Saint Peter’s College Group Will Visit Honduras In Summer

Jersey City, NJ – Saint Peter’s College will send a group of 10 students, faculty and staff this summer to experience culture and assist in building homes, gardens and improving children’s literacy in Honduras. This marks the third straight year that Saint Peter’s has organized such a community-service trip to this Central American country. The College’s “Global Outreach Team” will depart for Honduras on May 25th and return on June 8. The Saint Peter’s contingent will spend the first week of the trip at the Jesuit mission in El Progresso where they will immerse themselves in the Honduran culture. The group will visit schools and a community theater, along with attending church social functions, religious services and sightseeing on the weekend. The second week of the trip has the group in the poor, rural community of Las Guimas where they will assist in the construction of new homes, community gardens and literacy activities. “The Global Outreach Team is an incredible opportunity for our students to experience a culture in a developing-world country,” said trip organizer Dr. Patricia Santoro, an Associate Professor in Modern Classical Languages and Literatures. “Team members are some of the College’s most dedicated when it comes to community service, and, because this trip is so unique, we spend a great deal of time preparing our students for what they will see. As a group, we participate in overnight retreats and educational sessions on Honduran culture and will participate in local community service projects to build team unity. The students, if they are not fluent, have taken it upon themselves to attend intensive Spanish language training. This is an incredible group.” Community service is an important component of a Saint Peter’s education. “More than 60% of the student body participates in some sort of community service throughout the year,” said Elizabeth McMahon, Director of Community and Service Learning. “We offer a wide variety of programs and schedules that meet their interests and time constraints. From the day students attend freshman orientation, they recognize the College culture encourages community involvement. All of our student clubs, residence hall floors, and athletic teams support our already established programs and often create new ones. It is inspirational to see young people donate so much time and energy in response to social problems around them.” McMahon’s office and the College’s Campus Ministry office sponsors the Global Outreach Team’s trip and runs fundraising programs throughout the year. Saint Peter’s College is the Jesuit College of New Jersey. Founded in 1872, Saint Peter’s has an enrollment of more than 3,000 students in undergraduate and graduate programs. The main campus is located in Jersey City and a branch campus, specializing in adult education, is located in Englewood Cliffs. Saint Peter’s also offers classes in downtown Jersey City near the waterfront financial district and in South Amboy.