Marist College Global Outreach 2019

Every year Marist College Campus Ministry leads an alternative Spring Break service trip to Mérida, Mexico.  I am one of ten students in the Global Outreach Program for March 2019. Our group of Marist students, travel together in the spirit of civic engagement, global learning and cross-cultural exchange. We fund and execute 100% of a service project that will sustain and bolster the local economy. Our work is done in a small village outside the city of Mérida, Mexico. This community is supported by a local community center, the CEMADE, which is owned by the Marist Brothers and is affiliated with Universidad Marista in Mérida. It provides a wide range of social services to the community including education, job opportunities and skills training, recreation, and a community garden that is responsible for feeding many families. 

The purpose of the Global Outreach program is to serve those in need, while allowing us an opportunity to wholly immerse ourselves into and civically engage a culture other than our own. We will spend some of our time doing manual labor, executing the project that we fund, creating and facilitating programs for children, including fun games at the center, and learning about the programs that the center runs and their importance for the people in the community. During this experience, we hope to get to gain valuable insight into our own spirituality while broadening our cultural scope. Additionally, each of us brings our own career goals that will be supported by this experience. For example, one of our group members seeks to be a Dentist to under-served Spanish-speaking population in California--This immersion experience is invaluable to his cultural capital, awareness and Spanish skills.

We are raising money through donations and fundraising on campus in the spring semester, as we are all responsible for raising the cost of the trip, our service project and supplies. All of the monies raised goes back to our community service projects costs and any excess goes directly to the college student’s service trip costs. If you are unable to give, we appreciate you forwarding this sponsorship request to anyone in your social circle, and of course your thoughts and prayers are also appreciated as we journey to the tropical Yucatan peninsula to do the work of Marist College Campus Ministry!

We are grateful for your support and for allowing us to learn, travel abroad, and give back to those in need. Any amount that you give would have an impact, and no donation is too small. Please consider a gift of $50.00 or more if you are able.

If you prefer, you can make checks out to Marist College Global Outreach and include my name in the memo section. All checks can be sent to the following address:

Marist College Campus Ministry
Byrne House Attn: Global Outreach
3399 North Road
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601

I look forward to sharing my experiences with you upon return, and keeping you abreast of our journey and its impact on me and my studies here at Marist College. Thank you for your philanthropy, your care and for your support of my educational goals.