Global Brigade Scholar, Daj'za Mitchell, shares her story along with other GSU students. Join GSU on a life-changing experience abroad through serving communities around the world.
Global Brigades
is an international non-profit that uniquely implements a holistic model to
meet a community’s health and economic goals. Their model systematically builds
community ownership and collaboratively executes programs with the end goal of
sustainably transitioning to a relationship of impact monitoring.
Their mission is to empower volunteers and under-resourced
communities to resolve global health and economic disparities and inspire all
involved to collaboratively work towards an equal world. Their vision is
to improve equality of life by igniting the largest student-led social
responsibility movement on the planet.
Through service learning abroad, you will embody and accomplish both the
mission and the vision of Global Brigades.
Public Health Brigade in Ghana
Brigade Dates: TBD
Faculty Leaders: Dr. Phyllis West & Dr. Nicole Koonce
Course: SOCW 5000 or CDIS 8000 (options to audit for $75)
Public Health Brigade in Panama
Brigade Dates: TBD
Faculty
Leaders: Dr. Phyllis West & Dr. Nicole Koonce
Course: SOCW 5000 or CDIS 8000 (options to audit for $75)
Program Description
Public Health Brigades empower under resourced communities in the
developing world to decrease life-threatening diseases by providing public
health education and improving local infrastructure. Global Brigades works to
train community volunteers to promote health and hygiene. Volunteers work
side-by-side with the community to improve the overall infrastructure within
their homes through the construction of a variety of projects, ranging from
washable latrines to eco-stoves. Projects were chosen based on community need
and project feasibility. Since waterborne diseases such as intestinal parasites
are highly prevalent, many of our projects focus on improving water and human
waste management systems. Between brigades, the in-country team provides
follow-up to ensure the maintenance and continued use of projects.
This
brigade incorporates experiential learning course content, which examines the
relationship between the Transatlantic Slave Trade and Mass Incarceration in
America. Students will visit a local school and journey the path of three
locations where Africans were captured before departing and embarking upon 500
years of enslavement. The academic course around the service program will be an
emotional journey that looks at how the slave trade began and how it still
affects society today.
Dr. Phyllis West, Social Work
I am a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Social Work. I have trained undergraduate and graduate students at GSU for 10 years. I teach the practice courses, diversity and health. My professional training and areas of expertise are public health, community strategic planning, organizational development, mass incarceration, maternal and child health, and international health.
Dr. Nicole Koonce, Communication Disorders
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Disorders at Governors State University. I am also a certified Speech-Language Pathologist with more than 14 years of clinical experience in pediatric communication disorders.
Global Service Learning Leadership
There are many ways in which students participating in a brigade can exercise their leadership skills. For each brigade, three students are chosen to help lead the group throughout the process to assist with taking the lead in fundraising, educating and team building. Ask how you can become a brigade leader!