May service trips to better students, sites
WAYNESBURG — Forty-one students and six faculty and staff members are serving others both domestically and abroad during the week before graduation. The university is offering four service mission trips covering a variety of academic and professional interests that give students the opportunity to serve outside Greene County.
The projects include partnerships with Urban Promise in Camden, N.J., John M. Perkins Foundation in Jackson, Miss., Navajo Nation in Tuba City, Ariz., and Sunrise Children’s Home in San Nicolas, Argentina.
Urban Promise – Camden, N.J.
Dave Calvario, director of the center for service leadership, will lead nine Waynesburg University students to Camden, N.J., from Saturday, May 5 to Saturday, May 12. Service will consist of working with children in Urban Promise’s kindergarten through 12th grade school as well as its after school program.
Waynesburg students will assist with homework, spiritual development, arts and crafts and athletic games. Remaining time will be spent on labor projects in Urban Promise’s school and other ministries. Students will learn about the city of Camden and the poverty and social justice issues that exist there.
John M. Perkins Foundation – Jackson, Miss.
Tom Ribar, Waynesburg University chaplain, and Chad Sherman, assistant professor of communication, will lead 12 students to Jackson, Miss., from Friday, May 4 until Saturday, May 12, for a service and educational trip.
The group will serve in conjunction with the John M. Perkins Foundation, working on various building projects and studying racial reconciliation and community development issues. This year marks the university’s eighth trip to serve the foundation.
Navajo Nation – Tuba City, Ariz.
Kelley Hardie, director of housing at Waynesburg University, and Frank Pazzynski, associate professor of education at Waynesburg University, will lead 12 students to serve at a Native American Reservation in Tuba City, Ariz., from Saturday, May 5 until Saturday, May 12. The group will serve in the Navajo Nation by tutoring students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at the Tuba City Boarding School.
They will experience the culture of the Navajo Nation through a presentation from a Navajo Tribal Delegate, a visit to a traditional sheep farm and a tribal pow-wow.
Sunrise Children’s Home – San Nicolas, Argentina
Jessica Sumpter, senior admissions counselor at Waynesburg University, will lead a group of eight Waynesburg students to San Nicolas, Argentina, from Friday, May 4 to Wednesday, May 16.
The students will serve at the Sunrise children’s Home of Argentina and will provide a day camp for the children as well as complete maintenance projects.