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.
© Copyright 2024