2009 Australia, New Zealand, & Fiji Leaders: Tom Simunovic and Merrill StablerMERRILL STABLER: St. Lawrence University, B.A., magna cum laude, Spanish & Performance and Communication Arts, Minor in Caribbean and Latin American Studies. Merrill spent her time at St. Lawrence working in the University’s Spanish Writing Center and volunteering at the local middle school as a teaching assistant for Spanish classes. She participated in SLU Buddies, an after-school program connecting college students and children from the local community. While at St. Lawrence Merrill performed in multiple theater and dance productions, and worked behind the scenes as a Teacher’s Assistant for Stage Lighting. She was a choreographer for the St. Lawrence Dance Team, as well as a University tour guide. Merrill spent 5 months living and studying in Costa Rica during which time she traveled extensively throughout the country. Last year Merrill worked at The Hotchkiss School teaching Spanish, coaching diving, and helping with the theater department. Merrill plans to pursue a Master’s degree in Spanish. She loves meeting new people, dancing, music, and the outdoors. This will be Merrill's second summer with Putney. Last year she led a Community Service program in Costa Rica. She is fluent in Spanish.
TOM SIMUNOVIC: St. Lawrence University, B.A., cum laude, Global Studies with Honors & Spanish, minor in Caribbean and Latin American Studies. While at St. Lawrence, Tom participated in and led several student social justice and community service organizations such as Amnesty International, Habitat for Humanity, One-to-One Mentoringm, and Oxfam, which he founded and presided over his junior year. Tom has traveled to over 20 countries including semester-long study abroad programs in Spain and Costa Rica; a community service project in Nicaragua; a history course in the Czech Republic, Poland, and Germany; a research grant to study national reconciliation processes in Spain and Italy; a research trip to the Mexico-US border to study borderland identities; extensive travel in Chile, his father’s homeland; and backpacking through many other amazing countries including Egypt, Peru, Portugal, Belgium, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Chile, Argentina, Peru, and Bolivia. Tom looks forward to sharing his contagious enthusiasm, adventurous spirit, and educational experience with students on his second Putney summer program. Tom led this Cultural Exploration Australia, New Zealand, Fiji program last summer. He is fluent in Spanish.
