Community Services Program

La Informacion, Santiago Domican Repubic, UMass Dartmouth carries out socio-cultural change

Wednesday, January 12th 2005

Solidarity and altruism define the work carried out by representatives from UMass Dartmouth and the institute New York Center for the benefit of philanthropic companies in Santiago in the framework of a socio-cultural exchange.

Throughout their stay in the country, in commission of the house of American upper studies; as well as representatives of the language school of his city, carried out repairs, paintings, and cultural activities in centers and schools of social services.

Mrs. Deirdre Healy, Community Service coordinator of the University, and Juan Jimenez Fondeur, Administrative Director of the institution, made a visit to Dr. Fernando Perez Memen, director of this journal, of the activities carried out during the exchange. In this sense they informed the institutions benefiting with the exchange were Hogar Nueva Espenza, Hogar Escuela Genesis and La Mision ILAC.

They offered sexual education speaking and visited the installation of the institution to share and exchange ideas about their culture with the students of New York Center.

In so, the American delegation that is conformed by Lauren Stencel, Meaghan McLoughlin, Patrick McLoughlin, Gabrielle Healy, Brittany Lering, John McLoughlin and Mary Lynn Flanders, had the opportunity to learn of the Dominican culture and visit places of interest.

Within those places of interest were La Altagracia Church, the movies to watch a movie of native production, and a baseball game.

They also assisted Centro Leon, where the guide “La Estrella” (The Star) spoke to them about the culture and history, not only of the island, but also of the Caribbean, supporting her guide with images, sculptures, and her own elements of the time.

Healy, as well as Jimenez Fondeur explained that this is a pilot project that they hope to make official so that it can repeat itself again once or twice a year where they will bring people to help and at the same time learn different things.

“Helping people is possible, social service is very important for any career”, emphasized Healy.

Licensed Jimenez Fondeur, who with Rafaelina Tavarez, director of academics of the institute, coordinated the event, demonstrated himself satisfied with the goals achieved during this first exchange with the university.

In the same terms Deirdre Healy expressed herself, now the students have a good impression of the country and the things that can be done to benefit the less fortunate.

Concluding their work in Santiago, the delegation of the university, directed themselves to Sosua to reunite with representatives of Dream Project, an institution that is in charge of working to help the conditions of educational places in rural areas, in order to make an agreement of collaboration.