different sites, learning about the history and culture of the region as well as its environment and sustainability. After participat- ing in wine tastings and going to an authentic cheese production facility, students then honed in on their newfound photography skills, documenting the connec- tions they saw between food and wine, agriculture, the environ- ment, and Italian culture. The second Fusion Experi-


ence paired a classics course in archaeology with a class on classical Roman history, learning about the content matter—the history and the basic archaeol- ogy techniques. The group, led by Evers, then visited Ragusa, Sicily (pictured), for the next two weeks for an archaeological dig. A team of five students and five local volunteers put their spades into the ground on an untouched archaeological site, where they uncovered a Roman villa. “There were previous indica-


tions that the grounds were pregnant with remains from the distant past, but no one expected to find this spectacular structure,” says Evers. “The walls were in perfect condition and show a continuity of habitation from the second century AD, a peak time of the Roman Empire, well into the Middle Ages.” The Sicilian authorities were as


The Fusion Experience offered


two different course options this summer, each of which allowed the students to fuse not only com- plementary subject areas but also two different regions of Italy. The first was a comparative Italian cul- tures class focusing on food, wine, and photography. Essentially, the program fused a literature class on Italian culture with a foundational photography course. The students traveled to


Abruzzo—a region east of Rome situated along the coast of the Adriatic—and visited a range of


thrilled as the students to discover the remains and have given the Rome Center unlimited permis- sion for the next three years to excavate in this location. The findings provided an exciting con- clusion to the summer, and Evers says that both Fusion Experiences were a big success in the new program’s first year. “For the students, it’s been a


tremendous experience,” says Evers. “To not only learn and study in the classroom but to be able to actually see, feel, smell, taste, dig, find—it makes it all real, it makes it all unforgettable.” L


MARCELLA NIEHOFF SCHOOL OF NURSING Mobilizing health care


Loyola medical and nursing students take service trips all over the world—from Rome to Mexico to Belize—but senior Tiffany Vuong picked a more unusual destination: Albania. Vuong traveled there re-


cently with Volunteers Around the World, an organization that has special medical and dental outreach destinations world- wide. Before even getting on the plane, Volunteers Around the World interviewed local doctors to figure out where un- derserved communities were and who needed the most help. During the two-week trip, Vuong’s mobile clinic traversed to four villages: Pashalli, Bistro- vice, Vokopole, and Skrevan, all in the city of Berat. Albania is one of the poorest countries in Europe. It has no central-


“I’ve realized that the scope of nursing practice does not just end with taking good care of our patients; it is also about challenging and educating our- selves to be more culturally competent and globally aware.” —Tiffany Vuong


ized health system, and infectious disease and chronic illnesses are of- ten left untreated. Most people cannot afford the quality care available at private hospitals. A majority of the population also live in rural areas, adding another obstacle to getting treatment. Throughout their time in those villages, the volunteers helped nearly 250 patients. They saw peo- ple with potentially serious illnesses who were unable to find proper treatments. Vuong says she saw children with prolonged ear infections and adults with diabetes who couldn’t get to the city for a checkup or the appropriate medications. “Our mobile clinic was the closest thing to health care that many of them had ever received,” she says. Their work mainly consisted of shadowing and assisting doctors,


taking vital signs and patient histories, and educating patients on nutri- tion, hygiene, and more. Despite the language barrier and sometimes long lines for treatment, Vuong says the appreciation from patients was palpable. “Being able to witness the health disparities and the lack of proper medical treatment helped me recognize the privileges that I held being in a developed country,” she says. The Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing offers service trips to Belize,


Rome, England, and France, involving medical education, clinic work, and spiritual care. Many medical and nursing students also participate in Ignatian Service Immersion trips that focus on addressing health inequalities and their causes in countries worldwide. Vuong hopes her fellow students will consider making an international service trip part of their Loyola experience. “It is very important for us, as future health care professionals in a developed country, to have similar exposures abroad,” she says. “Because of this experience, I’ve realized that the scope of nursing practice does not just end with taking good care of our patients; it is also about challenging and educating ourselves to be more culturally competent and globally aware.” —Erinn Connor


SUMMER 2016 31


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