When a UF School of Theatre and Dance faculty member approached an undergraduate studying neuroscience, a new student organization was born.
Jill Sonke-Henderson, a UF theatre and dance faculty member, came to Zarabeth Golden, a neuroscience and painting junior, with the idea for the International Fine Arts and Healing Student Organization.
IFAH will use personal art to connect with patients and caregivers in European countries such as France, Portugal and Germany, as well as African countries, according to its Web site.
Golden, president of IFAH, said the purpose is to expose students to the universe of arts and medicine.
"Many students at UF have their own art and want to be able to use that art to help people," Golden said.
Twelve students will travel to Gambia in West Africa during spring break, along with three nurses and two faculty members, said Sonke-Henderson, the IFAH faculty adviser.
"We will take groups to the rural villages in Banjul and a subset of the group will do performances on malaria prevention for the community," she said.
Sonke-Henderson will also teach the History of Arts and Healing in Europe and the U.S., a two-credit class that will take 20 IFAH members to Strasbourg, France for Summer A.
Students will work with five hospitals in and around Strasbourg, Sonke-Henderson said.
Three community-service hours are also required each week, in which students can choose to work in senior facilities, school programs or community performances, she said.
In preparation for the trip, a once-a-week French class throughout October is required. The IFAH members will also volunteer at Shands to train for the work they will be doing abroad, Sonke-Henderson said.
"They will go through orientations and then be mentored by the residents artists in the Arts in Medicine program," she said.
IFAH will work all year to raise money for travel fees and learn how to use the creative arts for healing, according to the Web site.
"We are going to have bake sales, car washes, sell arts and crafts gift sets," Golden said. "Anything we can think of."
The club is now planning to host an art auction that allows Gainesville and student artists to donate their work to be sold.
There are no dues and participation is based on a point system. Members earn points for attending and organizing events, Golden said.
