Emily Schafer
Emily Schafer studied virtually through a University in San Jose, Costa Rica for four weeks. She studied holistic health approaches which focused on traditional, complementary, and alternative methods of health care. Emily was able to learn about the history leading up to the current healthcare system in Costa Rica as well as many of the approaches that the country uses today. She also learned about other health care around the world including Westernized medicine and compared them to each other. Emily also learned about the stigmas associated with traditional, complementary, and alternative health practices and ways to end that stigma in one’s own life. Though she could not attend the field trips, she was able to hear and learn about the places which the class attended and see pictures of the different facilities that practice different types of health care. Emily also attended two virtual workshops, one of which focused on creating concoctions of herbal medicines to care for health ailments. The other workshop focused on meditation and yoga for health.
Emily was able to grow in her understanding of available complimentary, traditional, and alternative medicines that were available outside of America. She was also able to transform her own thinking throughout her experience to better understand and be more open to different ways of thinking. Not only is she now able to recognize areas of concern in her own life related to health, but she can also see flaws in our own health care system. Emily will be better able to advocate for more sustainable health care practices by integrating her new knowledge about holistic practices. The virtual experience presented its own challenges, but overcoming those barriers allowed Emily to practice better discipline and accountability and to grow her abilities. Communication was a huge part of both the virtual format and the cultural differences within the virtual experience. Emily experienced tremendous growth from this experience that she will be able to use in her future career as a Nurse and her life.
CEE Title : Cultural Workshop: Travel The World
The Waynesburg Cultural Workshop: Travel Around the World with Vira I. Heinz Scholars was initiated, planned, and carried out by the four Waynesburg Vira I. Heinz Awardees from the 2021 cohort. Our Community Engagement Experience focused on cultural awareness and on education for the Waynesburg University community. The structure of the workshop consisted of five stations which the attendees cycled through when it was time to do so. Each attendee was offered a printed passport along with a certain colored popsicle stick which directed them to the station where they would start. Introductions were made at the beginning of the CEE which explained the rotations as well as the mission of the event and of the program. Each Vira awardee gave a 10-minute presentation about their experience, relating it to the culture, and to the targeted audience. We also had one station that was collaborative between all four of the awardees at Waynesburg which incorporated each countries language. Cookies were also at this station for those who attended, and the English translations were found on their passports. All who attended the Cultural Workshop left with cookies, some mementos, as well as more knowledge of other cultures.