Jordan Lummus
School of Social Work
“As part of the University of Michigan’s Master’s International Volunteer Program at the School of Social Work, I spent my first year on campus during the 2022–2023 school year studying the Welfare of Children and Families and Global Social Work. In May 2023, I began my Peace Corps service as a Youth and Families Development Promoter in Ecuador. For two years, I lived in Baeza, a town of around 2,000 people in the Amazon Rainforest. Working with the Department of Social Development and the Department of Rights Protections, I taught life and employability skills, facilitated a parents’ school, and conducted home visits with local social workers. Early on, I carried out a community survey that revealed high rates of substance use, teen pregnancy, and low literacy levels.
Informed by this research and community input, the idea for the Quijos Canton Youth House was born. The project aimed to foster engagement, reduce substance use, raise literacy levels, and create opportunities for youth leadership. I spent my second year writing a grant proposal, securing $7,000 in funding, and collaborating with local families to bring the project to life. The community showed incredible enthusiasm—organizing mingas (volunteer workdays) and preparing the space together. The Youth House quickly became a vibrant hub with a library, computers, weekly classes, and workshops for both parents and children. It became a warm, safe environment that truly belonged to the youth it served.
My coursework in interpersonal practice, policy analysis, and community-level change provided a foundation for this work, which drew upon skills in all three areas. The cultural humility and adaptability I developed in Ecuador deepened my understanding of how social work systems differ across contexts. Since returning, I have continued to apply these lessons as a Strategy and Operations Program Manager at the Women’s Center of Southeastern Michigan and as a Research Assistant at the University of Michigan’s Child and Adolescent Data Lab while completing my MSW.
My best advice for students planning to study abroad is to master the local language and immerse themselves in aspects of local culture, such as dance, art, cuisine, and national pastimes. Moving to a new country can feel isolating, and it takes patience to build relationships and earn trust. As I became more integrated in Ecuador, my support network expanded, and I grew more confident launching 
projects and engaging in community events. Staying curious and open to new experiences allowed me to connect deeply with others—connections that would not have been possible without my foundation in Spanish. Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of traveling the world while making a positive social impact. That dream began to take shape after hearing a lecture by a returned Peace Corps volunteer. Determined to follow a similar path, I studied abroad in Spain to strengthen my Spanish and later accepted a position as a Spanish Literacy Promoter in the Dominican Republic. When COVID-19 ended that opportunity, I spent over a year teaching English in Taiwan before discovering the University of Michigan’s Master’s International Volunteer Program—a perfect blend of academic study and field experience that brought my lifelong goal full circle.”
