Zara Thomas, sophomore studying advertising/public relations and student coordinator on the Staley School PR team, had the opportunity to listen and learn with a group of Wildcats who traveled internationally this summer to Guatemala and South Africa with the Staley School of Leadership Service Teams – a service-based applied learning opportunity. Here’s what Zara learned.
Earlier this semester, I attended reflection sessions and spoke with students who traveled to Guatemala and South Africa this past summer through International Service Teams (IST), a service-abroad program based at the Staley School of Leadership.
Throughout these reflection sessions, I witnessed the passion of these students as they shared their experiences. When they talked about Guatemala or South Africa, the people they met, and the lessons they learned, their eyes lit up with love, admiration, and pride. They had the opportunity to immerse themselves in another culture for a month and returned transformed.
After the reflections, I had the chance to interview two students one-on-one to learn even more.
Before we go any further, just a reminder that if you are interested in doing an International Service Team this summer, applications are due Sunday, Feb. 2. Learn more and apply at this link!
Kerston Sipes, a sophomore majoring in education studies, was one of three students who traveled to South Africa with IST. In Ocean View, South Africa, students work with an organization called Volunteer Mzansi, which matches volunteers with local organizations, schools and businesses. Students live in homestays in Ocean View, gaining the opportunity to live and learn alongside community members.
Jenna Wallace, a senior majoring in agricultural economics and student coordinator for the Staley School Service Teams, was among three students who went to Guatemala and the only one who has returned for two consecutive summers. The Guatemala team worked with Tejiendo Futuros, a non-governmental organization focused on empowering families through holistic education, increasing food security, providing access to affordable medical services, supporting social entrepreneurship, and promoting environmental conservation.
Both entered their trips with expectations but were astonished by the reality they encountered.
Preparing for the journey
Before traveling to their host country, IST participants take a course during the spring semester (that can count for zero to three credits) to prepare themselves, learn about mindful and ethical service and international travel, and to ensure they’re as ready as they can be for their trip.
One of the important issues discussed in the class is preparing how to engage as a U.S. citizen when traveling to another country where historical relations with the United States are complex. Being receptive to the people who live there and entering their situations and homes with the utmost respect made the experience better for not just the students, but everyone involved.
Worries about the trip were prevalent throughout the groups, as is normal for such a big experience. Both Kerston and Jenna mentioned they, along with everyone else, were nervous before their trip and they learned in their prep course that it was totally normal to feel that way.
“Anything we don’t know about, anything we’re a little nervous about, we shy away from—the easiest way to overcome that lack of confidence about the experience is research,” Jenna said.
Research is also part of the prep course, and students learn about the history and culture of the communities they will enter, as well as the work of the community organizations they will partner with. While no amount of Googling can fully prepare them for their trips, their pre-departure learning is an important part of ethical service learning. Regarding feelings of nervousness about traveling, Kerston shared that sometimes it’s important to lean into the uncertainty.
“There’s not much you can prepare yourself for when it comes to the uncomfortable or for the growing of that aspect,” she said.
From what they told me, if you go on an IST trip, you’re going to feel nervous in the months and weeks before you leave, but you’ll quickly find that those anxieties melt away once you’re in country.
The experience
Like any new thing, their first few days felt unfamiliar: the people, the home, the family they were with, the food, their whole world. However, they found that these feelings of awkwardness quickly eased.
Jenna, Kerston and the rest of the IST participants quickly found themselves adjusting and adapting to the Guatemalan or South African cultures. The students’ host families made them feel like they were their own family, and everyone else in the community welcomed them in with open arms.
“(Our host mom) would talk to us, treat us the exact same way she would treat her own children,” Kerston said. “It was so comfortable and inviting and warm, and then this comfortability allowed us to open up, and them to open up, so they became vulnerable.”
The cultures in Guatemala and South Africa are much different than in the U.S., from things as important as food to how strangers interact with each other.
“Everyone greets everyone,” Kerston said. “You don’t walk past someone, and they don’t say hi to you. That just doesn’t happen. What I got from the people in the community was just endless hospitality and compassion and kindness. And that’s something that I really grabbed onto and wanted to bring back.”
“When students return home after their IST experience, we dedicate several weeks to guided reflection, helping students synthesize their learning and make deeper meaning of their journey,” said Tamara Bauer, assistant professor and director of leadership and service programs.
“It’s a transformative experience – by traveling abroad, engaging in ethical service, and working alongside community members, students gain invaluable insights into leadership, culture, and global perspectives.”
“These programs are thoughtfully designed to emphasize ethical service-learning,” Bauer explained. “Our students grow as leaders while developing an appreciation for the rich diversity of cultures and perspectives they encounter during their service.”
Preparation for this experience begins long before students board a plane. In the spring semester, participants enroll in a three-credit-hour course covering essential topics such as privilege, global inequality, ethical service, structural violence, and cultural understanding. This foundation equips them to engage meaningfully and responsibly during their time abroad.
