Ten Rider University students will travel to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic during their spring recess March 10 through 18 to work in two children's orphanages and schools.

Their volunteer efforts are part of an on-going student service learning initiative which Rider's Catholic Ministry and the Center for Multicultural Affairs and Community Service launched four years ago in cooperation with The Orchid Foundation of Brigantine, NJ. The focal points are the Hogar Escuela Armando Rosenberg Home and School of 3,000 children, located in Sabana Perdida, the largest barrio in the Dominican Republic, and the Escuela Ave Maria, an orphanage of 150 students and a school ranging from pre-school to high school.

Rider students will carry out an array of tasks which include unloading the cargo container of food, clothing and other necessities, repairing leaky roofs and painting projects. Several will also teach English to the children and conduct athletic events for them. Throughout the year, the group has held fundraisers ranging from car washes to bowling parties, raising just over $4,000 for a new water purification system for the orphanages.

This next group of students was selected from nearly 30 applicants. Each has demonstrated a strong commitment to community service. They are: Uchenna Duru, a sophomore business management/human resource management major; Evan Chromczak, a sophomore global and multicultural studies major; Thomas Longo III, a junior accounting major; Ryan Kurutz, a senior radio/television/communication major; Matthew Ciociola, a senior chemistry/secondary education major; Allison Gibson, a senior global/multicultural studies and Spanish major; Joseph Lucchio, a sophomore history major; Jessica Pratt, a sophomore advertising/marketing major; Lisa Van Der Meriren, a senior chemistry major and James Wismer, a junior history major.

The students will be accompanied by Lawrenceville residents Deborah Venello of Lawrenceville, an administrative secretary for Rider's Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), and Bruce Evans, Jr. (Class of 2001), associate Catholic campus minister. Evans has coordinated and led all of the trips to Santo Domingo.

Donations may be sent to Catholic Campus Ministry, in care of Father Bruno Ugliano, Rider University, 2116 Lawrenceville, NJ 08648. Checks should be made payable to Catholic Campus Ministry. For more information on the Orchid Foundation, whose sole mission is to support and further the work of the Hogar Armando Rosenberg Home and School, go to www.orchidfoundation.org.