Students take tropical trip for spring break

While most students head home for spring break, some students from the Honors program and the Intercultural Communication course will be enjoying sunny skies and the tropical weather of Jamaica.

Florida A&M University faculty and students will join 19 Winston-Salem State students for a spring break study abroad program. Over half of the WSSU students participating are from the Honors Program.

"Last year we went with FAMU to explore options of how short-term cultural study abroad works and Ms. Patterson and I liked it and decided to open it up to our students," Sonya Melton said.

Melton is an assistant director of the Honors Program.

"I think it is a valuable learning experience and opportunity to study and travel abroad while in college," Andrea Patterson said.

"We realize that every student cannot afford nor have the time, due to work or family commitments to spend an entire semester abroad.  In addition, some students may be unsure about the study abroad experience."

Patterson is an English & Foreign Languages instructor and creator of the Intercultural Communication course.

Melton and Patterson will be the WSSU instructors participating in the spring break program.

According to the Jamaica study abroad brochure, the students will be traveling to various parishes of Jamaica and touring different sites, such as the U.S. Embassy and the University of West Indies. They will also be experiencing nightlife in Ocho Rios and participating in a cultural immersion experience. In addition, they will complete a service learning project at an elementary school in Ocho Rios.

"We will be taking donated school supplies to the school children and visiting their school," Patterson said.

Patterson said that the study abroad program is referred to as a high impact learning practice in the area of diversity and global learning.

"Hopefully, this will encourage students to travel abroad to different countries and to stay longer," Melton said.

Melton said that following the return from the study abroad program, the students may do a presentation for the Colleges of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Forum.

In the Intercultural Communication course, the students explore working abroad, navigating the study abroad process and understanding relationships between languages and cultures.

The study abroad program is a component of the course but is not required. It costs approximately $1,250 to participate. Students raised the majority of the funding for the program.  

"Ms. Melton and I hope the Spring Break Jamaica Program will make studying abroad a little more affordable, more realistic," Patterson said.

Melton said that she is trying to do another short-term trip during the fall semester.