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Spotlight on Simmons

Students Make a Big Difference in Small Nicaraguan Town

In a small Nicaraguan town, a group of children proudly wear Simmons athletic uniforms while competing in sports activities. The athletics department donated the uniforms to support English Professor David Gullette's annual service-learning course to San Juan del Sur in January.

One of the students participating in Gullette's two-week trip was Simmons "Sharks" volleyball senior captain Marissa Rousselle, who asked Athletics Director Ali Kantor to provide uniforms to local "Olimpipitos" — disabled children participating in sporting competitions similar to the Special Olympics. The competitions are hosted by Los Pipitos, a Nicaraguan organization for disabled people and their families.

"We have been encouraging student athletes who minor in Spanish to take David's course to experience life in Nicaragua," said Kantor. "Our hope is to continually expose the girls in this Latin American country to sports, since their culture is steeped in machismo, and generally girls don't get to participate."

This collaboration is not Simmons's only connection with Nicaragua, said Gullette. "What's key is that our links with the people of San Juan del Sur involve many parts of Simmons 'University' — not just the College of Arts and Sciences," he said. "The Simmons School of Health Sciences sends graduate students in nursing and physical therapy down every January to work in health clinics. The Simmons Graduate School of Library and Information Science sends delegations once or twice a year to work with the local library and bookmobile. And Simmons's School of Social Work and School of Management are also exploring ways to get involved in San Juan del Sur. This little town on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua is steadily becoming 'a Simmons campus in Latin America.'"