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Wildcat punter Tim Masthay proudly displays a tattoo of his home state of Kentucky on his right arm but his loyalties reach far beyond the Commonwealth’s lines. He holds a passion in his heart for the people of the world. This passion led the Murray, Ky., native on an educational and service trip to the African country of Ghana this May.

“I have an interest in serving other people and my country,” said Masthay, a senior economics major whose goal is to one day serve in the Peace Corps. “I knew this trip would be a great learning experience and would make me a better citizen and person. You think you have an idea of what poverty is and what’s happening in Africa but until you smell the smells, hear the sounds and taste the tastes, you don’t really know.”

The two-week trip was sponsored by the UK Education Abroad program and led by Dr. Kwaku Addo, associate dean of the UK Graduate School. The group of approximately 10 students from UK and Prairie View A&M University in Texas went on a study tour that involved visiting landmarks and learning the culture of Ghana. They also participated in a service project at a school and orphanage.

“Talking to the people was fascinating,” Masthay said. “They have a strong desire to provide for their families and they yearn for education. One of my friends asked a middle-school age girl if she liked going to school and she said, ‘I like school like I like water.’ Guys my age were working small jobs just to save money to go to school. At the university, dorm rooms were as big as ours at UK but 10 people would share a room. It makes you realize the opportunity we have here.”

Read about Masthay’s amazing journey to Africa in his blog entries.