For DePaul student Carys Lovell, the experience of studying abroad in the Dominican Republic provided a unique perspective focused on service learning, engaging in community-based projects, and learning about another country's history, culture, and geography. “I learned from this trip that you can learn so much from being immersed in a culture different than the one you live…That’s what I would tell students who can apply to this program,” said Lovell, an alum with BA and MS degrees in community psychology.
The Dominican Republic (DR) Study Abroad Program is one of many opportunities at DePaul for students to engage directly in issues of sustainability and equity through community engagement and service learning. The short-term study abroad program began in 2015 and is set to embark upon its fifth iteration during Winter Quarter and Spring Break 2025. During the trip, student experience centers on a partnership with high school students at the Centro Regional Estudios de Alternativas Rural (CREAR) in the mountainous town of Rio Limpio near the DR-Haiti border.