Hello! My name is Rebecca Thaman and I am a 2018 graduate from Thomas More. Now, I work here in admissions!
The Jamaica Service Learning Program has been a part of the Thomas More Community for 20 years impacting over 300 TMU students, faculty/staff and alumni. I have been lucky enough to go three times! The Brown Travel Grant, along with Bengals/Reds fundraising made it super doable. I never paid more than $500 for this trip and I can say it truly changed my life.
On this trip, students go into off-the-beaten-path communities and get to know the people. The purpose is to learn from and be with them. We often end up involved in projects to help better the community too. What we see on this trip can be heartbreaking, especially when we learn how big of a role we have in it. Students soon learn that the biggest “service” is to share our stories when we get home though. Education on social issues around the world is the main driver in changing it.
BUT, this trip is a great combo of hard work and hard play! What’s travel without a little time for an adventure?! This can mean anything from jumping off cliffs in Negril to snorkeling by the reef or even just sipping frozen drinks in a beach chair!
I truly hope students get inspired to go on this trip! If you have questions, feel free to email me, Rebecca Thaman. We are unsure if the trip will be able to happen this year due to COVID-19. If you’d like to help anyway, we are starting a fundraiser for the school children there. Anything you can give helps, click here for more info.
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