NEWTON, Massachusetts — Mattias Voltmer was one of 15 students selected to participate in a service-learning trip to Tanzania with Lasell College last summer.
Voltmer, a Windsor, Vermont resident, worked with faculty and peers to teach reading, comprehension, and conversational English to Tanzanian students in grades 1 through 7. In turn, the group took courses in Swahili and held several workshops for the local population.
In preparation for the two-week trip, Voltmer and their classmates participated in a semester-long course this spring. Students refined their skills as teachers, mentors, and leaders, and prepared for the cultural aspects of the trip.
Voltmer, a fashion and retail merchandising major at Lasell, joined the trip through the college’s Shoulder to Shoulder program, an international service-learning initiative that educates students about various social justice issues within a global context. The trip to Tanzania is one of several that take place each year. On Shoulder to Shoulder programs, students live with host communities adjacent to their service work, with the goal of connecting their personal experiences with broader service initiatives.
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