Global learning semester-long programs great learning opportunity for faculty and their families
Kim Chaudoin | 615.966.6494 |
Study abroad programs provide the opportunity for students to have once-in-a-lifetime experiences to engage in and learn about other cultures, to learn about themselves and to make memories that will last a lifetime.
But Lipscomb’s Global Learning Programs aren’t just for students. They also have a profound impact on the professors who accompany these students abroad each semester — and provide a unique opportunity for their families to also have the experience of living in a new culture.
Faculty who lead Lipscomb’s semester-long programs in London, England; Vienna, Austria; Santiago, Chile; and Florence, Italy; not only teach several courses and facilitate other learning activities at those sites but also serve as “house parents” for students. Often, faculty bring their families along and become “family” to the Lipscomb students while studying abroad.
Lee Camp, professor in the College of Bible & Ministry, led a global learning trip to London in summer 2005 and to Santiago in spring 2014. Camp and wife, Laura, took their three sons along both times. While serving in London, the children were: Chandler, 10; David, 8; and Ben, 5. They were ages 18, 16 and 14, respectively, when the Camp family led their second semester-long trip.
Camp said there were challenges of uprooting his family from their routine in Nashville for a semester, such as schooling and some additional costs incurred by living in a major world city.
“But even the challenges are an adventure and wonderful,” said Camp, who taught theology and church history courses as well as “London: City as Text” during his two semesters teaching abroad. “The experiences we had, we will take with us for a lifetime. Among the many benefits of having my family with me in these experiences was the relationships my boys developed with the college students.”
When Bart Liddle left for Florence, Italy, this past fall to lead the semester-long program there, he took with him his wife, Christiana, and their children, Anderson, 15; Bailey Grace, 13; Sterling, 6; and Kendall Faith, 3. He said for his family the hardest part was “getting ready for the trip.”
The Liddles worked with Lipscomb Academy, where the children attend school, to develop a plan for their schooling while abroad so they would stay on track in their classes. They also had to make arrangements for their house and two dogs, and Christiana, who runs a business, had to figure out how to put it on hold while abroad.
“Once we had all that settled, it was pretty easy,” said Liddle, director of graduate business and assistant professor in the College of Business, “well, with the exception of a nine-hour flight with four kids, two of which were six and three!”
Despite some work on the front-end to take care of things on the homefront while in Florence, Liddle said being able to have his family with him for the semester was worth it.
“It was amazing to be able to take my family. I have travelled internationally for business in the past, but this was the first time I had the opportunity to share my experiences with my family,” he said. “It is definitely a semester my kids will never forget. I think my 13-year-old daughter would move to Florence tomorrow if we let her.”
“Having Christiana as my partner in the adventure was one of my favorite things about the trip,” he continued. “It was immensely satisfying to watch her build deep relationships with our students and pour herself into their lives. They loved her and she loved them. It was fun and rewarding to be able to serve our students together as a couple.”
Christiana said she is thankful for the opportunity to be a part of Lipscomb’s program in Florence, and would do it again.
“It is really hard to quantify the experience we had during our time in Florence with the Global Learning Program,” she said. “It was such a great experience on many levels.”
She said it was invaluable to be able to be immersed in a culture and to experience the day-to-day activities that one isn’t able to do while just on vacation as well as to be able to travel and see other cities.
“It was really rewarding to watch the students and my family adjust, overcome and experience so many things together,” said Christiana. “We all grew in a greater knowledge of ourselves, each other and the world around us. This kind of shared experience really brings you closer together, and the 28 students we went with are now considered family as well.”
Liddle said the students became like family to him and the entire Liddle clan.
“The study abroad program lets you build deep, meaningful relationships with your students. Not only are you seeing them in class, but you also are doing life with them day in and day out,” he said. “Our students are now like our extended family. Now that we are back, I love seeing them on campus. Many of them came to see Anderson represent his class at Lipscomb Academy’s Coming Home. Most came to our home to watch the Super Bowl together. They will always be a special group of 28 students to our family.”
Liddle’s children also learned valuable lessons while in Florence.
