Thursday, October 13, 2011, Calgary, Alberta – Last summer, five SAIT students travelled to Vietnam as a part of the Global Education Network (GEN), which allows students to study abroad for a full semester, or, as this group did, participate in a short-term exchange for three weeks.

“We want to inspire others to pursue community projects of all kinds,” says Kim Penner, dental assisting instructor in the School of Health and Public Safety, and mentor to the GEN students during their time in Vietnam.

The group from SAIT met up with 26 other GEN students and volunteers, from Australia, U.S. and Singapore to work at elementary schools in Saigon and Ben Tre Province.

 Penner says students from such diverse backgrounds coming together for a meaningful cause is a big part of GEN.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for students to see social issues from the inside,” says Penner. “The experience makes them better global citizens and advocates for social change and responsibility.”

Amber Woods, 26, second-year Travel and Tourism student, says travel has been an invaluable addition to her more formal educational experiences.  

“I really see the importance of being involved in a community outside of your own country,” says Woods. “By helping in areas that don’t have that much, things are really put into perspective.”

Woods says one of the most memorable days in Vietnam was spent mixing and pouring concrete to create an area for children to play outside of their school.

“When it rained, the ground would stay so wet and muddy that the kids couldn’t go out for a long time afterwards,” she says. “It felt good to work so hard and make a real difference. Now the kids can play outside whether it’s rained or not.”

SAIT Polytechnic is one of Canada’s most exciting destinations for post-secondary education, offering more than 100 career programs that position people for success in technology, trades and business. A leader in innovation, SAIT also collaborates with industry on applied research and delivers corporate training worldwide. SAIT is a member of Polytechnics Canada and one of Alberta’s Top 50 Employers for 2011.

Please note facts and information may change in older archived materials.

If you require assistance with this or any other press release contact SAIT Corporate Communications.