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Douglass Residential College

Global Village Students Give Back

Global Village Students Give Back

Douglass Residential College students in the Global Village program hosted a Harvest Dinner for those in need at the Unity Square Community Center. The Global Village Ambassadors collected 250 donations of food, providing 15 families in the community with a holiday dinner. Through giving back, Douglass students had the opportunity to make valuable connections with the local community in New Brunswick. 

For Sanjana Pendharker DRC’21, a member of the Business and Entrepreneurship House, the Harvest Dinner was a chance to share Douglass values with fellow members of the New Brunswick community.  

“The Harvest Dinner was an amazing bonding opportunity that cemented the Global Village's culture of kindness, helpfulness, and thoughtfulness,” said Pendharker. “It promoted a sense of inclusion within our community, as we were all contributing to a greater cause by making a special dinner a reality for many citizens of New Brunswick.”

The Global Village program is an innovative and unique living-learning community comprised of ten houses with themes ranging from global cuisine to public health. Through a curriculum centered on exploring global issues, and participation in service-learning projects, Global Village students experience the powerful impact service can have on the global and local community. 

“Throughout my first year of being in the Global Village, I have been exposed to a multitude of events that have cultivated a sense of community and good spirit,” said Maryam Zayed DRC’22 of the Human Rights House. “In addition to making a difference in the community, I got to share this experience with my fellow Douglass students, strengthening the bond between us. I’m so grateful to have been granted the opportunity to use the privileges of our tight-knit community for the greater good.” 

This year’s Harvest Dinner in Unity Square is an example of the ongoing work the Global Village continually contributes to those in need around the world. Each year, several Global Village Houses are selected to travel abroad for free to further explore issues related to their house mission and engage in service learning. This winter break, the Creativity House will travel to Costa Rica, La Casa Hispánica will travel to the Dominican Republic, and the Business and Entrepreneurship House will travel to Mexico to participate in community-based missions. Service-learning, whether at home or abroad, empowers Douglass Residential College students to come together to create impactful social change. 

“I was able to contribute to the Global Village vision of making a difference in our surroundings,” said Pendharker. “On a personal note, I’m thrilled to be a part of this program. It provides numerous opportunities for us to give back.”