Colombia

Students participating in the Mercer On Mission program in Colombia will have a meaningful service experience with a dual focus: operating an English language summer camp for K-12 students and conducting technology workshops, including robotics and coding, for Colombian students and their teachers. Learn More >

Dominican Republic

The Mercer On Mission program in the Dominican Republic focuses on finding appropriate and sustainable solutions for community members in the El Cercado region to gain access to clean drinking water and meet the needs of residents with disabilities. It emphasizes community development, capacity building and the use of appropriate technologies. Learn More >

Ethiopia

This Mercer On Mission program will approach issues pertaining to youth sexual health, women’s rights and empowerment, and disease prevention in Ethiopia. The service project will be twofold in nature. The first component involves working collaboratively with a local primary and/or secondary school (Hi-Tech School Addis Ababa) to develop culturally relevant lesson plans for workshops on the topics of sexual health and healthy relationships. Upon completion, the lesson plans will be provided to the school, so they can be used in the future. The second aspect involves communicating much of the same information but changes the approach to reach an older audience of community members. Learn More >

France

More than 100,000 people apply for asylum in France each year. They arrive with almost nothing and wait months, sometimes years, for an answer. Mercer On Mission France puts students alongside them. Working with humanitarian partners in three very different places, students help house, feed and build relationships on the streets of Paris, run a children’s day camp in a mountain village that has sheltered the persecuted since World War II, and study migration where it has shaped France the longest, in the port city of Marseille. The work moves from the urgency of emergency response to the slower, harder work of relationships. Learn More >

India: Sustainability

As part of this Mercer On Mission program, students will travel to Delhi (India’s capital) and Uttarakhand (a state in the foothills of the Himalayas) to assist a local organization in its efforts to address water shortages created by climate change and uncontrolled growth of the tourism industry. Students will learn about modern Indian history and culture through literature about the climate crisis. Students will also learn about development and qualitative research and gain a basic knowledge of Hindi. Students interested in education, development, climate and literature will find this trip particularly beneficial, though all students are encouraged to apply. Learn More >

Kenya

The Mercer On Mission program in Kenya works to identify the presence of lead in paint and its effects on the environment. Students will learn how to sample and test paint using a variety of methods, including a Mercer-developed procedure that helps quantify lead in new paint for lower- and middle-income countries. Learn More >

Mexico

Mercer On Mission in Izúcar de Matamoros, Mexico, partners with the Universidad Tecnológica de Izúcar de Matamoros (UTIM) to address gaps in public education and agricultural resources. Students will engage in English language workshops for UTIM undergraduates, lead a STEAM summer camp for middle school students, and collaborate on engineering projects aimed at supporting sustainable agriculture, such as the development of a temporary immersion bioreactor. Learn More >

Peru

The Mercer On Mission program in Peru provides students with an international service-learning experience focused on STEM education, robotics, programming, virtual reality and hands-on engineering activities. Students will work with children and youth in Lima through partnerships with SOS Children’s Villages and local university partners, using engaging STEM activities to build problem-solving, teamwork, creativity and technical skills. Learn More >

Rwanda

Mercerians travel to Kigali, Rwanda, each summer to work with survivors, and now second-generation children of survivors, of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. In partnership with nongovernmental organization Groupe des Ancient Etudiant Rescapees du Genocide, they teach business skills to Rwandan entrepreneurs and provide training in a group treatment model of trauma therapy. Learn More >

South Korea

Mercer students and faculty in the Mercer On Mission program in South Korea spend time with children in first through 12th grades at Drim School and Woorideol School, alternative schools founded for North Korean refugees and their children. The Mercer team leads activities to help improve the refugees’ English language skills and teach them engineering concepts. Learn More >

Tanzania: Education

For this Mercer On Mission program, Mercerians travel to Tanzania to work with elementary, secondary and college students in partnership with Village Schools Tanzania. They will collaborate with Tanzanian teachers to incorporate teaching strategies to positively impact rural schools throughout Tanzania. Learn More >

Tanzania: Global Studies

This Mercer On Mission program is in partnership with Mwanza Youth and Children Network, a Tanzanian nongovernmental organization that inspires youth and children to participate in the development process. The program will take place in Mwanza, Tanzania’s second largest city, which is located on the shores of Lake Victoria. While Mwanza is a modern city with good infrastructure, including public transportation, paved roads, running water, and tourist hotels and restaurants, there is tremendous income disparity between rich and poor. Many residents are unable to access primary health care, education and basic municipal services. Increasingly, pollution and environmental degradation offer new challenges. Learn More >

Vietnam

Each summer, a Mercer On Mission team travels to Vietnam to fit amputees with prosthetic legs and hands. Developed by professor Dr. Ha Van Vo, the devices use a universal socket technology that is low cost, lightweight and durable. This Mercer On Mission program has changed the lives of more than 13,000 amputees since it began in 2009. Learn More >