The Carroll College Engineers Without Borders (EWB) Guatemala team recently traveled to Santa Thomás La Unión January 2-7 to assess the earthquake resilience of several school buildings. EWB projects bring together student volunteers and community members to find appropriate and long-lasting solutions for infrastructure needs. After a pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this trip was our first step at reestablishing our 15-year collaboration with the Centro Educativo Santiago de la Asunción to address structural concerns of campus buildings.
"Going into this trip I was really worried about the possibility of it being voluntourism that was meant more to be an experience for the volunteers rather than effectively serving the community we were traveling to. However, through meeting many community members it was made very clear that the people at La Asunción school wanted us to be there. We were told that the building we finished seismic retrofitting in our last trip had been holding up very well in the recent earthquakes and that they were quite happy with it. In our meetings, community members expressed their gratitude for our presence. I was happy to learn that our future work on the school will be both beneficial and welcome."
~ Olivia St. Marie, Renton, WA, Engineering '26
The project assessment team consisted of four engineering students, one professional engineer, and one biochemistry & molecular biology/Spanish major. Our students displayed professionalism, cultural sensitivity, curiosity, and a deep compassion for others. Based on our findings, future projects will involve retrofitting school buildings with additional walls to improve structural integrity.
"I would recommend EWB to other students because it is a real authentic experience. You get to engage with a real community that has vastly different experiences from what you are probably used to, and experiencing these things as in depth as we did is far more valuable than the outside view of tourism."
~ Tristan Gallagher, Driftwood, TX, Engineering '25
Our mission statement calls us to be “Serving all with humility, especially our neighbors who are poor and marginalized.” The Carroll College EWB program is an excellent way for students to live out our mission while gaining leadership experience and making lifelong friends.
"I think EWB is a great organization to join because it gives students experiences, lessons, and memories that they will take with them throughout the rest of their college career and careers after college."
~ Chloe Gallagher, Genoa, IL, Engineering ‘24
The Carroll College EWB program is run exclusively by student volunteers, overseen by faculty volunteers, and made possible by generous gifts from sponsors like you. Two projects are preparing for implementation: retrofitting structures in Guatemala and improving sanitation in Uganda. You can help provide these impactful opportunities for Carroll College students just like Olivia, Tristan, and Chloe. To learn more about supporting EWB opportunities, look for our cause in the March 21-22 Saints Giving Day 24-hour campaign or contact the Office of Institutional Advancement, at advancement@carroll.edu or 406-447-4491.
