ABSTRACT
June 2013 marked the eighth consecutive summer of the University of San Diego’s Jamaica study abroad program. In moving toward the primary academic goals, once again through both service-learning and multidisciplinary in-class curriculum, the program seeks to have students develop an appreciation for the intrinsic value of Caribbean literature, music, and culture; understand how the world’s most powerful nations have shaped the economies and cultures of less powerful nations in ways that often detract from the self-determination and global competency of these less developed nations; and use Jamaican culture as a lens through which they can critically evaluate their racial, ethnic, gendered, national, and socioeconomic selves. Despite many of the challenges that come with international service-learning programs, there remains the tremendous potential for transformative experiences that stimulate student development and create deep, meaningful connections with community members abroad.
