Nursing and Pharmacy Global Health Immersion Fall 2025

Who we are: 

We are a group of six Nursing and six Pharmacy students who will be participating in a Global Health Immersion in Roatán, Honduras during Spring Break (February 28^th – March 7^th, 2026). Led by faculty members, we will work with to provide healthcare to people on the island.

This is an annual trip to Roatán and we are thrilled to continue our work with the amazing staff at https://clinicaesperanza.org/. The clinic provides care to over 140 patients per day, and no one is turned away for inability to pay. Students provide direct care in the clinic and provide outreach and education to the neighboring communities. 

Why we need your help! 

Please consider donating to help defray the cost of this Spring Breakaway for our students. This is a life-changing experience, but the out-of-pocket expense is high, especially with airfare. Your donation money can help to make a difference!  

Nursing and Pharmacy students take part in a global health immersion and actively provide care to residents of the Bay Islands, Roatán. Students will travel on a Spring Breakaway and donate their time, money, and energy to assist with local healthcare needs. The week will include daily work on healthcare initiatives coordinated with local neighborhoods and in the clinic. We will work with promotoras who serve as community liaisons, and complete presentations for members of the community. We will also sharpen our Spanish skills, learn about local culture, and visit unique areas of the city and country.

Because this is an interdisciplinary trip, nursing and pharmacy students work together to provide seamless care for their patients. Students’ better understanding of another profession helps them to become an even stronger healthcare provider when patient acuity is higher than ever. Students are able to build skills that they have learned in the classroom and on the clinical rotations, all while being immersed in a different culture. They have a different worldview on return to Duquesne after being in a location completely new! 

Each year, one or two students apply to return to the island for a second time. When we go to the clinic (and even in some of the communities), the faculty members and returning students see familiar faces. The relationships that our students have built not only with each other, but people throughout the clinic and our host family are precious and we are so grateful every year. We are welcomed into the Clinic and work to help in whatever way we can. There is a big banner that all of the volunteers sign, and it is so cool to see Duquesne University Schools of Nursing and Pharmacy represented!

 The cultural experiences are also so much fun! Every year, we do a sunset snorkel to enjoy the natural beauty of the island and the reef - it is a wonderful way to end the week!

See your donation in action during our Spring Break week! We will share updates during our trip on social media – Follow @dunursing and @duquesnepharm 

Questions? Contact Amber Kolesar, Duquesne University School of Nursing at kolesara@duq.edu or Jordan Covvey, Duquesne University School of Pharmacy at covveyj@duq.edu.