Hello and welcome to our group! We are very excited to share this experience with you! The ten of us are tremendously blessed to have the opportunity to partake in such an adventure. This is only possible with your support and we thank you greatly!
We will be traveling to San Lucas Tolimán, Guatemala. We will be staying and working at the San Lucas Mission. San Lucas Mission is a coffee farm that provides a fair trade opportunity to all it's workers. During our visit, we will have the opportunity to work beside the workers. We will learn about their way of life and all the richness that the Maya culture has to offer. We don't know the exact type of work we will be doing quite yet, but we will be providing invaluable help to the mission and the families that they help support.
We want to take you with us on this journey and this blog will allow that to happen. You all know one of us personally, but let's get to know the other members of the group!
Student Leaders:
Patrice Swick:
Year: Junior
Major: Business Administration major, Theology minor
I am so excited to be part of this fantastic Guatemala team because I have a passion for service and I am excited to experience a different culture! I know what I will gain from this experience is worth the hard work that will go into our trip. I am blessed to be working with a great group of people and I look forward to working alongside of them as we meet new brothers and sisters in Christ.
Katelyn Przybyszewski:
Year: Senior
Major: Physician assistant, Spanish minor
I have an intense passion for Latin American countries, cultures, and the Spanish language. Having lived in Chile for a few months, I am delighted to immerse myself in another Latin American country, learn all about the culture, serve the San Lucas Mission, and connect with the Guatemalan people.
Student Members:
Heather Monroe:
Year: Junior
Major: Health Science
I cannot put into words how excited I am to go on a trip that isn't tourism based. Learning a culture other than my own firsthand while helping others who are less fortunate than I am will truly be an experience that I know I will reminisce about for the rest of my life. I am very eager to find out more about myself while finding out more about and serving others. I look forward to sharing this journey with you!
Raven Cilano:
Year: Junior
Major: Physical Therapy
I chose to go to Guatemala because I want to experience the beautiful culture that so much of my family has seen. I have heard many stories and feel like its time to make some of my own. Guatemala is my first chance to spread my wings.
Gerald Stumpff:
Year: Junior
Major: History/Philosophy
Why I want to go on this trip is to experience a different culture and help those in need.
Char Lichota:
Year: Senior
Major: Biology, Minor in Business Administration
I have always wanted to travel to another country and experience a different culture and way of life. Because I chose to be a college athlete, my opportunities to do so have been limited, and since it is my last undergraduate semester I have decided to utilize this opportunity to the fullest. Since joining Gamma Sigma Sigma national service sorority, service has enriched my life and inspired me in ways that I would have never imagined. I hope to take the passion I have newly found for service and apply it in Guatemala, and to make unforgettable experiences and memories.
Rachel Luciano:
Year: Freshman
Major: Physician Assistant
I cannot wait to go on this trip because I want to see the world from a different point of view and to help make this world a better place to live in. My slight background in Spanish is going to help me get more out of this trip by breaking down the language barrier. I'm looking forward to spending my break from school in a different country helping other people.
Beth Mayer:
Year: Junior
Major: Early Childhood and Special Education
I have alway wanted to travel and incorporating service makes the trip meaningful. I wasn't completely my own person my first two years of college; I let the opinions of others dictate my choices. I vowed to make my junior year my best one yet as I joinery back to the true to me. I couldn't think of a better experience to add to this chapter of my life. I truly am blessed to be attending this trip!
Faculty/Staff Accompaniers
Becky Perry:
- Adjunct Instructor in the Department of History and Archeology
- Assistant Property Manager of West Hall, Office of Residence Life
I am thrilled to be accompanying the ABST trip to Guatemala this year as a Gannon alumna and as a current adjunct faculty and staff member. The Guatemala trip was my first ABST while I was a student at Gannon, and served as a critical and transformative aspect of my college experience. I am delighted to have the opportunity to return to Guatemala and serve at the San Lucas Tolíman mission. I am also excited to accompany a bright and enthusiastic group of Gannon students as they both confront difficult issues of social justice and solidarity, and engage the rich culture and beautiful people of Guatemala.
Father Michael:
