The Online Reflector

The University of Indianapolis is offering a variety of interesting options for Spring Term travel abroad courses. UIndy is offering touristy trips to Europe as well as several service learning trips including Ecuadorian Service Learning, Comparative Exploration of the Caribbean and the Hiroshima Peace Study.

Instructor and Nursing Lab Technician Rebecca Cartledge and Assistant Professor of Nursing and AMP Coordinator Kathleen Hetzler will lead the Ecuadorian Service Learning trip. Cartledge said that students will deliver medicine, see patients, provide health education and spread the gospel to Ecuadorians. The group will travel to the Ecuadorian jungle to provide these services in partnership with the One Mission Society.

Cartledge said that most of the students who will take the trip are nursing students. But regardless of major, they all have an interest in health care. Cartledge  hopes students will grow in several ways.

“They will get several things from the trip: one, it opens up their world and they grow as people because they are immersed in other cultures, and two, it is a Christian trip, so they will grow in their faith,” Cartledge said.

Assistant Professor of  Teacher Education Terrence Harewood and Assistant Professor of Modern Languages Sarah Ohmer will lead Comparative Exploration of the Caribbean. The professors will lead students on a “people to people tour” of Cuba, according to Harewood. He said that there is much students can learn from Cuba.

“In spite of the embargo, Cuba has a 100 percent literacy rate and one of the best preventative healthcare systems. Looking at healthcare from a holistic way can really benefit us. Cuba has one of the only sustainable agriculture systems, with much of it being organic … There are just so many things to learn about with Cuba,” Harewood said.

Harewood said the trip will look at the impact of the embargo, and the instructors will encourage students to form their own opinions independent of the media’s influence. On this trip, the students will work with Cubans and examine the consequences that U.S. foreign policy can have on other countries.

“One of the primary purposes, given that this is the year of  “who do you think you are,” it is an opportunity not only to look at it individually, but in terms of nationally,” Harewood said. “When we say that we are Americans, what does that mean and how does that translate into our foreign policy and how does that impact other people?”

Harewood hopes that students will use their experience to advocate for the U.S. to change foreign policy with Cuba.

Associate Professor of Teacher Education Greta Pennell and Associate Professor of English and Associate Director of Honors College Kyoko Amano will lead the Hiroshima Peace Study trip. Pennell said that students will visit sites of historic and cultural significance as well as do some sightseeing.

Pennell said that students will have the opportunity to meet four survivors of the atomic bomb blasts, visit the Hiroshima Peace Park and attend a genetics of radiation lecture at Radiation Effects and Research Foundation, as well as participate in other activities such as a Karaoke party with Japanese students. Students also will leave 1,000 paper cranes for peace. Pennell invites those interested to help fold the origami cranes in the Schwitzer Atrium on April 29.

Pennell hopes the trip will influence students to be advocates for peace in the future and urge local leaders like UIndy President Manuel and Mayor Ballard to sign the RERF peace petition.

“Hopefully, the students will be able to communicate the message that we should not have another nuclear war. I want them to become active voices to promote peace,” Pennell said.

A follow-up article in a future issue of The Reflector will ask students about their experiences on the Spring Term trips featured.