Wildcat Academics on Missions has increased the number of trips for the upcoming year to offer students a chance to study and serve around the world.

The new locations this year are Panama and Itu, Brazil, with psychology making its first appearance in Kigali, Rwanda.

The trips are around three weeks, and the students work on a project of mission and service through their department. Donors and some student contributions fully fund the programs. 

The following are the locations and departments that have been involved with WAM in the past:

• Agriculture & Environmental Science in Panama
• COBA in Ghana
• Speech Pathology and Nutrition in Kampala, Uganda
• Dukes School of Finance in Campo Grande, Brazil
• Social Work in Its, Brazil
• Engineering and Psychology in Kigali, Rwanda. 

Each WAM program is designed by its department, and then a location is chosen. Zane McGee, director of the Halbert Center for Missions and Global Service, said he wants to expand to include more departments. 

“We would love for every department to be able to have a WAM trip,” McGee said, “so students could put their academic practical skills into use for other people around the world.”

Speech pathology in Uganda and Engineering in Ghana are examples of trips that utilize practical skills from students. WAM has yet to implement the artistic majors in their program that focus more on creative expression.

“I would love to see us grow into the artistic side of student degrees and student programs,” said McGee. “I think there’s room in missions for arts, music, and theater.”

The WAM trips are funded primarily by donors, including Kathleen McGehee, who helps students reduce the cost of the trip through the Kathleen McGehee Trust. Students fundraise a $500 contribution. Every student is encouraged to apply in the fall as long as their department has a project available. 

Aside from WAM, WorldWide Witness also allows students to serve across the country. The program is slightly different; however, it lasts for a whole summer, and it isn’t directly affiliated with a single department.

Larry Henderson, director of WorldWide Witness, explains how the locations their program goes to differ from WAM.

“Every year it changes,” Henderson said. “It varies from year to year depending on what the local missionaries need.”

Some of the countries they’ll go to this year are Cambodia, Rwanda, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and Philadelphia. 

“Our locations are never exactly the same; sometimes there’s an overlap, but never the same,” Henderson said. 

All students can apply to be a part of WorldWide Witness and work with the program to fund the trip.

“Every year we’re able to jump-start their fundraising, but we don’t anticipate any of our students actually paying out of pocket,” Henderson said. “We’re always eager to have more students.”