Amizade provides travel opportunity to Jamaica

West Virginia University students have the unique opportunity to travel to Jamaica during spring break and earn class credit through the nonprofit organization Amizade Global Service-Learning.

The trip, "Community Development in the Caribbean," will provide students the opportunity to earn one international studies credit hour and community service hours.

Amizade is a nonprofit organization that connects individuals and the community through service-learning.

Trey Goff, Amizade Service-Learning coordinator, said one of the best ways to describe Amizade is as a study abroad program, but the organization does much more for the communities it serves.

"The unique thing there is that you're actually experiencing another culture as a member of that society, and not just the experience on another campus as a college student," Goff said.

Students who participate in the program will engage in service-learning work with the community in Petersfield, Jamaica. Participants have tutored students, taken part in small construction projects and supported initiatives by an organization in Petersfield, the Association of Clubs through Amizade, he said.

"It's hard to pinpoint the exact service participants will be doing because we take all of our service directives from the community itself," Goff said. "We take our duties from what the community needs at that time."

Goff said although students will visit local attractions and tourist beaches, they will get a unique look at Jamaica from a service perspective by giving back to community and gaining a unique experience.

"Aside from just getting academic credit and earning community service hours, it's really good for social development," he said. "In this global economy, everything is becoming more internationalized, so it's great to say you've been to a developing country and that you know how people live there, which can be very beneficial in the future."

Amizade's site partner in Jamaica, Matthias Brown, will visit campus Monday and Friday to meet with students about the trip and answer any questions they may have. On Friday, Amizade will host a lunch social for Brown at Black Bear Burritos at 1 p.m. for students interested in participating in the trip.

For more information or to sign up for the program, students can visit the Amizade office in 343 Stansbury Hall. Students can also complete an application online at www.amizade.org.