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Amigos de Jesus Orphanage Project in Poses Verdes, Honduras

Civil engineering students have worked on various structural designs at Amigos de Jesus, a Catholic orphanage in Poses Verdes, Honduras. The students support the mission of Amigos de Jesus and are providing much needed designs to support the growth of the infrastructure. Currently, the students are creating a center for learning on the site of the orphanage.

This eight building school complex designed by our civil engineering students will not only be used by the boys at the orphanage, but also by children from the surrounding area, who may otherwise never have access to any formal education. Two buildings have been completed and two more are under construction.

Video Clip: "A Philosophy of Service"
Dr. David Dinehart discusses how the values of Villanova University blend with the profession of Civil Engineering.
( Flash Video, 3.2 MB)

The 2007 project is the design and construction of a computer laboratory building for the school. A service learning course, CEE 4611, has been an outgrowth of the spring semester Senior Capstone Design Project in Structural Engineering. Since 2000, students in that course have worked on various structural designs and a portion of the class have traveled to Honduras with the professors and a few CE underclassmen on an associated mission trip over Spring Break in which they work on the construction of various structural designs. The Villanova designs have included a 25 foot tall reinforced concrete cross and a volunteer center and chapel.

The mission trips are co-sponsored by the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and Campus Ministry, and incorporates all aspects of a service learning experience (preparation, service, reflection, and celebration).

Over the past four years, four Villanova civil engineering graduates have volunteered for long term service at Amigos de Jesus.

For more information


 

CEE 4611 - Civ Engr Service Learning  
Course Objectives

  • Participate in a
    service activity related to Civil Engineering.
  • Develop an understanding of another culture.
  • Effectively communicate, in written and verbal form, the outcomes of the service experience.