Gannon Knight News

     Over spring break, Gannon University students visited four locations in North and Central America to do service work, and this summer, the tradition of sacrificing vacation time to help others will continue.
     May 9-15, eight Gannon students and one staff adviser will travel to Washington, D.C., to do more with their summer vacations than enjoy the sun.
     Hannah Kirby, one of the student leaders for the trip, said that the trip will center around HIV/AIDS awareness.
     “We will be focusing on HIV/AIDS, poverty and homelessness by educating ourselves on the issues in and around D.C.,” said Kirby, a senior mechanical engineering major.
     Kelli Bowser, another student leader for the trip, said that the program is a new idea for the Center for Social Concerns.
     “We’re kind of building it from the ground up,” said Bowser, a senior biology/pre-med major. “I think we’ve got a lot of cool things lined up.”
     Participants will assist organizations like Food and Friends, the Father McKenna Center, St. Joseph’s Hospice House and the Pediatric AIDS/HIV Center Inc. with whatever they need. Students will also hear an educational talk from a lobbying organization that advocated for HIV/AIDS awareness.
     Kirby, who has participated in many service trips before, said that she is looking forward to her summer experience, as always.
     “This is a great opportunity to give back to the community,” she said. “We are blessed with the chance at an education, a home and three square meals.
     “By participating in these service trips, students have an opportunity to learn about issues they might otherwise not be aware about and learn how to start a change.”