International Study Opportunities
for ACA Students and Faculty The Berger grant provides funding for three programs for students and faculty. Last year, these programs provided educational opportunities for 82 students and 64 faculty members from almost all of the consortium-member colleges and universities. London Program The London program is operated through the Private College Consortium for International Studies (PCCIS). This organization is composed of 16 Appalachian College Association institutions. Scholarships of $8000 are awarded to students to study for a semester in London, England. In order to qualify, a student must be in good academic standing, have financial need and be a resident of Appalachia. Twenty-four students received scholarship support during the past year, from the following institutions: Alice Lloyd College, Bluefield College, Campbellsville University, Carson-Newman College, Cumberland College, Davis & Elkins College, Emory & Henry College, Ferrum College, Pikeville College, Tusculum College, and Wheeling Jesuit University. Student evaluations and interviews for this program have been outstanding. Students repeatedly express how this has been a “life changing” experience. One participant said that the scholarship “not only changed my life but the lives of those around me.” Students also express appreciation for the financial support, which provided them an opportunity they otherwise would have been unable to afford. As one person said, “before now it was financially impossible for me to go overseas…thank you for making it possible for me to see the world.” International Study Seminars The International Study Seminars are designed to provide short-term (two to three weeks) international experiences for students and faculty. Seven programs were planned and implemented this year. United Kingdom and the Netherlands Seminar In May 2003 fifteen participants (ten students and five faculty members) spent two weeks in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Participants were from Berea College, Bluefield College, Union College, Warren Wilson College and West Virginia Wesleyan College. The trip was designed to provide American faculty and students the opportunity to study the education of students with disabilities in England and the Netherlands and to compare the three countries regarding the placement, identification and education of these students. The group visited public schools in both England and the Netherlands. Students kept daily journals of their observations and experiences and wrote a comparison paper at the conclusion of the trip. The evaluations were glowing. One of the faculty participants, in writing about the students, said, “You would have been pleased to see the ways they helped each other make sense of the new cities and new cultures. I was enormously proud of how well they handled themselves in the different schools…our travelers showed nothing but grace and good manners under pressure. And I am confident they have a whole new appreciation for what it means to be fluent in other languages.” Vietnam Seminar In May 2003, twenty-one participants (fourteen students and seven faculty members) spent two weeks in Vietnam. Participants were from Bethany College, Warren Wilson College and Wheeling Jesuit University. The trip was designed to give students a better understanding of traditional Vietnamese culture—religion, art, and politics; the problems and possibilities faced by developing nations in an increasingly interconnected, competitive global environment; and the relationship between the United States and Vietnam over the past fifty years. Extensive preparatory work was done prior to the trip, including a colloquium at Wheeling Jesuit University about Vietnam. A Vietnam veteran and author spoke at this colloquium and students were required to read his memoir, If I Die in a Combat Zone. The group visited Hanoi, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). There were lectures by both Vietnamese and American speakers, tours of historic sties, museums and artistic performances. The impact upon the students was profound. One student wrote that during his visit to Vietnam he was “confronted with experiences and exposed to cultures that were both surprising and enlightening. Having strong interest in foreign culture, this new world that unfolded before me was exactly what I was hoping for…I felt that my horizons were broadened and my mind had taken a step back to gain a new perception on all things…I was face to face with things that I had only read about or thought about in the past.” United Kingdom Seminar In May 2003, twelve participants (eight students and four faculty members) spent two weeks in the United Kingdom. Participants were from Emory & Henry College, Ferrum College, King College, and Virginia Intermont College. The trip was designed to expose students to the study of art and art history in England. The group traveled to Lincoln, York, Edinburgh, Stamford, Nottingham, Grantham and London. Visits to art museums, galleries, and other cultural and artistic venues were highlights of the trip. The coordinator of the seminar created a website for all participants which showed them beforehand where they were going and what they would be seeing. The trip was well received by all participants. One student said, “I’m not sure how to say thank you for my first amazing adventure overseas and first glimpse into everything that the world has to offer. The opportunity to go to England and Scotland completely expense-paid was unbelievable…I have had enough part-time jobs to understand the value of a dollar, and I realize the funding for this amazing experience came from someone else’s hard work. So, as best as I can, I would like to say thank you.” Spain Seminar In July 2003, eighteen participants (twelve students and six faculty members) spent two weeks in Spain. Participants were from Carson-Newman College, Emory & Henry College, and Tennessee Wesleyan College. The trip was designed to give students and faculty the opportunity to study issues of health and wellness in Spanish society. The trip