The College of Allied Health Sciences prides itself on being a college of helping professions. Helping in the local community just wasn't enough – our service goes global. Students, faculty, staff and even friends of the college participate in six different international experiences throughout the year – and we keep adding more!
Jamaican Creole Speech Language Project
Students in Communication Sciences and Disorders travel to Kingston, Jamaica, each year to work with parents, teachers and children to conduct speech, language and hearing screenings in local preschools. Students are able to experience Jamaica's exciting culture while conducting hands-on research with a diverse population.
This study abroad experience is led by Professor Karla Washington, PhD.
"I would definitely recommend this program because students get the opportunity to learn how to conduct diagnostic assessments and work with culturally and linguistically diverse preschoolers and parents.These experiences are invaluable for success in graduate school and clinical placements." - CAHS Student
Palace Foundation
An interprofessional team of students, alumni, faculty, staff, community members and translators from the College of Allied Health Sciences (CAHS) have begun an annual service learning experience to Mexico to work with the Palace Foundation.
This service learning experience allows students to gain hands-on experience in their fields while making a difference in the lives of the citizens of Cancun, Mexico. The team helps hundreds of patients in the local community in locations such as the Center for Exceptional Children, local hospitals, rehabilitation facilities and nursing homes.The foundation also provides room, board and transportation for all participants.
The scope of the study abroad opportunity has grown to include students from physical therapy, audiology and medical laboratory sciences.
This study abroad experience is led by Brian Earl, Elizabeth Hertenstein, Rose Smith and Beth Bextermueller.
"The people of Mexico are so grateful. It really keeps you gong when you haven't had a moment's rest or have barely ate lunch. It is all worth it when you hear 'Mucho gusto. Muchas gracias!' I want to emulate the appreciation I have been shown, especially when it is me who is so grateful for the opportunity to serve these people! So powerful!" - CAHS Student
Costa Rica
Xan Boone, associate professor in the school of social work, leads study abroad experiences to Costa Rica each year.
Copenhagen, Denmark study abroad experience
Advanced Medical Imaging Technology (AMIT) professional curriculum majors set off to Copenhagen, Denmark, where students will be immersed in Danish culture while also engaging in a curriculum that includes both didactic and clinical components set up at the Glostrup University Hospital Functional Imaging Unit.
This experience will enhance participating students' patient care and communication skills, and allow them to grow both on a personal and professional level, by immersing them into a new culture, society, and government-run healthcare system.
The Denmark study abroad experience is led by Barry Southers, PhD.
"The most rewarding part about studying abroad was being able to be a part of a completely different culture. Seeing how another group of people can behave so much different than us yet learning so much from them was amazing. Being a part of the summer solstice festival over in Denmark was so much fun. I felt like I was a part of a big celebration which made me feel welcome and was so exciting." - Kelsey Wineland, 2015 AMIT graduate
South Africa
Undergraduates in Communication Sciences and Disorders spent their 2019 spring break testing the hearing of elephants in Bela-Bela, South Africa. This was the second trip that Pete Scheifele, PhD, professor, and executive director of FETCHLAB, has made to Bela-Bela, South Africa as part of a project that is the first to ever test the hearing of African elephants.
The group did its research at Adventures With Elephants (AWE), a conservation reserve about 45 minutes west of Bela-Bela, which offers a variety of hands-on elephant experiences targeted to tourists.
The research project in Bela-Bela is part of a conservation effort to keep poachers from killing elephants and bringing ivory into other countries illegally, funded in part by the U.S. Army.
“To be able to have such close up access to the elephants was an incredible experience and to be able to expand our current research efforts at an amazing facility like AWE was beyond rewarding. I hope that our research efforts will contribute to a better understanding of elephant hearing so that we can help protect the elephants from poaching and help conserve them." - Jenny Gale, CAHS student