绿奴天花板

Two groups of听绿奴天花板ampa听students took advantage of faculty-led travel courses over the winter break, applying lessons and learning traditional healing practices in Peru鈥檚 mountain villages, and perusing businesses in Dubai.听

Nursing Students Head South

Robin White听and Tressa听Pedroff, both nursing faculty, led nine nursing students in a course that earns听community health practicum hours while immersing students in Peru鈥檚 health care systems and cultural traditions.听

Over听10 days, students traveled through Lima, the Sacred Valley, the rural Andean community of听Chuquibamba听and Cusco.

In Lima, students听observed听pediatric, rehabilitation and specialty care at the Instituto Nacional de听Rehabilitaci贸n听and the Instituto Nacional de Salud del Ni帽o San Borja, both major public health institutions. The visits offered insight into how public and private systems听operate听in Peru and how providers deliver care with limited resources.

Students were exposed to traditional healing practices, such as using plants for pain relief, and learned how to transport or splint injured patients in rural communities.听

鈥淚 found it super interesting how just rope, sticks and fabric can be used when transporting or making a splint for someone when medical supplies are not available,鈥� Kenneth听Rutherford 鈥�27, a nursing major, said.

From the capital, the group traveled to the Andes, exploring the Sacred Valley and one of the seven wonders of the world, Machu Picchu. A private guide听taught听the students about the history and mysteries of this unique Inca complex.

In the Sacred Valley, students worked with Sacred Valley Health, an organization dedicated to improving access to care in remote, indigenous communities. Students learned about grassroots health education, preventive听care听and the importance of empowering communities from within.

The most immersive portion of the trip took place in听Chuquibamba, a rural Andean village more than听11,000 feet听above sea level. There, students stayed in homestays, shared meals with local听families听and听participated听in daily village life.

鈥淭hey treated us like family,鈥澨齈edroff听said. 鈥淭he homestay experience gave students a level of cultural understanding you simply can鈥檛 get from observation alone.鈥�

Students听participated听in community education activities and learned how residents manage health challenges. They also explored traditional Peruvian healing practices, including herbal remedies grown and prepared within the community.

Sabrina Ottaviano 鈥�27, a nursing major, said the experience profoundly shaped her perspective as a future nurse.

鈥淚 learned a lot from the community in听Chuquibamba,听and it made me more open-minded and aware of how different people approach health,鈥� Ottaviano said.

In听Chuquibamba, she听assisted听with a prenatal wellness check at a small, rural听clinic.

鈥淚t was very different from anything we鈥檙e used to in the U.S.,鈥� she said. 鈥淚听didn鈥檛听even have a translator, but I relied on what听I鈥檝e听learned in the nursing program. Finding the fetal heartbeat was nerve-wracking, but also really rewarding.鈥�

The last stop of the trip was Cusco. Students visited the tourist market of San Pedro and the famous twelve-angled stone. While there, they toured a local clinic called Cima.

While Machu Picchu and Cusco stood out as cultural highlights, students emphasized that the relationships built 鈥� with each other and with local communities 鈥� were the most meaningful part of the journey.

Meanwhile, in the UAE ...

Also听during winter break, more than two dozen听Business听101 students traveled to Dubai to see how companies听operate听in other parts of the world and understand both the challenges and opportunities of living,听working听and doing business abroad.听

During the seven-day trip, students visited three companies: Dubai Islamic Bank; DP World, a global听logistics听company; and Yellow Door Energy, a solar developer. At each company,听students heard听from senior staff about what makes their company special.听

Antony听Grimes 鈥�28, an international business and entrepreneurship major, said he was very invested in the visit to Yellow Door Energy.听

鈥淭he vice听president and the head senior director really engaged us. They really presented what they did to get to the position they were, as well as how听they鈥檙e听helping the company,鈥� he said.听

He appreciated the time and effort that the executives spent with the students and how they conveyed the degree to which they love the companies they work for.听

Douglas Nice 鈥�29, an international business and finance major, said he, too, enjoyed the Yellow Door Energy company.听

He was impressed by the scale of the company鈥檚 projects, and about how they implement the solar panels within Dubai鈥檚 infrastructure, installing them in parking lots or on top of skyscrapers, he said.听

The trip, however,听wasn鈥檛听all business.听

The group visited the Museum of the Future, where students explored听cutting-edge听technologies, AI, space听exploration听and sustainability; they saw over 150 million flowers blooming in Dubai鈥檚 Miracle Garden; and they visited the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, where students donned traditional headscarves.听

Students let loose the last day by dune bashing, riding camels and embarking on a safari in the Arabian Desert, before making their way back to Tampa.听