Spring breaks can take students anywhere. For 10 SUNY Brockport students that meant a service-learning trip in Puerto Rico as part of the Golden Eagle Experience. Students immersed themselves in the island’s rich culture, all while helping the local community.
“We worked on several projects that had a meaningful impact,” said public health major Keyshin Cooper. “We helped organize and restructure a local food pantry that provides meals to the elderly population who can no longer cook for themselves, traveled to remote parts of the island to deliver food to those lacking proper cooking supplies, and assisted with debris cleanup from the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.”
The program, offered by Student Union, Leadership, and Activities, encourages students to participate in service trips, where they contribute to local communities while learning about their culture. In previous years, students traveled to New Orleans and Oklahoma. This year’s trip was led by Melissa Szurgyi, Coordinator of Community Service and Civic Engagement. The program partnered with SFM Charities in San Juan, Puerto Rico, with the goal of assisting their elderly population.
“It was really something to see a culture in action,” Szurgyi said. “This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take part in this service opportunity, and to watch our students do the same.”
To be selected for the Golden Eagle Experience, students submitted an essay sharing their personal motivations for wanting to travel to Puerto Rico, what they wanted to learn about the country, and why they wanted to take part in an opportunity to serve an external community. Student Travel Grants, managed by the Office of Scholarship, Research, and Foundation Programs, awarded each student $400 to help cover various expenses including transportation, accommodations, and local excursions. Additional costs were covered by the University’s donors.
Once I heard about this opportunity, I knew I had to seize the moment,” said anthropology major Kenderus Phillips. “We went on a sunset tour along the northern coast of Old San Juan, explored Río Piedras and the University of Puerto Rico on a walking tour, and visited the arts and entertainment hub, Distrito T-Mobile.”
The Golden Eagle Experience is an opportunity for students to contribute to communities outside of their own and explore beyond the Brockport community. Experiencing this alongside their peers provides the students an environment to form new friendships and make meaningful connections that remain after returning to campus.
“Watching the students take on the community projects, go out to dinner, head to the beach, give one another life advice, and laugh together was really fun,” Szurgyi said. “That’s one of the best parts of these kinds of trips – people spend so much time with one another over the course of a few days, get to know one another, and become great friends.”
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