Maureen Gesley

A Spanish and International Studies major from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Maureen aspires to improve Latin America's public health and educational systems, and sees teaching with BECA as "an invaluable step" in that direction. She spent a year studying abroad in Quito, Ecuador, where she taught English to middle-school students in low-income communities. Thrust into the position of primary teacher, she rose to the challenge by developing creative lesson plans, organizing educational games and connecting with the students. She also served as a community volunteer in rural Paraguay during the summer of 2003, teaching English, health and environmental issues to a school of 60 students. As a tutor in her high school's ESL program, she often relied on hand gestures and facial expressions to communicate with the diverse group of Latino, Mongolian, Iranian and Thai students. Her volunteering activities extend beyond the classroom setting: she has worked with the California Childcare Health Program translating health and safety materials from English to Spanish for childcare providers; researched human rights abuses in Pakistan that were ultimately added to a report submitted to the United Nations; and organized campus events to celebrate Chicano culture and provide children with a bilingual education. We know that Maureen's passion and initiative will be huge assets to SJBS.