allowed the participants to venture beyond the walls of their classrooms and borders of their own country to observe and reflect upon another society and to assess critically the role of culture on shaping national health. The group traveled to five major Spanish cities: Madrid, Seville, Barcelona, Granada, and Cordoba. The format for the seminar was morning lectures followed by visits to cultural sites in the afternoon. The participants also had the opportunity of living with Spanish families in Seville. Student evaluations were very positive. For example, “This has truly been the trip of a lifetime…I have always dreamed of traveling to Spain and this grant has made my dream come true.” Another student summed up her experience by saying, “The best thing about this trip has been staying with a host family. The two sisters I stayed with were warm, caring people…they had a good sense of humor and really seemed to enjoy being with me. With so much happening in this world today it is reassuring to know that, if people work at it, we all are more alike than we are different.” Malawi, Africa Seminar In August 2003, twelve participants (eight students and four faculty members) spent three weeks in Malawi, Africa. Participants were from Ferrum College, Montreat College, and Union College. This trip was designed to take the lessons learned and scientific methods developed from the Research Opportunities and Collaboration in the Appalachians (ROCA) and Collaboration through Appalachian Watershed Studies (CAWS) projects to the nation of Malawi. Students assisted Bunda College of Agriculture in establishing a watershed study project, hiked Mount Mulanje at the Likhubula Forest Lodge, visited Liwonde National Park to see the effects of tourism on the environment, and visited the islands in Lake Malawi viewing the collection of Cichlid aquarium fish. Students also had the opportunity to tour a missionary hospital and meet missionaries working on AIDS and development issues. Student evaluations contained comments like: “It’s not television; there are problems here but things don’t seem hopeless.” “I was never outside the United States before. America won’t seem the same.” “I’m thinking of the Peace Corps after graduate school now.” “The trip to Malawi was a very memorable time in my life. I will never forget my experience in a third-world country. This trip changed the way I see the rest of the world. I have been exposed to our country all my life, and now I have seen other aspects of the world.” “Malawi is a very poor country, but it is the ‘warm heart of Africa.’ Many of the people were sick with diseases, but they were still willing to go out of their way to help you out. The people are what make Malawi great. Their kind-heartedness, and willingness to give rather than to receive makes them special.” One of the faculty members summed up his experience by saying, “So why is there such an advantage to studying in the third world with the ACA Berger Foundation Grant? First, it is unlikely that any of the students or faculty would have had the resources without the grant. Then, it is also doubtful that students of three colleges would have the opportunity to study together. In addition, the mixing of social and biological science students in one class is very rare. Because this course was purposeful in trying to understand a specific problem, i.e. watersheds, it helped to better focus our energies. Thus we became better listeners. Few classes these students have taken will match the breadth of learning that took place in this session. Finally, the unique opportunity for faculty of different colleges to spend time together is such a high value that you cannot measure it in terms of a course.” In addition to the five international seminars just described, a trip was made with just faculty participants. The commencement of the international travel programs quickly identified a problem: that many of the faculty at the 34 ACA colleges and universities had never had the opportunity for overseas travel themselves. It was difficult for them to encourage their students to participate in travel opportunities when they lacked that experience. Accordingly, with the consent of the foundation, a seminar was funded for faculty participants. It was a resounding success and there is a strong demand to continue to offer this type of program. ACA Faculty Development Seminar in Mexico In July 2003, twenty participants spent two weeks in Mexico. Participants
were from Bethany College, Berea College, Brevard College, Bryan College,
Cumberland College, Davis & Elkins College, Emory & Henry College,
Ohio Valley College, Pikeville College, Tennessee Wesleyan College, Virginia
Intermont College, Warren Wilson College and West Virginia Wesleyan College.
The trip was designed to provide two weeks of intensive study of “The
Art, Architecture and Culture of Mexico.” The program included focused
classroom seminar study with Mexican experts in the field, as well as
many excursions and onsite visits aimed at illustrating the material read
by participants and discussed in the seminars. This seminar required attendance
at an orientation session held four months before the trip. Extensive
reading was also required of participants. The seminar included stays
in Mexico City and Morelia, as well as trips in and around both cities.
In Morelia, seminar participants stayed in the homes of Mexican families.
Evaluations were outstanding. Comments include the following: “Thank
you for introducing us to the beauty and wonders of Mexico so that we
can share those experiences with students and encourage them to open themselves
up to the good parts of our neighbor’s culture.” “The
information about Michoacan and Mexico City was plentiful and it was great
to travel with other professors from ACA colleges. Also, I learned a great
deal about international programs and philosophies in general.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING HOW TO APPLY FOR A BERGER GRANT, GO TO THIS WEB ADDRESS: <<http://www.acaweb.org/FACULTY_STAFF/BergerGuidelines.htm>>
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