Miles of Meaning: How Service Abroad Changes Everything

Madison Jennings
Aug 29
2 min read

Destination to destination, one Roll Tide at a time! Kate Wills is a senior at The University of Alabama and recently ventured all the way to Greece as part of our DIRECT Greece program. This program is full of adventure, education, and service opportunities!

Kate is a hard working student that is majoring in Marketing and minoring in Sales and Management. When not in class, or traveling the world, Kate works as an am

bassador for the College of Business, is the President of Special Olympics at the university, and is the Vice President of Chapter Wellness for Alpha Gamma Delta.

Through Athens and Mykonos, her trip was filled with so many incredible experiences and memories. Kate is extremely passionate about not just experiencing different cultures, but giving back to them. She felt that she was given so much through her time abroad and she had to reciprocate.

Through DIRECT Greece, students are given the ability to work with Emfasis Non-Profit, a private Greek organization providing social and humanitarian aid to vulnerable populations like the homeless. Students learn how to support people that are suddenly unhoused through natural disasters, traumatic events, and more. Students help to provide the essentials people need after losing shelter, and help with crucial aspects on the step to recovery by packing bags that the Emfasis team will then take into the communities of Greece.

After this once in a lifetime experience, Kate shared, "Truly life-changing to go on DIRECT Greece Session 1 and have this experience. I am so grateful that LeadAbroad supports us as students who are not just growing as leaders but growing as servant leaders in our communities."