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Monmouth University students make service-learning trip to India
Through collaboration with the non-profit One Life to Love, students and faculty worked with children with disabilities and migrant communities in Delhi
Monmouth University students and faculty / monmouth.edu
Monmouth University expanded its global engagement during a recent service-learning trip to Delhi, India, which aimed to strengthen its interprofessional collaboration with One Life to Love, a New Delhi based non-governmental organization dedicated to supporting abandoned, orphaned, and disabled children.
The collaboration aims to enhance cross-disciplinary training in professional counseling and occupational therapy while supporting children with disabilities and migrant communities in India.
Students and faculty from the Marjorie K. Unterberg School of Nursing and Health Studies and the Wayne D. McMurray School of Humanities and Social Sciences were part of the university delegation. They engaged directly with nonverbal children at One Life to Love, assisting in therapeutic activities and educational programs.
Their work included developing occupation-based interventions, implementing assistive technologies, and training caregivers to enhance support for children with disabilities.
The trip also served to strengthen the University’s Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program, creating new opportunities for students to collaborate across disciplines.
“This trip is a continuation of our commitment to interprofessional education and community impact. By leveraging the long-standing relationship the Professional Counseling Department in the School of Humanities has with One Life to Love, we are opening doors for our OTD students to make a difference internationally while gaining invaluable practical experience,” said John Patro Jr., chair of the department of occupational therapy and OTD program director.
Future collaborations aim to formalize this engagement, expanding opportunities for OTD capstone students to work alongside professional counseling students and local healthcare teams in Delhi. The program is part of Monmouth’s Transformative Travel course, supported by the University’s Global Education Office.
“Monmouth University students have an unparalleled opportunity to immerse themselves in hands-on learning with other ways of knowing and doing. By bringing together professional counseling and occupational therapy, we can continue to contribute to the multifaceted needs of the communities that One Life to Love serves, while providing a transformative educational experience for our students,” said Joanne Jodry, associate professor and director of the clinical mental health counseling program who led the delegation.
In addition to their work in Delhi, students visited Amritsar, Dharamshala, Jaipur, and Rishikesh, participating in cultural immersion and spiritual activities to deepen their understanding of India’s diverse traditions and foster cultural humility.
One Life to Love, founded by New Jersey native Courtney Lalotra, aligns with Monmouth’s mission of global engagement and compassionate service. The organization provides residential care, education, and resources for children in need, as well as support for individuals with disabilities.
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