Global Leaders Travel to Puerto Rico

Travel can be a valuable tool in a well-rounded, interdisciplinary education. For students at Douglass, the Global Leaders Living-Learning Community offers funded travel each year, challenging students to expand their horizons, engage with community organizations, and enrich their global leadership skills. 

The 2026 Douglass Global Leaders visited Puerto Rico to examine the impact of colonialism on education and society.

“I had never left the mainland US before this trip, and doing so, especially with a learning goal in mind, was a transformative experience,” said Lily Barber DRC’28, a history major with a women, gender, and sexuality studies minor. “Everything was exciting, from little things like seeing signs that were not primarily in English for the first time, to bigger things like trying new foods and learning about Puerto Rico’s colonial history in a hands-on way.”

The Douglass Global Leaders is a year-long academic living-learning experience that offers selected students the opportunity to deepen and apply their learning about Global issues through a trip abroad. From coursework to community engagement and cultural immersion experiences, the living-learning community is designed to examine how gender shapes lives globally—particularly in relation to access to education. Students explore how educational opportunity varies locally and globally, and connect these dynamics to their own academic disciplines and career aspirations. 

As part of the trip, they traveled to a university in San Juan to learn more about the island's education system. 

“This year, our global leaders course has been focused on Decolonizing Global Education. This means we have been examining the US education system and identifying areas where colonialism or other historical injustices have affected students' ability to access a quality education,” Lily said. “We have looked at this by studying the architecture of school buildings, identifying the basic needs that education systems can address, and completing a research paper comparing a country of interest to the US education system.”

In addition, the Global Leaders participated in community engagement across a variety of sectors. Miguel Sisamone, the director of the Puerto Rico Hope Lodge of the Sociedad Americana Contra el Cáncer, spoke with the students about Puerto Rico's history through the lens of medicine and cancer care. The students learned about the group’s mission and the island's public health resources. They also visited an animal shelter, where students worked hands-on to help abandoned animals get ready for their new families.  

“Traveling to Puerto Rico showcased all of the ideas from class in an extremely interesting way,” Lily reflected. “For example, we were able to tour a university in San Juan and identify structural issues that would affect learning. We were also able to see how the healthcare system fails to meet students' needs. Seeing all of this in person helped me understand these concepts in a much more meaningful way.” 

They also participated in cultural immersion activities, including a Bomba music class, which was Lily’s favorite activity. 

“The activity that sticks out to me the most was our Bomba class, as our instructor was extremely intelligent and a pioneer in women's participation in Bomba circles,” she said. “Our instructor explained the history of Bomba, hand in hand with colonialism and slavery, and connected this historical creation to present-day issues. It was a truly eye-opening, unforgettable experience that I will take with me for the rest of my life.” 

At home in New Brunswick, the Global Leaders continue their community leadership. This spring, the students are organizing a Food & Basic Needs Drive in partnership with the Rutgers Basic Needs Center to support their fellow Rutgers students experiencing food and material insecurity.

“Ultimately, I had the best time in Puerto Rico,” said Lily. “I learned a lot about colonialism and Puerto Rican culture, and I became really close to my peers. I am really grateful for the whole experience.” 

Next month, the Global Leaders will present what they’ve learned throughout their year-long experience at Douglass Day, a research presentation celebration for students studying the humanities, arts, and social sciences.