Sullivan Jr.

The Foundation is governed by a volunteer board of directors, which is responsible for the policies, procedures and direction of the organization.

In addition to the new board members, the UAF Board also elected officers for the 2007 fiscal year.

The UA Foundation is a non-profit organization that assists the university with fundraising and asset management.