Over the summer, students immerse themselves in 8-10 weeks of international service, continuing to learn and adapt as they navigate new environments and challenges. The journey doesn’t end when they return home—reflection sessions ensure that the lessons learned abroad are fully realized, leaving students with skills and experiences that will shape their futures.
These programs highlight the power of service to foster growth, empathy, and a global mindset, inspiring students to lead with purpose in an interconnected world.
Jenna described her work in Guatemala:
“Partnering with Tejiendo Futuros in Guatemala was more than a project—it was a transformative experience. Over three weeks, we worked in classrooms, crafted business plans, and revamped gardens, learning from and contributing to their mission. The hands-on work deepened our understanding of leadership, showing us that true growth happens when we step beyond the classroom and into the world,” said Jenna.
“The lessons we gained—collaboration, adaptability, and creating meaningful partnerships—will shape our futures as ethical, proactive leaders. The experience of serving, practicing leadership, and doing so in a new environment empowers us to meet challenges head-on and make a lasting impact, no matter where we go.”
Coming home
Before going to Guatemala or South Africa, students were anxious about traveling to an unfamiliar country, and some even had second thoughts about going, but after only a few weeks there they all agreed that the time had gone by too fast, and that they either wanted to stay there longer or return ASAP. The relationships the students formed while in country were incredibly strong and developed by the time they left, which made for emotional departures.
“It was really, really difficult to leave South Africa, to leave my sponsor there, to leave my host family, all the people that I met there,” Kerston said. “Leaving anyone is difficult, but leaving someone, like, 30 minutes away or an hour away is different than leaving someone on the other side of the world that maybe you’ll never see again.”
Thinking about going on an IST trip?
Five things to consider:
A lot of factors go into the decision to make an international trip, including money, country options, and potential anxieties and worries.
1. Feeling nervous?
Know that at first, it’s going to be scary. But every single student that has gone on an IST trip has agreed that by the end of their trip, they didn’t even want to go home yet and that the month had passed by too quickly.
It’s supposed to be different,” Kerston said. “And that’s the beauty of it, is accepting that it’s different.”
2. How will I manage the finances?
The money aspect of the trip can also be stressor, but in reality, IST is much more affordable than you would think. For one, there are many scholarships available, but even after financial aid, the cost really isn’t that bad.
“If people want an international experience and are worried about financial abilities, as everyone is, IST can be a really accessible way to do that,” Jenna said. “You’re only gone for 3-4 weeks, and it’ll be a lot cheaper than a semester abroad. Usually for study abroad, the shortest amount of time is either a semester or study tour, and generally cost more than the IST experience.”
Follow this link for some scholarship and funding information: https://www.k-state.edu/abroad/current-students/funding/
3. Which trip to take?
Choosing where to go for your IST trip can also be difficult. Do your research on your different options and learn what you can about the countries – but most importantly, contact the Service Teams (intlteam@ksu.edu) and set up a one-on-one meeting to help determine what will be best for you.
Language proficiency also plays a part in where you choose to go.
“If you have Spanish language proficiency, then it makes sense to go to Guatemala, and if you don’t South Africa is a great opportunity,” Jenna said.
Additionally, don’t limit your country options based on your professional goals or your major. Any IST group could use your knowledge and skills and can correlate them with what you study.
This summer, students can serve with IST in the Dominican Republic, Guatemala or South Africa.
4. Think about serving domestically first.
Want to take a smaller step first? An Alternative Break with Service Teams could be a great first step for you. These are service-based experiences that happen in locations in the Midwest like Dallas, Denver, and in other parts of Kansas.
Check out these upcoming Alternative Breaks with Service Teams during K-State’s spring break:
- March 15-19
- Tahlequah, Oklahoma; or Dallas, Texas
Learn more about Alternative Breaks.
5. Why do you want to go?
If you’re considering an IST trip, be sure that you truly want it, and that you want it for the right reasons.
“Do it because you’re passionate about it, not because it sounds cool or because you just want to say ‘oh, I went to this place and did this,’” Kerston said. “Do it because you want to make a difference in someone else’s life. Do it because you want to learn about other people’s culture.”
-Zara
International Service Teams will take students to the following locations to serve within communities, May 22-June 22, 2025:
Guatemala
In Panajachel, Guatemala, students partner with an organization called Tejiendo Futuros.
Tejiendo Futuros leads in the development of conscious change agents by focusing on co-creating resilient, sustainable communities with a focus on peace.
Students could be working with children, family services, or the local sustainable agricultural system. Basic conversational Spanish is highly encouraged for participants.
South Africa
In Ocean View, South Africa, students partner with an organization called Volunteer Mzansi.
Volunteer Mzansi facilitates an international volunteer program to support the sustainability of various projects in under-resourced communities in Cape Town to benefit communities within South Africa. Each team member is placed on a different project based on their personal interest and experience in Ocean View and lives with a host family in the community
Service ranges from assisting in classrooms to working alongside health professionals and community centers
Learn more about International Service Teams. Applications are due Sunday, Feb. 2.
