MICHIGAN ETAS PARTICIPATE IN SERVICE LEARNING TRIP

Argentina might feel like it’s on the opposite pole of the Earth compared to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, but that’s exactly where two Michigan Tech SigEps found themselves during a five-week service learning trip this summer.

Paul Valencia, ’11 and Greg Ellenberger, ’12 spent their summer helping to advance the technological capabilities of some areas of Argentina. This opportunity was a result of their involvement with the Pavlis Institute for Global Technological Leadership. Only about 50 students at the university have been accepted to the four-year certificate program, which challenges them to study leadership by analyzing communication, language, leadership styles, ethics and group dynamics. Each student must apply for the program before arriving at school freshman year, and then takes a series of courses in preparation for a service learning program abroad.

While the institute had previously opened a site in Ghana, Valencia, Ellenberger and one other student chose to help open a new site in Malargüe, Argentina. “We had the same interest in Argentina,” Valencia said. “Ghana was already started, and we wanted to be on the ground floor and help pilot the area.”

They ended up very pleased with their choice.

“It was amazing,” Ellenberger said. “We were learning every day and discovering a new culture. It was quite an experience.”

Valencia, a biological sciences major, and Ellenberger, a materials and engineering technology major, had duties ranging from teaching English and American culture classes to installing solar panels on the roof of a school.

Some of the most valuable lessons they learned stemmed from the difficulty of handling the language barrier. “We were told they spoke enough English to get by, and they were told we spoke enough Spanish to get by,” Valencia chuckled, noting that communication was difficult despite his two semesters of Spanish to prepare for the trip. Compared to speaking, chores like cooking for themselves in Celsius were no more than modest adventures.

Now that they have returned to campus, they are still working to complete their capstone courses. Ellenberger has also created a mentorship program to help future participants in the program. Both have applied their lessons learned back home.

“I was outside of my comfort zone, with the language barrier,” Ellenberger said. “I learned a lot about working with people, and how other people may do things outside of what you’re used to.”
Valencia, a former chapter president and current vice president of recruitment, points to his experience with this program as a critical reason for his success as a chapter leader. “It really helped me understand what specific type of leader I am,” he said. “What my strengths are, and where I can improve.”

And Valencia has already led his chapter to great results this fall. Michigan Eta has reported 14 new members this semester, compared to five last fall.

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