Nine Defiance College Service Leaders recently returned from Nicaragua where they spent eight days participating in service learning projects in Chinandega and Managua.
Service Leaders who went on the trip were Austin Conlon of Latty, OH; Daniel Fabelo of Hamilton, OH; Jared Feffer of Grand Rapids, OH; Lexxie Fowler of Seville, OH; Taylor Gillig of Tiffin, OH; Christine Helberg of Napoleon, OH; Kassie Memmer of Bowling Green, OH; Drew Miller of Walled Lake, MI; and Adam Swisher of Lambertville, MI. The trip was led by Jordan Heiliger, Coordinator of McMaster Service Leadership Program, and Brad Harsha, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid.
DC’s students taught in several settings, including English at La Fundacion Chinandega 2001, a trade school, and CPR and first aid at Aceitera el Real, a cooking oil company. In collaboration with Companeros, Inc., the Service Leaders worked with Los Quinchos School to paint a mural showing the spirit of Defiance College. The DC students also taught English at Los Quinchos.
Collaborative opportunities in Nicaragua were established through a joint exploratory trip by the McMaster School for Advancing Humanity and the DC Honors Program in 2014 where these partnerships were developed.
Jordan Heiliger, trip leader, commented: “Everyone wanted to make the most of their experience, and it showed in their ability to overcome the obstacle of language. We were all out of our comfort zones, but that is when the greatest accomplishments happen. My students learned that first hand during this journey.”
“Everyone that we taught had an eagerness to learn that I had never seen before,” stated Kassie Memmer, who noted how thankful the children they worked with were for their school lessons. They gave the Service Leaders their full attention and patience, despite language barriers.
Harsha noted: “As an educational professional, it was difficult to hear the hopes and dreams of so many talented students and not know if they would get the same opportunities for college and careers as we have in the US.” Harsha intends to share his experience to illustrate to students that education is a privilege and to encourage them to follow their dreams.
The Service Leaders went to Nicaragua with the intention to teach, and came home having learned life lessons of their own.
Defiance College, chartered in 1850, is an independent, liberal arts institution in Northwest Ohio offering more than 40 undergraduate programs of study as well as graduate programs in education and business. Defiance College has received national recognition for its educational experience of service and engagement. The college website is www.defiance.edu.
