The Mission at Natuvu Creek, Fiji
Students learn about community health and engagement through classes and service learning at a medical mission in Fiji.
Learn about our Fiji Program
Students will have the opportunity to live on the shoreline of this beautiful island while assisting and serving daily at the Mission at Natuvu Creek. Students participate in the services of the mission’s medical clinic, work in the local schools in rural areas of Fiji, assist the locals with building and renovation projects, and in general serve the community in any way that is asked of them.
Program Dates
July 7, 2023 - August 3, 2023
The dates listed above are planned group flight departure dates from LAX and in-country return departure date.
Costs
- Tuition: $1,955 per unit (same as Malibu tuition per unit)
- Room & Board: $2,568
- Program Specific Costs:
- Global Health Fee: $108 (estimated)
Required Vital Documents and Deadlines
Completed IP Document Submission Form including the following documents:
- Health Clearance Form and Flight Itinerary
- *For summer students also enrolled in an AY program, please contact IP regarding your HCF submission due date in order for it to be valid for both/all programs.
- Visa Copy (if applicable for non-U.S. passport holders): April 27, 2023
Course Requirements
5 unit minimum requirement. Students must take both NASC 492 and HUM 295.
Course Offerings
NASC 492 Selected Topics: Global and Community Health (4)
This course provides an introduction to community health with a particular emphasis on those health issues relevant to Fiji. It is designed to be accessible and relevant to students of a broad range of majors and thus assumes no specific disciplinary background; rather it emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary examination of the complex issues that affect health and wellness in Fijian society. During the multi-disciplinary approach to the study of community health, students will examine the set of social, cultural, biological, and economic issues most central to shaping health and quality of life in Fiji and will identify parallels and differences between these same issues in the United States. Through class discussions, experiential learning, and focused reflections, students will explore relevant community and health issues in Fiji as well as understand the opportunities and difficulties in implementing solutions for these issues. Students will put course content into practice in a community health setting by actively participating in the services offered by the Mission at Natuvu Creek in Fiji. These services include medical services, health and wellness education to local communities, working in local schools, and/or various community outreach projects. Through these community interactions, students will not only engage more effectively with course content but will also gain an understanding of how cultural differences can shape policy and practice when crafting solutions to global public health issues.
HUM 295 Enriching the International Experience (1)
This course is designed to enrich the student’s international experience by providing opportunities to engage more fully with the culture and to reflect more deeply on the experience. It is the goal of this course to help students know how to look at and listen to their new culture and how to give meaning to their international experience. Taught only in International Programs. May be repeated in a different location. Cr/NC grading only.
Faculty in Residence
Professor Donna Nofziger-Plank
Associate Professor of Biology, Natural Science Division, Seaver College
Office: RAC 126
Donna Nofziger is an associate professor of biology at Seaver College and teaches classes in cellular, molecular, and developmental biology. She is a Los Angeles native who earned her undergraduate degree in biology at Baylor University and her PhD from UCLA as part of the Molecular Biology Institute. She has loved every moment of her 23 years teaching at Pepperdine and in particular enjoys sharing her enthusiasm for learning about the natural world with her students. She has served International Programs on multiple occasions in Buenos Aires, Kenya, and Fiji. In returning to Fiji, she is excited to share this experience with Pepperdine students and allow them to live the mission of Pepperdine by connecting the knowledge they have learned in the classroom with service. Dr. Nofziger will be traveling to Fiji with her youngest daughter Briana.
Updated: 8.16.22