20 Years of International Service: A Participant Survey
Mary T. Gerardy
Campus Life and Pro Humanitate Institute
• 73.26% report that they are somewhat to
significantly better at prioritizing what is important in
life.
Introduction
When she was 12, Wake Forest alumna, Jessica
Davey (‘95), wrote to Mother Teresa, asking to come to
Calcutta (now Kolkata) to serve with the Missionaries of
Charity. Mother Teresa replied, telling Jessica to serve
in her hometown and to come to Calcutta when she
was ready. Jessica spent the summer after her
sophomore year at Wake Forest in Calcutta, and when
she returned to campus she wanted to make sure that
other students had a similar opportunity. Our first
service trip to India took place in December 1994 –
January 1995.
Since that first international service experience, we
have worked in 12 different countries: India, Rwanda,
South Africa, Vietnam, Brazil, Belize, the Dominican
Republic, Honduras, Mexico, the Republic of Georgia,
Nicaragua, and Russia. Currently we offer 4
experiences each year in India, Rwanda, the
Dominican Republic, and Vietnam.
As part of our programs, participants have built schools
and houses, taught English, constructed playgrounds,
provided high school enrichment workshops, worked
alongside the Missionaries of Charity in their homes for
adults and children, worked in women’s coops,
engaged in sports activities, dug latrines, and worked in
orphanages, among other activities. On all trips we
also engage in cultural travel.
Our philosophy is accompaniment, doing with and not
for. We recognize that local people are the experts
who have much to teach us. We are ambassadors and
peacemakers – one person and one village at a time.
Methods
To date, approximately 650 students, faculty, and staff
have participated in our international service programs.
We wanted to learn what pre, during, and post service
trip experiences were the most meaningful to them. We
also wanted to know what long-term changes in
knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors, if any, would be
reported by respondents.
We created a Campus Labs survey that obtained
demographic information, utilized Likert scales to
determine level of agreement or disagreement with
various statements, asked respondents to select all
statements that applied, and provided open ended
opportunities to share additional information.
We found email addresses for 538 former participants.
We sent the survey to these email addresses; 20 came
back as undeliverable. Overall, 33.34% of participants
who received the survey responded.
• 77.78% noted that they are somewhat to
significantly more aware of how much they
consume.
• 82.65% stated that they are somewhat to
significantly more likely to travel in the future.
• 73.86% said they are somewhat to significantly
more likely to pay attention to others.
• 79.09% noted that they were somewhat to
significantly more likely to develop their leadership
skills.
Results
The top three reasons respondents participated in our
service trips were: I love to travel (57.23%), I wanted to
experience another culture (57.23%), and I love to
serve (54.34%).
Participants indicated that the various types of
reflection that they engaged in before, during, and after
their service trips were a critical aspect of their overall
experience. Personal reflection, discussion with incountry hosts, telling others about their experiences,
and journaling were the most significant forms of
reflection for them.
Over 70% of respondents noted that cultural travel was
very important to them; others said that common meals
and group retreats were also very significant.
Participants learned a great deal about themselves and
the world as a result of these experiences. For
example, they learned that they could communicate
with others without words, that they wanted to travel
more, that people are more alike than different, and
that they had the capacity to expand their personal
boundaries.
Conclusions
The data suggests that the positive impact of shortterm international service trip experiences is longerlasting than we might have expected. The open-ended
comments of respondents revealed an enduring love
for the service communities and the people they
encountered. The data also reveals that reflection is
the glue that makes these experiences take hold.
Here are several comments from participants:
“I greatly enjoyed my time in Vietnam as part of the
Wake Forest international service trip. Actually, I
enjoyed it so much that I went back six months later
and visited the village. The trip opened my eyes to a
new culture and ways that I can help other people. I
am very interested in joining an alumni trip. Also, I
loved bonding with other trip members. To this day, I
feel close to each person and value the experiences
we shared together.”
“I had an amazing experience on the City of Joy trip in
Kolkata. This trip changed my life and not a day
passes when I do not think about India.”
Following their international service experience:
“A brief, unique, and memorable experience that
pushed my boundaries and was pivotal to my
development into the adult I am today.”
• 52.29% were somewhat to significantly more likely
to engage in service activities at home.
“A wonderful experience that taught me a lot about
myself, others, and the world.”
• 69.94% were somewhat to significantly more likely
to encourage others around them to volunteer.
“Absolutely crucial to my existence. I would be a
different (worse) person if I never experienced service
in a 3rd world country.”
• 92% were somewhat to significantly more aware of
poverty around them as well as globally.
• 96.73% know somewhat to significantly more about
the country where they served.
• 71.90% have a somewhat to significantly greater
sense of purpose.
“I was emotionally challenged every day and definitely
hit personal boundaries. With the support of my group,
it was an amazing experience.”
Based on participant feedback, we are pursuing alumni
service trip possibilities with Mary Tribble.