Dan Olson Journal Staff
The Suffolk Journey Leadership program travelled to Barbados for a six day excursion that provided student members with opportunities to meet important leaders in a global exchange, study foreign trade first hand, and connect with other student leaders in another part of the world.
After a very successful first year trip to Ireland last March, this spring break trip was sure to be filled with new and appealing experiences for all Suffolk students involved.
“Meeting the Minister of Foreign Affairs was fascinating,” said Journey member Yna Beltran, 19, of the Philippines. “From a practical standpoint it was great, especially being an economics major. I could see myself doing something like that.”
One of the highlights of the trip, for many students, was the chance to meet the Minster of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Barbados, Maxine McClean. In keeping with the theme of “global exchange,” those students interested in pursuing a career in that field were very fortunate to gain a much greater insight.
Students also visited the University of the West Indies and Barbados Community College to learn about higher education from a student’s point of view.
“It was interesting comparing both institutions,” said Bianca Bellot, 21, of Boston. “Gaining knowledge of how they both had different ways of funding and access was great.”
According to Dave DeAngelis, the director of Student Leadership & Involvement program, students also visited important government buildings, including the parliament, as well as other important leaders of Barbados.
“With Barbados being a relatively young country, [SU students] learned about the leaders that got the country where it is today,” said DeAngelis.
In addition to learning opportunities, Journey members also experienced life. Students got the chance to swim with sea turtles, go zip lining, and visit tropical islands. Overall, an exciting opportunity to bond with one another was perhaps the most important thing that students took back to the States with them.
“Journey was a great way to end my leadership experiences at Suffolk,” says Bellot. “It offered me a lot of opportunities to interact with other students. Journey is all about collaborating with your peers and has been one of my most rewarding Suffolk experiences.”
Essentially, the main mission of this program is to gather a community of student leaders throughout Suffolk and allow them to experience unique opportunities together. DeAngelis says that, while there is an application process for new, incoming participants, the program is welcoming of students with all majors and especially those who are highly involved on campus are encouraged to join.
