SFU students, faculty, staff and alumni will travel to the Bahamas, Guatemala and London from March 1-9.
The groups will provide medical care, explore global business, and experience new cultures.
Douglas Stern, Medical Director in the Physician Assistant Sciences Program, and 19 PA students will travel to Guatemala.
Education Instructor Cassie Grassmyer, Clinical Assistant Professor of Social Work Morgan Daugherty and several Occupational Therapy Program alums will accompany 20 Education, Social Work and OT students to the Bahamas.
Randy Frye, Dean of the Shields School of Business, and SSOB Administrative Assistant Lianna Weir will lead 20 Business students to London.
“The Business students in London will tour the city, visit Windsor Castle, and attend sessions at St. Mary’s College,” said Leona Horner, SFU’s Director of International Education.
“It’s an amazing opportunity to learn about the role London and the United Kingdom play in the global economy.”
The HUGS (Helping the Underprivileged by Giving Our Service) Bahamas trip includes 20 students working with three partner organizations: the Bahamas Association for the Physically Disabled (BAPD), the Stapleton School and the Bahamas Children’s Emergency Hostel.
“The BAPD serves children with spinal cord injuries. Our OT students will help with fine motor skills, wheelchair tubing and other hands-on activities,” Horner said.
“The Stapleton School supports students with intellectual disabilities, so Education majors will assist there. All the students on the trip will work with children at the emergency hostel.”
The HUGS Guatemala trip will provide the students on this excursion with hands-on medical opportunities. PA students will stay with host families and visit remote villages, providing healthcare to communities with limited medical access.
“It’s mostly third and fourth-year PA students, so they have the knowledge and ability (they need) to provide care,” Horner said.
Students fundraise to cover the cost of these trips, with an endowment helping offset the expenses for the London trip. Horner said that these trips push students outside their comfort zone in a meaningful way.
“For health-related programs, students could shadow professionals in the U.S., but abroad, they engage in direct patient care,” she said. “For Business students, global business management experience is crucial.
“These experiences highlight how interconnected we are and the impact we have on others worldwide.”
Luke Lamb, a senior PA major, is participating in the Guatemala trip for the second time.
“Last year, the trip was the most rewarding experience of my life,” Lamb said. “I learned the importance of compassion and caregiving.
“I also realized that, as people, we all share a common language – the need for empathy. Connecting with those in different situations than your own can truly open your eyes to a world of possibility.”
This year, Lamb looks forward to providing care and creating a support system for those in need.
“Even a small amount of kindness, laughter and medicine can go a long way,” he said.
Horner said she hopes to expand SFU’s study-abroad programs in the future.
“I’m hoping to add at least one or two more study-abroad opportunities over spring break, since that schedule works well for most students,” she said. “We’re also considering trips in May, right after finals.”
