Steven Byrd and 13 students volunteer for10-day mission to Guatemala

International Medical Missions at UNE, known as IMM(UNE), is an undergraduate club that organizes short-term medical missions of one to two weeks for students of all majors at UNE. Thirteen students volunteered for the 10-day mission this January to Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, led by Assistant Professor of Spanish, Dr. Steven Byrd.

While in Guatemala from January 5-15, 2012, the IMM(UNE) club provided free healthcare and dental hygiene in various locals, assisted by a local doctor, and explored the culture with a variety of activities, with Dr. Byrd as the group leader and translator. UNE students had first-hand experience of providing basic physical exams, dental hygiene, and education about well-being to the local communities. Dr. Byrd also presented an invited lecture to the Antonia de Marure elementary school on improving literacy and cultural learning in the community.

In addition to their mission, UNE students and Dr. Byrd also played games with children at an orphanage in Xela, hiked the Santa Maria Volcano, cooked a traditional Guatemalan meal, toured two organic coffee and banana plantations, and spent a day visiting the colonial city of Antigua.

"Não há dúvida de que as melhores lições nos vêm sempre da gente simples" -José Saramago

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.