About the trip
Salud y Bienestar (Health and Well-Being) is one of seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations that offer a roadmap to end poverty, protect the planet, and address inequality in all parts of the globe. On this Go Global trip you will meet people working toward this goal and experience firsthand how this work is carried out in the Dominican Republic. Our trip will begin in the city of Santiago with visits to hospitals and a community-based clinic to learn how healthcare services are delivered in the Dominican Republic. Then, we’ll explore some of the innovative ways communities are working to care for people through actions that protect the planet. We’ll learn from cacao (chocolate) farmers about sustainable practices they are using to cultivate healthy soils and from an international NGO providing clean water with locally produced clay filtration pots. In addition, on a two-day trip to the northern coast, we will work alongside community organizations to restore forests and coral reefs. Caring for people and the planet is a big job, but one that offers many different career pathways for a meaningful and successful life. Join us for the Dominican Republic Salud y Bienestar Go Global experience to explore which pathways may be a good fit for you!
Trip Leaders
Dr. Denise Finney
Dr. Denise Finney is an associate professor of biology and ecologist who researches sustainable agriculture. In addition to leading a tropical biology course in Costa Rica for Ursinus students, she has worked throughout Latin America and the Caribbean on agricultural and community development projects.
Dr. Leslie New
Dr. Leslie New is an associate professor of statistics who specializes in analyzing data from ecological systems. She did her PhD abroad and continues to work with a wide variety of people and systems around the globe, including on species whose annual migration includes the Caribbean and Gulf of California.
Trip Dates:
Saturday, March 6 – Saturday, March 13, 2027 (tentative)
Sample activities
(tentative and subject to change)
- Visit public and private healthcare facilities to compare infrastructure, patient access, and resource availability.
- Walk through a Santiago neighborhood with the local doctor and community health promoters to learn how primary healthcare is delivered at the grassroots level.
- Learn firsthand how the international NGO Wine to Water addresses clean water access through community-based solutions and tour the factory where they produce water purification systems.
- Explore traditional herbal medicine, wellness, and sustainability practices at Gallo EcoLodge.
- Learn coral reef restoration techniques and how reef restoration benefits the health and well-being of coastal communities
