CPS offers spring immersion trips in Adams County and New Orleans
A January 2013 Center for Career Development immersion trip to Baltimore, Philadelphia and New Jersey offered students a glimpse into the future of careers in real estate and “green” development. (Photos by Andrew Barclay)
By Brendan Raleigh, Staff Writer
The Center for Public Service is once again planning several immersion projects for Gettysburg’s upcoming spring break.
Throughout the months of March and May, participating students will seek to gain more real-world knowledge and experience by immersing themselves in one of two possible projects.
The first project focuses on aiding in the reconstruction of New Orleans following the hurricane which ravaged the city in 2005.
Alternatively, students can choose to learn about the food system of Adams County while promoting the concept of “food justice,” which CPS defines as “the belief that healthy food is a human right regardless of income.”
Jeffrey Rioux, the Immersion Projects Coordinator, explained the reasons for and benefits of these trips.
“Many students are motivated to participate in Immersion Projects because they want to help, but while on the trip they realize that they learn much more than they are able to offer,” Rioux explained.
“The groups meet for six weeks prior to going on the trip, and during that time learn about the underlying issues which lead to the problems they are addressing (racism, power, poverty).
“So students learn about social justice issues, and they learn that there are many ways to address them – beyond direct service there is advocacy, public policy, community empowerment.”
Those who travel to New Orleans will work in cooperation with the Saint Bernard Project, a non-profit organization attempting to rebuild the homes and lives of those in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana who have been displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
St. Bernard was hit particularly hard by the natural disaster, as almost every building in the parish was destroyed and much of the community was left without water or electricity for several months.
By providing the missing services to the remaining residents of the parish, the Saint Bernard Project hopes to create a more easily inhabitable environment.
Gettysburg College has been hosting this trip since the hurricane struck in 2005.
This year, the New Orleans trip has a new project leader in Ashley Browns Burns, a native of New Orleans and the new Gondwe scholar at Gettysburg College, who Rioux hopes will give the project a “fresh focus.”
During the Adams County project, students will work with local farmers throughout Adams County in order to better understand its food production, learn about the emergency food system by visiting the Central PA Food Bank, volunteer at Campus Kitchens and discuss the difficulties that those with low incomes experience with finding food.
Overall, the goal of this immersion project is to educate students about the food system and food distribution, as well as promote equal access to food for people of all socioeconomic statuses.
The Adams County project has been available to students for the past four years.
The New Orleans project is to take place on two separate occasions: from March 9 to March 16 and from May 12 to May 17. Students are to pay $1,100 for the March trip and $850 for May in order to cover the cost of transportation, food, supplie and other expenses.
The “Food Justice in Adams County” trip will take place between May 12 and May 17 and cost $250.
Financial aid is available to students thanks to contributions of various donors.
Applications for either project are due February 1.
Seven or eight students will be able to participate in each trip.
Gettysburg has hosted eight other immersion projects over the 2012-2013 year, which have included aiding the “homeless, hungry, and/or ill” of Washington D.C., helping those affected by HIV/AIDS in New York City, and learning about life in third-world countries by assisting in the development of León, Nicaragua, one of Gettysburg’s sister cities.
The destinations of the trips are chosen by Rioux, along with two student Program Coordinators.
