This year, nursing students at Lourdes University are putting aside the traditional classroom environment
for real-world learning overseas through four unique international opportunities offered in Africa
(Lesotho), Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Peru.
Rosemary Ball, of Perrysburg, traveled with Lesotho transcultural nursing education trip Jan. 1 – 12.
A unique two-part course titled Nursing 450: Transcultural Experiences in Health Care, gave Lourdes
students the chance to learn about the history, culture, health, and health care of Lesotho, Africa.
Bounded on all sides by South Africa, Lesotho is a sovereign kingdom, ranking 3rd in the world for
HIV/AIDS population.
Also taking the trip were Jennica Austin, Ana Bitz, Brandi Breseman, Colleen Foley, Joseph Hauser,
Breanna Mellon, Brenda Roberts, Bethany Ruff, and Kim Sutphin, led by Assistant Professor Kathleen Jenks
and Professor Lynne Zajac, PhD spent the first portion of the course (held fall semester 2013) in the
classroom and spent the second portion learning first-hand in Lesotho.
While in Africa, the group toured the Queen Mamo’hato Hospital and Kick4Life HIV Prevention &
Education Center, traveled with Doctors Without Borders to rural health clinics, visited with student
nurses and faculty from the National University of Lesotho, and interacted with children at the Motsekua
orphanage and the Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Clinic.