Program Overview

University of Rhode Island Program Details

The University of Rhode Island offers a unique program called Winter J Term, a mini-semester that takes place each January. This program provides students with the opportunity to earn credit for unique classes, community service, career exploration, or world travel.

Program Features

• The Winter J Term features nine travel courses and 21 undergraduate-and graduate-level classes on-campus or online, in two intense weeks that can help accelerate a student's path to graduation.
• The program includes a service learning aspect, which is often the most meaningful part of the journey for students.
• Students can participate in faculty-led trips, such as a trip to the Dominican Republic, where they can earn 3 credits and participate in a service-learning project.

Service Learning Aspect

The service learning aspect of J Term travel courses is a key component of the program. Students have the opportunity to participate in community service projects, such as tutoring people in a literacy program at a camp for sugarcane workers from Haiti. This experience can be life-changing, as students are immersed in a new culture and have the opportunity to make a positive impact.

Faculty-Led Trips

The University of Rhode Island offers faculty-led trips as part of the Winter J Term program. These trips are led by experienced professors, such as Political Science Professor Maureen Moakley, who has led popular alternative winter break trips to the Dominican Republic. Students can participate in a variety of activities, including service-learning projects, cultural exploration, and academic research.

Student Testimonials

Students who have participated in the Winter J Term program have reported that it has been a transformative experience. Education major Brittany Alejo, who participated in a faculty-led trip to the Dominican Republic, said that the experience was "truly amazing" and that it had a profound impact on her perspective. URI Faculty-Led Programs Coordinator Kelly Watts also noted that the community service trips abroad can be life-changing for students, saying that "they come back a different person."