UConn goes global

As a former study abroad student it was interesting to find an article on students that studyed abroad and took a class based on community outreach. Fifteen students from the University of Connecticut went to the Dominican Republic last spring in an effort to understand the root causes of poverty in that country. Students took a three-credit sociology course that was jointly put together by the sociology department and the Office of Community Outreach. This is a growing trend among major universities to integrate service with academics. The article goes on to discuss what the students did both in the Dominican Republic and upon their return. But this method is a good thing for students to consider. For students that are very civic minded this is an opportunity to broaden your horizons and help people in your community or even around the world at the same time.

Trauma center for Baltimore families

In a look closer to home I found an article in The Examiner about a new family-informed trauma treatment center. Several medical centers around the area are coming together with both the School of Social Work and the School of Medicine at University of Maryland, Baltimore. This kind of work is helpful to the people that are coming to seek treatment but it can also be rewarding for the students and those that work in the center. The School of Social Work is committed to helping this partnership between the center and Baltimore area hospitals as part of their dedication to the community. Family is the centerpiece of graduates of the School of Social Work as this is where they will spend the most time and focus on the social issues and welfare of families. Through this trauma center students may be able to reach out to the community and help those around them.