The Lynch School of Education Office for Students and Outreach (Campion 104) will be sponsoring several service trips during the upcoming academic year.  The purpose of these trips is to offer students an opportunity to interact with people from many different backgrounds.  We believe that by immersing ourselves in the many different communities we are able to gain a better understanding of the community and its need.
 

University of Capetown: Semester or full-year program in Cape Town for students across the disciplines. UCT enrollment is open to students in the humanities, arts, social sciences, science, and business. Courses of particular interest to international students address local content and focus on the African continent. These courses are grouped according to the following themes: historical perspectives, development and democracy, southern African environments, and cultural Africa.

Rhodes University: Semester or full-year program in Grahamstown for students across the disciplines. Excellent opportunities for service learning. Grahamstown offers excellent supervised community service opportunities. Under the dedicated leadership of BC’s on-site coordinator, Prof. Geoffrey Antrobus, students participate in customized service placements in local hospitals, shelters, day care centers, schools, soup kitchens, senior centers, and AIDS education projects.
 

This course addresses the comparative and international politics of the Gulf States, with emphasis on Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. It analyzes state formation, state-society relations, democratization, the rise of Islamism and regime stability, foreign policies, regional politics, and the politics of OPEC and international oil markets.  It also assesses the effects of oil on domestic politics and foreign policy, including the trade-offs of wealth for regional power and political continuity. Finally, it highlights pressures for political liberalization and growth in civil society. Students will visit sites of political, religious, and historical significance throughout Kuwait and the Gulf, attend presentations at the National Assembly and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and take part in joint sessions with English-speaking Kuwaiti students of the same age. 
 

Semester or full-year program in Ifrane at a small, prestigious institution with an English-language curriculum. Courses in business, management, the humanities, including Islamic Studies, Arabic language, and across the disciplines. Opportunities for service and volunteer work. Multilingual environment.
 

REACHING OUT... The Outreach programs at the Thensted Center provide essentials like food and clothing to the economically disadvantaged. All recipients are screened carefully to assess eligibility. Programs include:

• Emergency Food Pantry
• Home Visits to elderly and shut-ins to assess needs,
• Thrift Store for clothing, furniture, and household items,
• Christmas Baskets containing food, toiletries, and household items.

BUILDING UP... Helping others to learn how to actualize their true potential is a key component of the Thensted Center mission. These programs, designed to build better lives, are geared toward both children and adults. They include:

• After School Tutorial for grades Kindergarten through 12
• The Summer Enrichment Program for children ages 6-17 offering academic and cultural recreational activities
• Counseling Services that provide sessions for individuals, families, and groups
• Empowering Seniors that includes bi-monthly education in spiritual, emotional, physical, social, and intellectual areas.

ENRICHING THE FUTURE... A community is only as strong as its people. By empowering the citizens of southern St. Landry parish, the Thensted Center helps dreams come true and helps our communities prosper. Educational Programs designed to assist in personal discovery include:

• Sub Bank and Budgeting teaches money management
• Career Education Program (CEP) helps high school students learn first-hand about career possibilities with on-the-job training.