In 1999, a symbol of war began its transformation into a beacon of education–the former military base of Sololá  became a vibrant UVG campus serving the largely Mayan population of the Altiplano region. UVG turned former barracks into lecture halls, dorms, science laboratories, and distance learning facilities. The shooting fields were converted into agricultural experimentation plots. The campus now offers curriculums in agriculture and forestry, entrepreneurship, food safety, tourism, teacher training, and ESL, along with community development programs that serve the surrounding villages. Along with matriculated students, it’s not rare to find a class of school children visiting the library, a group of indigenous women participating in a workshop, or some local farmers receiving training in improved agricultural practices.