ADOLFO JARRETA: DE LA FORJA TRADICIONAL
A DOLFO J ARRETA , UN AUTODIDACTA
UNAIDS, which stands for the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, is a global entity made up of ten United Nations system organizations. The goal of this group is to prevent new HIV infections and to care for people living with HIV by providing services and eco- nomic resources to lessen the impact of the epidemic.
By the end of 2007, UNAIDS estimated that a total of 33.2 million people worldwide were living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) (UNAIDS). Even with this staggering statistic, in today’s society, those infected with HIV still have difficulty receiving appropriate health care. As a pre-med major preparing for a career in healthcare, I was naturally curious to find out what it would be like to be involved in the research of one of the biggest medical pandemics in modern history. A good way to understand an illness, such as HIV/AIDS, involves considering its effects on the patients carrying the disease. As a young college student, however, I rarely came into contact with individuals in the community who suffered from HIV and AIDS. Thus, in order to gain more insight into the disease, I decided to work with Marin AIDS Project (MAP), a not-for-profit organization located in downtown San Rafael, California. I became a volunteer for MAP prior to my enrollment in the honors course that required a service-learning component. Since I had already established a relationship with MAP, when I saw the organization on the list of community partners for the course, I decided to use my volunteer work there as my service-learning experience. This opportunity allowed me to achieve my initial goals of learning about the disease, learning about myself, and learning about the social issues affecting the diverse community MAP serves.
MAP is an organization that provides services to straight, gay, bisex- ual, and HIV and Hepatitis C positive men and women. The organiza- tion serves these individuals by providing information, education, and support. It also provides various forms of prevention education and operates a mobile needle exchange unit. It helps the clients with many needs, including financial and legal advice, medical referrals and
transport to doctor’s appointments. Most importantly, it provides clients with a safe and welcoming community.
At MAP, I assist homebound clients and serve as a person who is also just there to listen to them. For example, there are a few individuals who make weekly trips to the office. When I began my work, my contact with clients was limited to the occasional exchange of friendly waves. As time progressed, however, I established connections and trust with sev- eral of the clients, and eventually I communicated with them as good friends. My work at the front desk allows me to offer clients a familiar face as well as conversation about our lives. These daily experiences have opened my eyes and shown me that people who are living with HIV and AIDS have the same needs that I have. Community is impor- tant to them, just as it is to me. Another responsibility I have involves the collection and maintenance of old computers for donation to clients. Once the computers are in good repair, I install them in our clients’ homes and teach them how to use the software. Most of these individuals clearly do not have the financial means to buy computers, but once they have access to a machine, they are inspired to learn. In checking up on their computers and talking to them, I always notice improvements and achievements, and I am gratified to see the effect of my contributions in the improvement of our clients’ reading and writ- ing abilities.
My service at MAP has taught me that many of the individuals this organization serves combat the negative associations and stereotypes associated with HIV infection. They also face multiple challenges related to losing their jobs because of poor health: they may lose their health insurance or experience financial hardships that can leave them homeless. This organization is important to the community because it provides comprehensive education to prevent the transmission of HIV in Marin County and helps those already infected to improve their quality of life. This program’s most important work involves giving a human face to the disease while increasing awareness about HIV.
Conclusion
These four case studies provide a glimpse into the ways the Dominican University Honors Program promotes student engagement in the community, producing profound learning experiences that ben- efit all involved. Unlike volunteer experiences or community service activities, the best practices of service learning include methodology and content to assist students in recognizing their own assumptions and challenging their preconceived notions about others. In this way,
diversity education is embedded in any course that implements service learning intentionally and responsibly. At the same time, diversity is also reinforced through content delivery and reflection exercises; stu- dents enjoy the opportunity to integrate and gain knowledge in various ways and through multiple sources.
The honors curriculum at Dominican University is thematic and based on values of study, service, community, and reflection, which per- meate the curriculum and the student experiences. In our initial years of fully institutionalizing service learning into our honors curriculum, we continue to be encouraged by the evidence of academic and per- sonal growth in the students and by current national research into the effectiveness of this pedagogy. For instance, the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee illustrated the measurable outcomes of a com- bined curriculum of service learning and diversity education. A 2006 survey conducted by Sharon Adams, Cheryl Ajirotutu, and Gregory Jay shows: “89 percent of students reported increased awareness of com- munity needs; 62 percent felt service-learning had enhanced their understanding of course content; and 76 percent felt they had increased their understanding of diverse cultures” (11). Clearly, as the world becomes increasingly pluralistic, higher education bears a responsibility to engender understanding and respect for difference and to teach the skills to live, work, and learn with people representing multiple worldviews, backgrounds, and circumstances.
Carol Geary Schneider, President of the American Association of Colleges and Universities, makes a strong case for the ways diversity issues challenge educators to “reexamine our most fundamental assumptions about significant knowledge, cultural identity and privi- lege, connections across difference, inclusive community, and democra- tic principles” (1). Above all, she notes, “diversity asks us to address the links between education and a developed sense of responsibility to one another” (1). Clearly, service learning is an excellent vehicle for teach- ers, students, and community partners to expand understanding of the reality of others while enriching academic content and contributing to the betterment of our society. Through a thematic and cohesive pro- gram design and a progressive pedagogy that expands perceptions and cultivates inclusion, the Dominican Honors Program seeks to be part of this transformative and vital movement in higher education.
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Ghosh, Jayati, Mary P. Dougherty, and Kenneth Porada. “Dominican University of California’s Honors Program and its Relation to University Heritage and Mission.” Honors in Practice 2 (2006): 27–32. Marullo, Sam. “Bringing Home Diversity: A Service-Learning Approach to Teaching Race and Ethnic Relations.” Teaching Sociology 26.4 (1998): 259–75.
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