Undergraduate students from the University of South Dakota participated in a weeklong service-learning trip to Guatemala, according to a May 4 announcement. The group, led by Liz Hanson, Ph.D., associate professor in USD’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, traveled to communities around Lake Atitlán where they provided clinical services and engaged with local families.
Hanson said the experience offers students practical learning opportunities in environments where access to healthcare is affected by economic and geographic factors. “We emphasize that we’re going there to learn, to teach and to share,” Hanson said. “It’s not that medical services in the U.S. are better and we’re trying to save everyone. We are forming reciprocal relationships and partnerships with other professionals, clients and families.”
The program was coordinated with ADISA, an organization based in Santiago Atitlán supporting children with disabilities. USD students conducted speech, language, hearing screenings as well as blood pressure checks for Indigenous children across five Mayan communities. The organization also provided translators fluent in English, Spanish, and local Mayan languages.
Students prepared for the trip through weekly sessions focused on Guatemalan history, healthcare systems, language skills, culture awareness as well as travel logistics such as passport requirements and safety protocols. This year saw increased interest among students from communication sciences and disorders along with those majoring in medical biology; each department organized its own separate trip due to high demand.
Participants described meaningful interactions during their time abroad. Ariana Edwards said she joined because it allowed her “to get to practice Spanish in a medical setting” while pursuing her undergraduate studies: “My Spanish absolutely helped me… I got to learn so much more about the healthcare system in Guatemala.” Morgan Meyer appreciated both traveling internationally for the first time and applying classroom knowledge: “I really enjoyed traveling somewhere new and helping others with something I am so passionate about.” Haley Zakovec noted how working alongside translators who spoke different Mayan languages was a unique aspect of their outreach.
The USD Department of Sustainability and Environment promotes cultural well-being by enabling student action on campus or along the Missouri River according to its official website. The department operates out of the Akeley-Lawrence Science Center according to its official website within USD’s College of Arts and Sciences according to its official website. It encourages consideration of ideal world conditions among students according to its official website, stands as the only university regionally offering both undergraduate and graduate degrees in sustainability according to its official website, and extends influence through work at the Missouri River Institute according to its official website.
Reflecting on why these experiences matter for future professionals entering global health fields or sustainability efforts alike, Hanson said: “All three programs emphasize experiences like this… It’s also a time in a student’s life when they can travel and experience something new.”
