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More than 50 students to spend holiday break serving others

By Chelsey Withers for The Yellow Jacket 4 min read

“Students volunteering on a service trip are able to make the connection between faith, learning and service. Trips enable students to utilize their passions and gifts to benefit an organization domestically or internationally,” said Kelley Hardie, assistant dean of students. “These opportunities offer life-changing and eye-opening experiences that will challenge students to think critically about social needs.”

Over Christmas break, 56 students will be serving around the United States and internationally to fulfill different missions.

“I have always wanted to go on a mission trip at Waynesburg University because I have always heard incredible stories from them,” said Ciara Scott, senior criminal justice major. “I am excited to go because I feel it will be an experience of a lifetime.”

Scott, along with 13 other students, will be leaving for Bonaire on Jan. 2 and will be there until Jan. 10. This trip gives multiple opportunities for students. The history students will have the chance to archive documents and discover basic island archaeology. This will be the first year students from Waynesburg University will have the opportunity to do this. 

On the other side, for the fourth year in a row, students interested in communication will have the chance to volunteer at a Christian radio station: Trans World Radio (TWR). While volunteering with TWR, students will be creating production schedules, radio lines, videos and promotional materials. The trip will be led by Dr. Jacquelyn Core, Dr. Karen Fisher Younger and Abby Pittinaro.

Education majors will also have the opportunity to go on an international trip over the break. Julie Bausman, assistant professor of education, will be taking students from the education department to Nassau, Bahamas, to volunteer and assist with classes and general projects.

“It was an incredible experience to be able to teach in another country, as well as spend time at two different orphanages,” said senior education major Makayla Vidosh, who went on last year’s trip.

Students going to the Bahamas will leave on Jan. 3 and return on Jan. 9.

The final international trip that will be occurring during the Christmas break is one that will take students to Patzun, Guatemala. Here, students will have the chance to work with Centro Nutritional Y Hogar De Ninos, mainly doing general maintenance and performing childcare. 

“We build relationships with the kids. We help teach them English, about hygiene; and when we get the chance, we share our faith and hear their story,” said junior Emily Nowakowski. “Everyday we wake up and we work on a project while at the center, and while we are serving, the kids serve alongside us no matter what we are doing. So it’s really cool getting to serve alongside them. They are making a bigger impact on us than they really realize.”

The unique part of this service trip is that it is not targeted toward a specific major. Pat Bristor, associate dean of students, will lead the students to help an orphanage. 

These students will leave on Dec. 31 and return on Jan. 8. 

The final mission trip that will be occurring is targeted toward science majors, but is open to anyone: “Crossroads Coalition: Wynne, Arkansas.” These students will also have the opportunity to work with children and teaching. Here, the students will volunteer at a public school and educate students on the fundamentals of science. Students will depart on Jan. 3 and return on Jan. 10.

All students attending service trips are grasping the university’s mission and executing it. Some students are fulfilling service hours for scholarships and class, but others are simply going because of their desire to serve.

“It is amazing to hear the life-changing stories from trip participants. It is also exciting to hear stories about how students are able to use their classroom knowledge while volunteering, embracing God’s gifts with those in need,” said Hardie.

Any student interested in looking into service trips for next year’s winter season, or ones that occur during fall and spring breaks, should contact Hardie at khardie@waynesburg.edu.

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