Traveling outside of the country to further your experience in your field of study and help out some less fortunate people sounds like a very rewarding and beneficial thing to do, right?

Well, that’s exactly what the Castleton Nursing Department will be doing in the spring. On March 5, a few professors and assistants will be traveling to Honduras along with about 30 nursing students to help out a community in need.

“The nursing department gives me great pride, Spartan Pride. The students, faculty and staff know how to think outside themselves, exhibiting all the best qualities of the Castleton Way that I mentioned in my last State of the University speech,” said Castleton President Dave Wolk about the effort.

The students say they are excited to help.

“I think it’s going to be a really good experience. I went out of the country once when I was 11, so I haven’t really experienced much for diversity in other cultures, so it’ll be eye-opening,” said Rachel Brigham, a junior nursing student who also has a degree in health sciences.

However, this trip is not only focused on helping with health, but with the overall well-being of the people of the town they are visiting.

“We have one day to settle in usually, then we go to a school a couple hours out of where we stay and we do care there for three or four days, and then we’re going to be building eco stoves,” Brigham said.

Students said going to a country that is suffering with poverty will most likely give them a better outlook on the life they have.

“I think this experience will definitely change the way I look at the world and make me realize how good we have it here. It’s going to be a huge eye opener and I think it’ll make me want to engage myself into my nursing career even more” said junior nursing student Kinnan Latremore.

Not only will Castleton Nursing students be helping others by taking part in this trip, but they say they’ll be also helping themselves with their lives down the road.

“I expect I’ll be surprised by how different their culture is, and then when I come back, I’ll be happy that I’ve helped people. That’s a huge thing. Obviously as a nurse, I’m mostly going because I want to help. I like the idea of giving care to people that otherwise wouldn’t have it. It’s sad to think of how many people go without healthcare because they just don’t have access to it,” Brigham said.

The Castleton Nursing Department will be holding a basket raffle at 11 a.m. on Sept. 23 to support this trip. Located at the Castleton Pavilion, there will be a 50/50 raffle, a basket raffle, and plenty of food and treats.