A record number of students from Florida State University traveled to Guatemala from Jan. 31 to Feb. 7 as part of the university’s “Help Guatemala Hear” service trip, marking the largest team in the trip’s history. The group included 14 undergraduate students, three graduate students, and one undergraduate student in communication sciences and disorders from Valdosta State University.

Before departing, students completed more than 250 hours of training to prepare for the fast-paced, high-impact clinical work they would encounter abroad.

“The 250 pre-trip training hours matter because they ensure students understand the scope of practice and know how to work safely in low-resource settings,” said Program Director Dr. Selena Snowden. “It can also prepare the students culturally, help the team function smoothly on high-capacity clinic days, and ground the students in reflection and ethics so the experience is about long-term impact.”

For undergraduate student Leslie Abbott, the extensive preparation helped her feel confident.

“The 250 hours of training made me more confident in my ability to serve the people of Guatemala, however what taught me the most was actually learning from the situations I encountered while I was in Guatemala.”

What stood out was seeing how committed people were to obtain hearing services.

“We were seeing over 50 people a day, which led to long waiting times for some people. It was so eye-opening for me to see the lengths the people of Sololá went for hearing services and not once did anyone complain,” Abbott said.

Graduate student Kaitlyn Garcia emphasized the scale of what the team accomplished together. In four days, the group fit 276 hearing devices, saw more than 200 patients, and performed over 100 ear cleanings.

“It was amazing to see what we could accomplish with such a large group,” Garcia said. “There was so much energy and excitement, but it still felt very organized and intentional. Even with a big group, everyone knew why they were there.”

This was also undergraduate student Mia Finigan’s second time on the Guatemala trip, and she quickly recognized the impact of having a larger team.

“Having an even larger group this year had an enormous impact on our efficiency and ultimately the total number of patients we were able to see,” Finigan said. “I felt I was able to take more charge and grow as a leader for others this year.”

Finigan recalled an emotional interaction with an older man who was eligible for two of the hearing aids available.

“He was so thankful and excited that he came up to everyone who had taken care of him at each station and thanked them vigorously while crying,” Finigan said. “In this moment, I realized just how big an impact we would have on many of the patients we were seeing.”

Similarly, undergraduate student Allison Fordyce described working with a young patient that reshaped her perspective on access to care.

“The moment that stands out to me the most is watching a nine-year-old girl hear for the first time,” Fordyce said. “I got to watch her hear sounds for the first time. This made me realize the weight behind the help that we were providing in Guatemala. The ability to hear and have health care that covers this is something that I take for granted every day.”

The trip is part of a long-term effort built on trust and collaboration with Guatemalan communities and partners. Snowden said the program’s growth reflects its strong student and partner support.

“This year was our largest group we have traveled with to date, which shows that our program’s vision resonates strongly with students and our supportive partners,” Snowden said.

Among partners and donors include Porch de Salomon, Oticon Hearing Foundation, Resound Gives Sound, WSAudiology – Signia, and numerous private donors. Audiologists Kaki Pope, Monica Walker, Ricardo Gauthier, and Chelsea Alexander all contributed to the trip as well.

After more than a decade of service, Snowden said the most rewarding part is watching students grow.

“I love to witness how the students grow each year clinically, personally, and in humility over the course of experience,” Snowden said.