“It was amazing to be exposed to so many different ideas in the world,” said Anderson Liddle. “One of the biggest lessons I learned is that there is a whole lot more than just us (in the world).”
Bailey Grace Liddle said the experience was not just sightseeing, “we got to experience the culture and learn what it was like to live there.”
“I also learned that we are a lot more alike than different,” she said.
Sterling Liddle said his favorite aspect of living in Italy this fall was the gelato. And what was the biggest lesson Sterling learned? “That gelato comes in many flavors.”
Josh Strahan, assistant professor of Bible, led Lipscomb in London this past fall. Accompanying him were wife, Lauren, and children, Sophi, 7; Maddie, 4; and Josiah, 2.
“The semester offered so many neat bonding moments for the family that are experienced when traveling and exploring new places, foods and cultures together,” said Strahan, who taught a faith and culture course as well as a special topics course on C.S. Lewis while teaching abroad.
He said there were a few challenges with bringing the family with him to London such as smaller living quarters and long international flights.
“But it was definitely worth it,” said Strahan. “I would tell any faculty member who is considering teaching in one of our semester abroad programs that it's a great experience and to go for it... as long as it doesn't prevent me from going back!”
Faculty members — and spouses — Jake and Melanie Morris had the unique opportunity to both teach in the Lipscomb in London program fall semester 2015. Their children, Brett, and Mary Adeline were ages 7 and 9, respectively, at the time.
“We had been dreaming of leading a study abroad program since we started as professors 16 years ago,” said Melanie Morris, assistant professor and clinical director for graduate studies in counseling. “We love to travel and were excited about being able to spend significant time living in a foreign country, not just visiting. We were so excited to be able to introduce travel to our kids.”
Jake Morris, program director of the graduate studies in counseling program and professor of psychology and counseling, said his son and daughter got the ultimate social studies class while living abroad.
“What a great learning opportunity,” he said. “They had the opportunity to see the Parthenon and walk around the Agora in Athens. The kids really enjoyed their time abroad. On some levels, I think they acclimated better than the parents. By the end of the trip, my daughter was correcting me when I went the wrong way on the tube. It was exciting to see them try new foods, meet new people and go to iconic places. We've been home a little over a year and the kids are already asking to go back.”
The Morrises had the opportunity to experience London from a deeper level than of merely a tourist.
“I do feel like with the kids, it forced us to live in London, not just visit and do touristy things, like go from museum to museum all day,” said Melanie. “We found the playgrounds and a YMCA-type place for swimming where we'd see other families and notice how they were doing the same things we'd do at home.”
“We rode the buses so they could see out instead of getting somewhere faster on the Tube but with no sites to see, and we tried to go to the same church as much as possible so the kids could go to a children's Bible class,” she continued. “So I feel like we saw a different side of London than the student or the tourist. We saw what we could do if we lived there.”
David Hardy, assistant professor in the College of Entertainment & the Arts, took his wife, Kenna, and their 10-year-old son, Kyrien, to Vienna as he taught “Faith and Culture,” “Christianity and the Arts” and co-taught “Cross Cultural Experience” in fall 2016. He said it was a great opportunity with memories and lessons that will last a lifetime.
“Our family of three (my wife and our ten year old son), the university students, and our leadership team all experienced Vienna—and much more of Europe—during the Fall semester of 2016, and this experience bonded us together in a way that can never be duplicated,” said Hardy. “The community we experienced with living in the same building, the traveling we enjoyed together, the carved-out worship time we cherished as a group in our common room, the academics that dove-tailed with our travel experiences so we could go deeper with the subject matter... all of these were gifts that we will keep treasured in our hearts the rest of our lives. We lived together, cried together, laughed together, ate together, and experienced powerful, life-changing moments together.”
“Our students are truly amazing and have the most profound and deep thoughts to share,” said Kenna Hardy. “I don't know if every faculty that goes abroad says this, but I do believe we have the best group ever. It just doesn't seem like it could get better than this. It's all such a gift and blessing.”
Teaching abroad also has an impact on the faculty member as they practice their craft in settings thousands of miles away from their traditional classrooms on the Lipscomb campus.
