USF Honors Cohort students doing service learning work in Nicaragua: (left to right) Branden Varga, Jonathan Schreiber, Gracy Donida, Darius Chen, Kendra Brazile
This past year a diverse team of USF business students had the opportunity, through a very generous gift from Josh Peckler and Sue Troxell, to work with ViviendasLeon, an NGO, to implement a project in Goyena, Nicaragua with a women's sewing cooperative seeking to create a sustainable business model that would serve their families and community.
The students — members of Professor Dayle Smith’s Leadership Class —worked with Evan Markiewicz, the Executive Director of ViviendasLeon and La Madre Tierra a women's sewing cooperative in Goyena. Thanks to Josh and Sue’s gift, the students went to Nicaragua during the intersession to continue their work and implement their fall project. The goal of their project was to understand the challenges of economic development in this impoverished community, learning from the women, the community and the NGO. They had the chance to see both the connections and disconnects of business theory and practice. They had to learn how to adapt business practice to cultural differences and they gained an appreciation for the power of acceptance; the role of education; and, the flexibility, knowledge and skill sets required of those creating sustainable businesses.
The depth of the students' educational experience, made possible through the PSIP (Public Service Internship Program), the commitment of donors like Josh and Sue and the support of the McCarthy Center enabled this group of students to return after the intersession profoundly affected by their experiences. They all continue to work with Evan (without credit) and are meeting with the next group of students in their cohort to "pass the reins" and enable another group to have a similar experience.
The USF School of Business Public Service Internship Program is an entirely donor-funded initiative that supports students to pursue service-learning in both domestic and international projects.
