Boston College's Global Public Health–Honduras is a service-immersion program committed to working with the poor and marginalized in Honduras. The program emphasizes service that enables students to observe first-hand the social and economic determinants of health and disease that impact marginalized and poor populations.
What We Do
Learn about the structural and social realities that leave some people impoverished and marginalized.
Understand the challenges and innovations of global public health.
Learn about the history, politics, and culture of Honduras.
Draw on Boston College’s Jesuit tradition in considering how faith might ask us to respond to social injustices.
Global Public Health-Honduras extends beyond national boundaries and seeks to prevent disease and end disparities in health that are driven by age, gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual preference, and geography. The theory and practice of public health are closely aligned with the teachings of Pope Francis’ visionary encyclical Laudato Si’ that calls upon all people to care for our planet, end social and economic injustice, and prevent disease, disability, and premature death.
The heart of our work is spent in the community surrounding Comayagua, where APUFRAM International's main campus in Flores serves as our home base. We meet biweekly throughout the spring semester to learn about the structural and social realities that leave some people impoverished and marginalized, and to gain a basic knowledge of global public health, as well as the challenges and innovations it presents. We also learn about the history, politics, and culture of Honduras, and seek to draw on Boston College’s Jesuit tradition in considering how faith might ask us to respond to social injustices.
Requirements
Applicants must:
- Be current Boston College undergraduates in the Class of 2020, 2021, or 2022
- Have a valid passport
- Be able to commit to all required meetings, including biweekly group meetings and the overnight retreat
- Not be participants in another 2018-19 international service-immersion trip
Applicants DO NOT:
- Need to speak Spanish
- Need to be a Life Science major
- Need to be in the Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences
Applications can be submitted via this link. The application asks for basic BC demographic information and has five short answer questions about your interest in global health, reflection, and participation in this service-immersion trip. Want to type your responses in Word first? The short answer questions are:
- Why are you interested in global public health?
- What would you gain from the trip experience? What would you contribute to it?
- How have you experienced reflection during your time at BC? How would you utilize it as a participant in this program?
- What are your future career plans?
- What activities are you involved in on- and off-campus?
Trip Date and Cost
The Global Public Health–Honduras trip is Saturday, July 28 to Saturday, Aug. 4, 2018, and costs $900, which includes travel from Miami to Honduras, as well as accommodations and meals in Honduras. Because we're traveling during summer break, students are responsible for their own travel arrangements to and from Miami. Students are also responsible for any costs related to necessary travel vaccinations. (See below for required vaccinations). We will be involved in some collective group fundraising projects to help defray the costs of participation as much as possible. Contact us with any questions or concerns about costs.
Safety Abroad
Boston College considers the safety of participants an absolute priority. We not only consider the U.S. Department of State’s assessment of travel in a particular country, we also are in constant communication with our trusted In-Country Partner Organizations (ICPs). We choose to collaborate with organizations that not only understand our philosophy and vision, but are also clear about making health and safety an absolute priority.
APUFRAM International has a network of people living and working in the places we visit who understand the political climate, and know not to venture into particular places or situations that could pose a risk or threat to our group. Additionally, all ICPs the University works with have health and safety protocols that complement our expectations, the training we conduct for our leaders, and the resources we provide them.
Vaccinations
Per the CDC, all participants should be up to date on:
Thank you for considering a donation to Global Public Health-Honduras. Your tax-deductible donation is a valuable investment in a learning experience that many Boston College students will carry with them for the rest of their lives.
Donate Online
- Visit the Online Giving Form
- Enter your information; for the field "I wish to make my gift to:” select Global Public Health-Honduras. If you are sponsoring a certain student, please select "In honor of a BC student," and include their name and year.
- Click "Submit Gift"
Mail a Check
Global Public Health-Honduras
Boston College, Office of Campus Ministry
McElroy Commons 233
140 Commonwealth Avenue
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
If your corporation matches donations, please enclose the appropriate forms.
The Global Public Health-Honduras program, under the umbrella of the Trustees of Boston College, is a non-profit 501(c)3 with a federal tax exemption number of 04-2103545.
Thomas Chiles
Professor and Deluca Chair of Biology
Vice Provost for Research and Academic Planning
Higgins Hall 414
(617) 552-0840
Carly Anderson
Campus Minister, 4Boston
McElroy 123
(617) 552-4829
Ryan Heffernan
Associate Director, Campus Ministry
McElroy 117
(617) 552-3170