Students Explore Women’s Strengths and Struggles in Study Abroad Trip to Belize
Ten Mercy University students, accompanied by Kimberly Rapoza, PhD, associate professor of Psychology in Mercy’s School of Social & Behavioral Sciences, expanded their educational horizons through an intensive study abroad experience in Belize this January. The trip gave students a rare opportunity to apply classroom concepts in real-world settings.
Creating accessible learning opportunities remains central to Mercy's mission. Since many students can’t commit to full semester abroad programs due to work, family or financial constraints, short-term study abroad trips offer these students valuable international experience without disrupting their lives.
Professor Rapoza explained, "My dean, Stuart Sidle, thought that creating this short-term study abroad opportunity, particularly when they're connected to classes, might provide these types of learning experiences for students who might find it hard to travel abroad for a whole semester.” She continued, “We have students who are working adults, we have students who are parents, and it might be difficult to finance themselves for a whole semester, so he really supported me in exploring this.”
She researched thoroughly, consulting with Mercy professors who had organized previous trips. With logistics settled, excitement was built among the students and Professor Rapoza as they prepared to apply classroom learning in the field in Belize.
"The goal was to learn about the status of women’s resiliencies and challenges in a global perspective experiencing that within another culture," Professor Rapoza shared.
For student Jade Holloman, Clinical Psychology, ’25, the trip aligned perfectly with her career aspirations. "I wanted to go because I plan to travel after I get my doctorate degree. I want to see what's out there, you know, disparities of social work and psychologists, so I wanted to get a different perspective of what's around the world.”
Hands-On Research and Cultural Immersion
Belize offers unique cultural complexity. Bordering Guatemala and Mexico, it features remaining Mayan tribes throughout the region, many struggling economically in rural areas.
Students gained valuable fieldwork experience through conversations with government representatives, including those from the Ministry of Health. They participated in psychological service delivery in local villages and met with social workers. A visit to a women's cooperative proved particularly enlightening.
"[The cooperative is] run by Mayan women who, in their village, set up an area where you can come and learn about their cooking and eat,” Professor Rapoza recounted. “You can learn about their pottery and, of course, buy the pottery that they're making. You can visit their gift shop and buy their embroidery, so they really set up. And it was terrific because the village was really faltering.”
This experience highlighted cultural preservation challenges, with fewer people speaking the Mayan language or learning traditional handicraft skills vital to their heritage.
Student Jade Holloman gained unexpected insights into local social structures. She discovered that boys often leave school to work between ages 9 and 11, while women demonstrate remarkable resourcefulness and business acumen.
"Women are really progressive there. They have their own businesses, and the mothers will introduce their daughters to their businesses to take over when they’re older. Usually, the daughters go to work with their moms and they both sell their own things and keep their own money, and they put some toward the family," Holloman observed.
The students also learned a lot about the health care challenges in Belize. One of the guest speakers told them that the stigma surrounding mental health prevents many people from seeking the help they need. The trip had a profound impact on student Lavicia Reneau, Nursing, “27.
“It made me think about healthcare differently and I started to see the interconnectedness of it all,” Reneau said. “How a mother’s health affects her children, how mental health struggles impact physical well-being and how healthcare gaps leave entire communities vulnerable.”
The San Ignacio market, just a five-minute walk from the group's hotel, became their field research site one Saturday. The students and Professor Rapoza interviewed local vendors about gender roles, household responsibilities and women's economic status.
"And we found it's shifting,” discovered Professor Rapoza. “Most of the interviews showed that as Belize is starting to become a little bit more of an economically developed country, women are getting involved in small businesses and so they're getting in on more of a say on what goes on within the family realm.”
Their research revealed structural barriers alongside this progress. Professor Rapoza explained, "We noted challenges in terms of childcare and transportation that prevent some of them from getting white-collar employment.” She continued, “I think for the students, being able to talk with people there and make a connection and to find out from them about their society and culture really made a strong impression. And for some of them that are now taking the class in the spring, they're going to use that field data as the basis of their research projects.”
Student Audrey Charles, Biology, ’26, learned that women of all different ages work in the market, and there were a lot of family-based businesses. She saw teenage girls caring for their younger siblings so their parents could sell their crafts in the market.
“There was a lot of age difference between the women, from teenagers to in their 30s and a lot older,” Charles said. “And the teenagers had a lot of responsibility caring for their younger brothers and sisters. That’s how they make the family business work.”
The group also visited Xunantunich, impressive Mayan ruins where they climbed ancient temples. This adventure pushed many students beyond their comfort zones.
"It was high, and we all made our way up. It was a really good experience about getting out of your comfort zone, trying something you really weren't sure about,” recalled Professor Rapoza. “And the views were the reward that comes from that. I think for the students, being challenged in different ways really made an impact on them, too.”
Short-Term Travel, Long-Term Impact
These short study abroad programs give students direct contact with different cultures and practices they can't experience through textbooks alone. The brief but intense exposure to new perspectives strengthens their academic foundation while building practical skills that employers value in today's connected world.
"The time span of the trip was just perfect,” said Holloman. “I think that with the three-month program, so many people are just not able to do that. But the week-and-a-half was great, and we had so many different experiences. It was really wonderful and very inspiring."
Reneau agreed. “This trip didn’t just reinforce my love for health care; it changed the direction of my entire career,” she said. “I now know I want to become a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), someone who can treat patients throughout their lives, helping them grow, heal, and thrive. Belize gave me a new perspective, a new purpose, and a deeper understanding of what it truly means to provide care. For that, I will always be grateful.”
Through this Belize trip, Mercy University continued its commitment to creating practical, accessible learning opportunities that prepare students for success in their chosen fields while broadening their worldview through direct cultural engagement.
“I feel like everybody can get a different experience in study abroad, and it makes you more interesting,” Charles said. “It’s really important because you get to see so much more than you could ever read about.”