Kiara Deburgo, Jaylen Gomez, Cherina Wright, Kayci Resende-Abbott and Selvin Backert pose in front of the Martin Luther King Jr. Monument in Washington DC Courtesy of Selvin Backert
Suffolk University's Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion started the spring semester early with the center's Cultural Connections trip to Washington, D.C. to explore historic sites, museums and African American monuments, participate in Suffolk alumni panels and much more.
After arriving in Washington, D.C. on January 8, the students wasted no time visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture, as well as the Martin Luther King Jr. Monument.
“Recognizing, learning, appreciating and celebrating Black history and culture is important because it is part of American history. It also sheds light on how we understand current issues related to race and social justice,” said Advisor Beatriz Patiño, director of the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion.
The next day, the group visited the Washington Center, the Library of Congress, and the Omani Embassy, before having dinner and ending the evening with a Suffolk DC alumni reception.
Before heading home Wednesday afternoon, the students stopped at the African American Civil War Memorial.
The intense trip itinerary allowed participants to learn a lot outside of class and have an unforgettable experience.
“At the end of each evening, we met with the students to debrief and spend time reflecting on everything we had experienced and learned that day,” said Felicia Wiltz, trip advisor and associate professor. and chair of the Department of Sociology and Crime. Ministry of Justice. “The richness of the exchanges reinforced the importance of offering this opportunity to our students. »
Freshman Kaitlyn Creighton said the trip was a great opportunity to explore historic sites and process their history.
“I would recommend this trip to other Suffolk students…I think this trip allowed me to educate myself and make personal connections that I wouldn't change for the world,” Creighton said.
These short trips and seminar-style courses offered in Suffolk bring together students of all ages and majors for a unique learning experience. Creighton is a freshman biology major and had one of the advisors, Patiño, for a required course called Strategies for Success.
Patiño announced the Cultural Connections trip during class time and Creighton knew that based on the description and her route, the three-day getaway was perfect for her.
“It seemed like destiny that an opportunity to learn more about my history and experience travel and professional development fell into my hands during my first semester of college,” Creighton said. “I applied as soon as the application went live, and the rest was history.”
The Cultural Connections trip to DC will return in future years, and additional travel seminars will be held this semester, including a trip to Dublin, Ireland, where students will immerse themselves in Irish literature and history. To learn more, appointments are available at the Center for International Education and Study Away.
