Global Impact
Posted August 31, 2018
The lives of 30 SIUE students were forever changed when they traveled more than 3,000 miles to Costa Rica. Their global service learning adventure developed knowledge and skills that can’t be taught from the comforts of home. With kindness, compassion, dedication and courage, they impacted countless lives and walked away longing to do more.
“It was important for me to go there so I could do something bigger than myself,” said Robert Ehrhardt, a senior nursing student from Troy, Ill. “The drive to do more is what I’m left with.” Providing free clinical exams and giving away shoes and backpacks at a local school were just a few of the services our School of Nursing students offered.
Experiencing Costa Rica in its natural environment opened the eyes of our students. “The biggest impact that remains with me, and will remain with me, is what we can and should be doing to better help our environment,” said Megan Widman, a senior public health student. SIUE public health students participated in community-led volunteer efforts to preserve and protect sea turtle nesting areas on local beaches.
SIUE School of Pharmacy students walked the rainforests of Costa Rica studying medicinal plants and tropical diseases, and they met with students and faculty at the University of Costa Rica. Not only were they challenged intellectually, they left their comfort zones and were asked to experience growth in cultural awareness. “We came into this experience thinking a certain way,” said Jim Beane, a P-4 pharmacy student from Florissant, Mo. “It doesn’t necessarily make me right or make another person wrong. It’s just a different perspective. That was one of the main things I wanted to take away from this trip. I wanted to learn more about others to ultimately make me a more well-rounded person.”
SIUE prepares our students to change the world. A small glimpse into our study abroad program reveals the challenges and rewards of service learning and cross-cultural experiences. Our students set out to discover new places and gain real-world experience, but they never expected how much their lives would be changed during their time in Costa Rica.