Michael Winegeart, director of Lipscomb’s Global Learning Program, said the experience for faculty can be profound.
“When you teach abroad, it re-awakens why we chose this vocation in the first place. Both students and faculty are on a journey of discovery together,” said Winegeart. “By stepping out of our daily routines and comfort zones, we become more reflective and reliant on the Lord. Teaching abroad expands your worldview and re-energizes your pedagogy through the intimate one-on-one daily interactions with students. Once faculty are exposed to the energy and transparency of the classroom and community abroad, they’ll never want to settle for anything less.”
“I learned a lot more than I expected,” said Strahan. “I had a chance to get to know a small group of students better, which helped me better understand how to communicate and teach them more effectively, and it was simply reenergizing to be gone for a semester.”
Hardy said he would encourage other faculty to consider teaching in one of Lipscomb’s semester-long global learning programs.
“I would strongly recommend to faculty (and students alike) to take the leap of faith toward studying abroad. It can absolutely enrich your life in so many ways,: he said. “Imagine experiencing life from another perspective during a three-month stay in another culture and then add to that the connectivity that comes from being in deep, rich community every day with students who become like family.”
“You will make connections to each other, to a new culture and to God that just aren't possible to fully explain unless you experience it first hand,” Hardy continued. “To say it's a transformative experience is an understatement. It was a highlight of my life and I would go again in a heartbeat.”
Camp said he chose to teach abroad for “at least” three reasons.
“One, the sense of community among students is delightful and beautiful. Regular gatherings for meals, communion, day trips, classes, discussion, coffee—it is collegiate education at its very best,” he explained. “Two, I am able to learn vast amounts of material much more quickly when I see it and experience it. So I love travel, and I love travel oriented toward study and learning. Three, it has been an opportunity for me to give experiences to my family I never could otherwise.”
His advice for faculty contemplating whether or not to be a part of one of these programs?
“Go do it, and do it ASAP,” he said. “Your department will survive without you for a semester. There are few financial perks teaching in Christian higher education, but the perk of travel abroad is undoubtedly one of them, so take advantage of it.”
The Morrises said the experience breathed new life into them professionally.
“Not that I burned out before, but going on this trip helped me fall in love with my subject, students and teaching again,” said Jake Morris. “For me, it was a career rejuvenator. It allowed me the opportunity to step back and reassess how I was teaching, but even more so, how I was living.? I came back a new man —and I lost about 30 pounds!”
“I would encourage faculty to teach abroad if they have the opportunity,” he continued. “I guarantee that it will be one of the most amazing professional opportunities of your career. I don't have a single regret about taking my family abroad and would do it again in a heartbeat.?”
“I came back renewed and even more enthusiastic about incorporating global experiences into the lives of our students and our children,” said Melanie Morris.
“For our family, we have wonderful memories, tales and pictures,” she continued. “Priceless! Our daughter also told us after the fact that the weekly devotionals we had with the students influenced her decision to be baptized this past summer. Our students had amazing faiths and modeled such positive behavior and choices for our kids. We are grateful to them for that.”
Winegeart said it is sometimes difficult to recruit faculty to spend a semester abroad because of responsibilities at home such as aging parents, a spouse’s work commitment or children missing out on school and athletic activities. But he said Lipscomb administrators recognize the benefits of broad internationalization that the campus community receives when faculty return.
“No doubt, each department makes sacrifices to cover the teaching load allocation when full time faculty are selected to go abroad for a semester. But deans and department chairs love the spark and revitalization it provides their departments when returning faculty are re-integrated,” he said.
Winegeart said core curriculum is set for each location as students studying abroad for the semester usually do so in their sophomore year, and that faculty for each location are selected 18 months in advance. Those who are interested in teaching in one of the semester-long programs submit an application, and selections are made in consultation and approval of department chairs, deans and the provost.
While the decision to teach abroad may seem daunting, Winegeart encourages those interested to “talk to any of our returning faculty. You will be encouraged to go for it!”
For faculty who are interested in learning more about teaching opportunities abroad, contact Winegeart at Michael.winegeart [at] lipscomb.edu or click here to access a faculty resource and information page.