CONWAY, Ark. (June 30, 2016) – This spring, Hendrix College alumna Teresa Roebuck ’78 of Conway spent 16 days volunteering at Institut Superieur Agronomique et Veterinaire Valery Giscard d’Estang de Faranah, a university in Faranah, Guinea.
An independent educational consultant, Roebuck trains teachers and education professionals how to use technology and digital resources in the classroom. Her clients include
Discovery Education,
MIND Research Institute, and
Zuni Learning Tree.
In Guinea, she worked with the university’s English language faculty and more than 300 students to train them on the computers and new English language software in the university’s language lab.
Many of the students had never used a desktop computer, Roebuck said.
“I was really surprised at the number of young people who had smartphones but had not been on a desktop computer,” she said. “It was quite amazing to see the young people taking pictures of themselves using the computer and of me, like I was a rock star, which was pretty hilarious.”
She was first approached about the volunteer opportunity by
Winrock International in Little Rock, based on her LinkedIn profile. The organization was looking for someone with her background in education and training.
“I was thrilled and honored to be contacted by Winrock,” she said. “It was an exciting opportunity.”
The timing was fortuitous for Roebuck, who was looking for an overseas development project.
“I was trying to figure out a volunteer opportunity because, when we’re blessed with talents and gifts, we should give back,” said Roebuck, who recently completed a similar project in Mexico for Discovery Education.
Roebuck first traveled abroad as a high school exchange student in Santiago, Chile, and encouraged her daughters to study abroad in England and in Spain. After completing a degree in humanities from Hendrix in three years, Roebuck earned a master’s degree in counseling psychology from the
University of Central Arkansas.
“It was an amazing and wonderful experience,” said Roebuck. “You volunteer your time and experience, and Winrock International takes care of everything else.”
Learn more about Winrock International volunteer opportunities
here or contact Jennifer Robinson Marks, Program Associate, Agriculture & Volunteer Programs, at 501-280-3018 or
Jennifer.Robinson@winrock.org.
About
Hendrix College
Hendrix College is a private liberal arts college in Conway, Arkansas. Founded in 1876 and affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884, Hendrix is featured in Colleges
That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think about Colleges and is nationally recognized in numerous college guides, lists, and rankings for academic quality, community, innovation, and value. For more information, visit
www.hendrix.edu.