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The Office of Outreach Global’s annual Ghana Education and Healthcare Service-Learning programs resumed this past June 2025 following a brief hiatus in 2024. In an era of increasing global interconnectedness, these programs offer students, faculty and staff the opportunity to engage in meaningful service-learning experiences while immersing themselves in diverse cultural settings. This experiential learning approach not only enhances students’ academic growth but also fosters personal development, global citizenship and social responsibility. Faculty and staff contribute their research expertise and experiences to enrich the program.
The 2025 Ghana education and healthcare service-learning programs took place in the Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly (AWMA), Accra, Ghana, from June 6 to 18, 2025, with fifteen participants. The programs collaborated with local partner Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly (AWMA) and focused on education and healthcare.
Doctoral candidate Hanna Kraker participated in the service-learning program, teaching English, French, and Social Studies. She shared her reflections on the experience, highlighting the transformative impact of the trip on her teaching approach and perspective on global education disparities.
“I got to meet some caring and hardworking students and professors and staff from Auburn, and I got to learn more about Ghana’s painful and revolutionary history through various tours that we attended. What I didn’t foresee was the inspiring teaching experience that I would have,” said Kraker. “The words Knowledge is Power were painted in a mural on the side of the school building, underneath a fist clutching a scroll of paper. What I encountered inside those walls was a true embodiment of those words. Those students, about fifty-five per classroom, all of them sitting in their rows in their matching uniforms, knew that their knowledge was their power. They were full of passion, joy and drive. Every one of them was engaged. It was unlike anything I’ve experienced in my years working in the American public school system, and it made me want to approach my job differently this upcoming school year.”
Undergraduate Pre-Chemical Engineering student Michael Prol also participated in the healthcare service-learning program. Despite his engineering background, he supported the pharmacy station in organizing and dispensing medications to patients, displaying his adaptability and commitment to service. His narrative underscores the value of cross-cultural experiences in shaping individuals’ perspectives and fostering empathy and understanding.
“I was welcomed by proud people flourishing in the beauty of the cultural diversity and natural splendor of the place they fondly call home. Crossing oceans and deserts, thousands of miles from Auburn, Alabama, I was enveloped in the Ghanaian family at a grand welcome dinner. In a heartfelt ceremony, I was renamed in accordance with local tradition. Now I have another place to call home. At this moment I knew it was well worth the long hours and painstaking logistics to come to Ghana and assist the less fortunate in whatever ways we could,” said Prol. “We were able to assist hundreds of local families, and I’d like to believe we, at least in part, reciprocated the love and support of our gracious hosts, the people of Ghana.”
Overall, the Ghana service-learning program aims to equip participants with intercultural competence, a deeper understanding of education and healthcare systems and the ability to navigate cultural differences with empathy and open-mindedness. These skills are essential for success in today’s diverse and interconnected workplaces.
Elizabeth Quansah, director of the Office of Outreach Global, aspires for more Auburn University students, faculty and staff to engage in similar cross-cultural exchanges and broaden their global perspectives. She emphasizes the importance of stepping out of comfort zones to gain firsthand insights into the global dimensions of one’s field of study and professional practice.
