NEWTON, Mass. — Abbey Coughlan, of Randolph, was one of 15 students selected to participate in a service-learning trip to Tanzania with Lasell College last summer.

Coughlan worked with faculty and peers to teach reading, comprehension and conversational English to Tanzanian students in grades 1 through 7. In turn, the group took courses in Swahili and held several workshops for the local population.

In preparation for the two-week trip, Coughlan and her classmates participated in a semester-long course this spring. Students refined their skills as teachers, mentors and leaders, and prepared for the cultural aspects of the trip.

Coughlan, a international business major at Lasell, joined the trip through the college’s Shoulder to Shoulder program, an international service-learning initiative that educates students about various social justice issues within a global context.

The trip to Tanzania is one of several that take place each year. On Shoulder to Shoulder programs, students live with host communities adjacent to their service work, with the goal of connecting their personal experiences with broader service initiatives.

Students such as Coughlan contributed to a blog throughout the trip found at lasell.edu; search Tanzania Blog 2018.