USF Honors College Strengthens 9-Year Partnership with Kerolle Initiative in Dominican Republic

An enduring connection with the Kerolle Initiative for Community Health in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, has officially been solidified for years to come. During the May 2025 trip, the Judy Genshaft Honors College awarded Dr. Reginald Kerolle an honorary Honors medallion — the first of its kind.

The University of South Florida Judy Genshaft Honors College has traveled to the Dominican Republic in partnership with the Kerolle Initiative for almost a decade. The Honors study abroad program in the Dominican Republic began in 2014, but it wasn't until 2016 that the trip became tied to the vision of the Kerolle Initiative. Dr. Lindy Davidson, previous associate dean of academic affairs, set in motion the cross-cultural partnership in 2016 as a medical service trip. Since 2019, she has alternated leading the trip with Dr. Cayla Lanier, assistant dean and campus director for the Honors College on USF's St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee campuses.

Lanier teaches an Honors Course in the spring, Culture, Identity, and Migration in the Dominican Republic, which prepares students for the trip through health-related literature and personal reflection on health care.

Over the years, the college has built a strong bond with Kerolle and his nonprofit mobile clinic, returning to collaborate with him annually. Kerolle, a physician dedicated to bringing medical care to underserved rural populations, donates his time and resources to provide primary care in communities with limited access to health care.

Lanier believed it was time he became an official part of the Honors College family. 

“I was delighted to recognize this partnership and the work Dr. Kerolle does — all of which aligns with our commitments to healthy humanities, engaged citizenship, and sustainable futures — by awarding Dr. Kerolle an Honors medallion and naming him an honorary graduate of the Judy Genshaft Honors College,” Lanier said.

Receiving a Judy Genshaft Honors College medallion is an honor typically reserved for graduating students who complete the college’s academic and experiential learning requirements. The Honors medallion symbolizes a commitment to global citizenship, healthy humanities, sustainable futures, and a reminder to Honors graduates on the importance of lifelong learning.

That medallion now hangs, framed, in Kerolle’s office in Puerto Plata.

Sustaining Research and Service 

This year, students are continuing the research and community health initiatives they started while abroad in the Dominican Republic. Honors students Emily Pinzon-Londono and Hollie Quackenbush are partnering with Dr. Kerolle to host regular virtual women’s health sessions for the communities they served, covering topics such as menstrual cycles and sexual health. Their first session welcomed 15 teenage girls.

Recognizing a preference for verbal communication over written materials, the students devised a live, interactive approach via Zoom to remain engaged and supportive from afar. They hope to continue and expand the initiative in the coming months.

For Quackenbush, the trip sparked a deeper realization about the nature of research.

“Research doesn’t end when you find out one thing; it always leads to more research,” she said. “We’re going to continue our work through the Zoom health presentations and follow up with research on the effectiveness of that program.” 

Bringing Lessons Home 

Several students — including Pinzon-Londono and Quackenbush — extended their experience beyond the trip by transforming their class-based research into formal presentations. On July 24, they shared their findings at the OneUSF Summer 2025 Undergraduate Research Symposium in the Judy Genshaft Honors College building. 

Pinzon-Londono and Quackenbush presented their women’s health fair project at the Undergraduate Research Symposium, where they shared key observations and explored how their findings align with existing literature. 

Javier Landa Pulido and Katlin Eaton shared information on hypertension treatment practices in the Dominican Republic, but, for them, the takeaway surpassed the data. 

“The class really helped me think critically and differently,” said Eaton. “A lot of research is data-driven — it can be black and white. But in the DR, I learned the most through observation and simply listening and absorbing my surroundings.” 

Inspired by their experience, Eaton and Landa Pulido incorporated more qualitative insights into their poster presentation.

Inspiring a Legacy 

With this summer’s cohort, Kerolle’s signature motto, “Take the initiative,” made an impact. The students did not just observe and return home, but were inspired to continue making an impact even after the trip was over.

Because of their continuing research and collaboration with Kerolle and each other, that message — and the partnership between the Honors College and the Kerolle Initiative — is sure to endure.

Looking ahead, Lanier is excited to see how the partnership will continue to progress under new leadership this December.

“Over the past nine years, the program has grown from Dr. Davidson’s original global health service trip to my focus on culture and identity in health care. As we both move on to new projects, I’m excited for Dr. Dina Martinez Tyson to lead the next chapter, bringing her expertise in public health, medical anthropology, and research, along with strong partnerships in the Dominican Republic that will enrich the student experience.”