Projects

Local Service

WAVES constantly promotes service both abroad and locally. When we cannot travel out of the country or when we are in-between big trips, our local service becomes our priority. From working with Project Neighbors which builds houses in the Northwest Indiana area, to cleaning up the Indiana National Dunes, our local service keeps us involved and excited. Even our service done at home can have an impact abroad, like when we packed refugee relief kits to be shipped to countries in crisis (Ukraine, Syria, Iraq). Our local service allows us to care for our own community and take what we learn abroad. The key to service is listening, understanding, and walking with the communities that we visit – which all starts with the community around us.

Nicaragua: (2022-present)

In the summer of 2022, some students and faculty advisors visited Managua, Nicaragua to converse with locals and identify future projects. During the Spring Break of 2023, two groups of students and advisors will return to Nicaragua for engineering and education projects. The Projects Team will be working alongside Nicaraguans to build a solar-powered water pump system, while the Education Team will be working with Nicaraguan educators to develop STEM based lessons

Trifinio Research Clinic: (2019-2021)

In March of 2019 WAVES partnered with University of Colorado-Denver to install solar panels at a local medical clinic in Coatepeque, Guatemala. Solar Panel Installation Prep (December 2019) WAVES returned to the clinic to prepare for a second installation of solar panels on the administration and medicine storage building. Members of the Health and Safety team shadowed doctors at the clinic.

Les Cayes, Haiti: (2015-2019)

In Spring of 2015, WAVES started a new series of projects in Haiti. WAVES looks to spread knowledge of engineering, technology, and the sciences not only at Valparaiso University but in Haiti as well. A new education program was started to help give resources such as textbooks, lab supplies and also teach basic electricity, environmental science, technology and physics classes to an orphanage with 350 children. WAVES is looking into creating video lessons so we do not have to be physically present to teach the classes. In addition to the education project, WAVES has already installed arduinos and custom electronics to perform a full energy audit of the orphanage. Ultimately, WAVES would like to provide them with solar power.