Diverse Sources Interview

Texas State Global News Organization

By, Blake Lanter

Bcl41@txtstate.edu

San Marcos, Texas, October 2nd

           If you are a Texas State student interested in finding a rewarding study abroad program, the Texas State Global News Organization provides opportunities each year. This study abroad program isn’t like most others, the sole purpose of the trip is service oriented and too tell the stories of the community being served. Also, the organization with other service groups.

            The program is offered for journalism, mass communication and public relations majors. The director of the program, Holly Wise, hand picks around six students to go on the trip and is looking for more male students to get involved.

“I make sure to find students that are interested in connecting with people different than themselves,” Wise said. It is a great experience and can be used for a students’ multi-media project and for feature writing, both are requirements for a Mass Communication degree.

Last year the team traveled to Nicaragua to help provide free health care in rural villages. This year however, the team is going to Guiana with a group of six too help provide respiratory care and set up asthma clinics. During the trip, the group wakes up for a 7 a.m. breakfast and has two hours before going out to the communities at 9 a.m., which is when the majority of the work takes place. While in the community the group is too take interviews, notes, pictures and videos. Lunch is served while in the fields and last until 3 p.m. which is when the last patients are seen.

Around 4:30 p.m. the group is back at the hotel for a meeting summarizing the work gathered in the day. Dinner is eaten when the villagers eat, and usually the group will work until midnight editing photos and videos as well as getting prepared for the next day.

While the program is service oriented, during the fourth and fifth days members of the group make real connections with families, giving them balloons, music and food. There’s also a beach day, shopping day, as well as a boat trip. The boat trip is said to be accompanied by a “crazy Monkey” named Lucy who provides a lot of excitement.

The Texas State Global News Organization is a tremendous travel abroad program with many opportunities to help bolster your resume and complete requirements for a Mass Communication degree. Also, it’s a good way to meet new people from different cultures and help people who are less fortunate than yourself.