A team of students, alumni and staff from the University of Illinois Springfield traveled to Antigua, Guatemala, this spring as part of an international service trip. Partnering with ImagininGuatemala, a small non-governmental organization, the group spent four days helping build a home for a family in need.

ImagininGuatemala works with volunteer teams to construct housing in the villages surrounding Antigua. The organization also provides access to food, clean water, education and health services.

The group from UIS — made up of seven students, alumni and staff — helped build a new home complete with a tile floor, door and kitchen. Prior to the build, the family had been living in a small lean-to with a dirt floor. The new structure offers a safer, cleaner and more stable environment where the family can rest, learn and grow together.

“Our volunteers didn’t just build a home in Guatemala; they built lasting relationships, cultural understanding, and a sense of shared purpose,” said Jamarco Clark, UIS vice chancellor for student affairs. “Thanks to the generosity of Dex Burns, Class of 2014, and the Burns Family International Travel Scholarship, a student who otherwise would not have been able to go was able to participate in this transformative experience.”

Participants stayed with host families and experienced Guatemalan culture firsthand. From sharing meals to learning local customs, the team built meaningful connections with their hosts and with one another.

On the final day of the trip, the UIS team affixed a plaque to the home bearing the family’s name and the UIS logo — a gesture that symbolizes both the lasting impact of their work and the strong relationship forged between UIS and the Guatemalan community.

"I had a great time in Guatemala,” said Paige Williams, a recent UIS graduate who attended the trip. “I'm proud to say my first trip outside the United States had meaning and impact and we were able to make a change in a stranger's life. I hope this is a trip UIS continues for years to come.”

Plans are already underway for another service trip in 2026.

“The impact of this trip extends well beyond our time in Guatemala, and we look forward to returning next summer to continue building on this meaningful work,” Clark said.