Going Global in Greece

Students Participate in Volunteer Mission of a Lifetime

by Darcie Dyer Shinberger '89 MS '98

Take eight determined students, add one dedicated volunteer coordinator and a good measurement of service-oriented learning, and what do you get? The trip of a lifetime to work with children overseas.

Organized through Western's volunteer services unit in the Office of Student Activities, the three-week trip to Greece during Summer 2007 took those eight WIU students and Mary Kubasak ‘88 MS ‘97, assistant director of student activities for volunteer services, to the small island of Crete to teach school children.

Christy Heaton MS '07 plays a spirited game with students during free time.However, one of the most amazing parts of the volunteer mission was that the students raised $25,000 to fund the trip. With the help of local businesses and organizations, the group sold 900 candy bars; hosted two Greek-inspired dinners at The Secret Garden restaurant in Macomb—with the students doing the cooking under the supervision of owner Paul Kirwan—and hosted bake sales; and initiated a letter-writing campaign for sponsors. The Office of the Provost and the Vice President for Student Services donated funds as well, and the students each kicked in $1,000 of their own money, Kubasak added.

"Because of the phenomenal work of these students and the generosity of the campus and Macomb communities, we were able to spend more than two weeks teaching English to children in a small school through the internationally-sponsored Global Volunteers program," Kubasak explained.

The idea of putting a global spin on volunteerism came from Christy Heaton, a May 2007 college student personnel graduate student who was Kubasak's graduate assistant. Heaton had taught in Japan for 18 months, and after returning to the states, her wheels were in motion to establish an international volunteer effort.

Volunteer Coordinator Mark Kubasak '89 MS '97, plays a game with the students to enhance their English skills."After many conversations with students about service abroad, it was apparent that this was an opportunity that several were interested in," Heaton said. "It was a lot of hard work to make this happen, but the experience made it all so worthwhile. College is an important time in our lives where we become more aware of the world around us. Service abroad programs are great experiences for students to step out of their comfort zones and become more globally active and give their time to a project that means so much to all involved."

When Kubasak and the students arrived in Crete, they met with the Global Volunteers coordinator and were taken to the school where they thought they would be assisting as teacher aides.

"We were the teachers," Kubasak said. "We worked with fifth grade students who were further honing their English, which they began learning in third grade. We led classes in English, played games and put on plays for students who are involved in a special eight-week summer camp at the school."

The WIU students worked four one-hour blocks five days a week at the school to provide the intensive English language training. Other Global Volunteers arrived prior to the Western students' departure to continue the lessons, Kubasak said.

WIU students play a game with students during recess.Mackenzie Bell, a junior elementary education major from Monticello, took part in the volunteer mission. She said the trip provided a great experience to prepare for her future career as a teacher.

"The most touching thing was when a student who had been so quiet in class, so quiet I never knew what she was thinking, cried when it was time for us to leave," Bell said. "It made me feel like I had done work that really did make a difference, even if it wasn't apparent at the time. This experience definitely helped us realize how much of an impact we can make when we volunteer."

Other students who participated included Sarah Allard, a graduate college student personnel student from Chillicothe; Lizzie Collins, a senior elementary education major from Naperville; Chrissy Coughlin, a junior biological sciences major from Mendota; Sheena DePasquale, a senior elementary education major from Woodridge; Hollie Heider, a senior elemetary education major from Chicago; and Jackie McKenna, a graduate college student personnel student from Jennings, Kan.

Kubasak added that the mission was such a wonderful experience for those involved, despite the 110-plus degree heat and long working hours, that she hopes to add an overseas experience to her volunteer line-up every other year, or ideally, every year.

"We all said this could not be a once-in-a-lifetime experience," Kubasak said. "We'll be back. It was so moving, so educational and so worthwhile, it can't be just once."

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