Hacienda Santa Clara
{{Infobox school
| name = Hacienda Santa Clara Study and Research Center
| image = HaciendaSantaClaraGTO007.JPG
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| caption = Main house of the campus
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| location = San Miguel de Allende
| country = Mexico
| coordinates = {{Coord|21|5|15.98|N|100|36|34.08|W|display=inline,title}}
| established = {{Start date|2015|09|23|df=y}}
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| grades = university
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| website = {{URL|haciendastaclara.com}}
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The Hacienda Santa Clara is a study abroad and research center located in San Miguel Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico. It is on a former maguey hacienda in central Mexico, which was reconstructed for the center in the 2010s, to support study abroad students and researchers, primarily from the United States.
Site
File:HaciendaSantaClaraGTO123.JPG
The site is a 340-acre former maguey producing hacienda located in the municipality of San Miguel de Allende, about 40 minutes outside of the city proper. {{cite web |title= Texas A&M former student builds teaching and research facility in Mexico |work=Mexico Center Bulletin |publisher= Texas A&M University |date=October 23, 2015 |url= http://ppo.tamu.edu/ppo/files/bf/bfa3d1ba-3d49-4e08-9e60-54b487fb3778.pdf |accessdate=December 14, 2015}} {{Cite web|url = http://today.tamu.edu/2015/12/10/texas-am-celebrates-new-partnership-in-mexico/#lightbox/0/|title = Texas A&M Celebrates New Partnership In Mexico|date = December 10, 2015|accessdate = January 7, 2016|website = Texas A&M Today|publisher = |last = |first = }}
There are three main buildings, a main house, a chapel and dormitories. The main house holds a large dining facility, class and meeting rooms, library, a game room/bar and more. The chapel has the layout of a traditional hacienda chapel but is much larger, with space to hold assemblies of up to 300 people. The dormitories are off to the side of these buildings and house up to 500 students.{{cite web |author=Bera Parra |title=Casita Linda:Noche de Capilla |work=Mexico Center Bulletin |publisher=Atención San Miguel |date=October 3, 2015 |url=http://www.atencionsanmiguel.org/2015/08/28/casita-linda-noche-de-capilla/ |accessdate=December 14, 2015 |archive-date=December 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222162342/http://www.atencionsanmiguel.org/2015/08/28/casita-linda-noche-de-capilla/ |url-status=dead }}
The buildings and furnishings were constructed or restored on site using mostly local materials and craftsmen. These buildings are surrounded by patios and gardens aligned with the native flora of the area, and containing about 1.7 million bricks.
Function
The facility was built to accommodate students and researchers from abroad, especially from the United States and is currently operated by a trust set up for that purpose. For students, the idea is to foster an international perspective. {{cite web |title= Inauguración del Centro de Estudios e Investigación, Hacienda Santa Clara |publisher=Government of San Miguel Allende |date=October 23, 2015 |url= http://www.sanmigueldeallende.gob.mx/noticias.php?n=9&/Inauguraci%C3%B3n%20del%20Centro%20de%20Estudios%20e%20Investigaci%C3%B3n,%20Hacienda%20Santa%20Clara |accessdate=December 14, 2015}} The center’s main partner is Texas A&M University, but also has partnerships with the University of Guanajuato and the Instituto Tecnológico Sanmiguelense. {{cite news |author=Alejandra García |title= Arranca centro de investigación Hacienda Santa Clara |newspaper=Periódico Correo |location=Guanajuato |date=October 24, 2015 |url=http://periodicocorreo.com.mx/arranca-centro-de-investigacion-hacienda-santa-clara/ |accessdate=December 14, 2015 }}
The property is not generally open to the public, but events have been held here.
History
The original hacienda was established in the 1850s, but by the 2010s, it was in ruins. The property was selected by Pablo and Barbara Marvin with the purpose of founding the center, one of various centers of this type created by the Marvins. The site was chosen because of San Miguel’s status as a UNESCO Heritage Site (2008), as well as its over 130 arts and handcrafts galleries, along with numerous restaurants, cafes and other tourist infrastructure.
The overall design of the site was created by Hollywood set designer Theresa Walker. It officially opened in October 2015, with the name Hacienda Santa Clara Study and Research Center, but began receiving students in October 2014.
{{commonscat|Hacienda Santa Clara Study and Research Center}}