Thursday March 14, 2013 VOL . LIV, ISSUE 20
INSIDE
ONE MAN, ONE JOB, PAGE 11
Service beyond one’s self
AWARD SHOWS: WORTH THE HYPE? PAGE 6
Students spend spring break going on eye-opening trips that give a cultural perspective that cannot be taught in the classroom.
ONLINE www.theloquitur.com BY LAURA GALLAGHER Managing Editor
The journey the Cavs took to reach the Sweet 16 Scan the above QR code with your smartphone to read this story on theloquitur.com.
Spring break can be valued by college students in different ways: a break from schoolwork, time to spend with family and friends, or maybe even a chance to relax and recharge. On the other hand, there are some students that choose to step out of their comfort zone and fully immerse themselves by giving up their time for volunteer work. “There is nothing like living in solidarity with a community that is not your immediate community, taking on and sharing in their triumphs and their struggles,” Clare Pressimone, junior social work major, said. Having made a conscious decision to travel to Guatemala and see the world through a different lens, Pressimone shared just one reason why she chose to go to a developing country during her spring break. “Students should go on trips like this one because if we only experience our world and our way of life, then we will be missing the big part of the global picture,” Pressimone said. “I think the picture makes a lot more sense when you see the whole thing.” Going on a cross-cultural trip can give students the opportunity to experience a hands-on way of learning and thinking. Seeing the complexities both domestically and abroad can be eye opening and, at times, overwhelming. This challenges students to open up their mind and heart in order to gain a better understanding and appreciation of different cultures. “I believe that having these cross-cultural experiences enables people to become better people, and make a positive difference in the world,” Vonya Womack, professor of business
“Students should go on trips like this one because if we only experience our world and our way of life, then we will be missing the big part of the global picture.” CLARE PRESSIMONE
and organizational leadership, said. Studying abroad during her own undergraduate career to places such as Egypt, Jordan, Israel and Greece gave her a different kind of knowledge on how to communicate with people. “You’re always going to be working with people from different cultural backgrounds. [After these experiences] you have a better perspective of the world and you also start to value that people believe different things from you,” Womack said. Another group of students traveled to New Orleans over break and had the chance to not only learn about another community, but they also gained a better understanding of themselves and the struggles of the U.S. even years after Hurricane Katrina. SEE IMMERSION, PAGE 2