BestSemester Magazine - Issue 2, Spring 2008 by Council for Christian Colleges & Universities

BESTSEMESTER The Off-Campus Study Magazine • Spring 2008 • Issue 2

What’s in Your Backpack? Wherever your BestSemester takes you, be prepared for the journey.

On the Path to a Pulitzer

Visit us online at

The Power of Hospitality TODAY’S INDEPENDENT MUSICIAN

| LATIN AMERICAN SOJOURN |

LIVING IN RUSSIA | VOICES FROM THE MIDDLE EAST

Rebecca Henrikson, SSO, Spring ’05

Matthew Gillikin , SSO, Fall 2005

The Oxford Summer Programme (OSP) The Oxford Summer Programme

in the

(OSP) allows you, as an afﬁliate member of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, to do intensive scholarship in this historic seat of learning. Work with world-class academics to hone your skills and delve into the areas that interest you most while you explore the relationship between Christianity and the development of the British Isles. Seminars are given on specialized topics under expert Oxford academics in the areas of history, religious studies, philosophy, English literature, history of art and history of science. The programme is structured for rising college sophomores, juniors, and seniors, graduate and seminary students, non-traditional students, teachers and those enrolled in continuing education programs. To learn more and see a list of seminar options, visit www.BestSemester.com/osp.

“City of Dreaming Spires.” Oxford Summer Programme — June 12-July 12, 2008 Participants earn 6 credits. Full tuition, room and board for 2008 is $4,700. Apply online now at www.BestSemester.com/apply.

The regular application deadline is March 3, 2008. Applicants will learn their acceptance status two weeks following the application deadlines.

BESTSEMESTER

The Off-Campus Study Magazine

BestSemester magazine is published each year in the fall and spring. BestSemester programs are offered by the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU), based in Washington, D.C. BestSemester magazine is mailed to students, faculty, administrators and alumni of the CCCU, and is also available online at www.BestSemester.com. Paul R. Corts, Ph.D. President Nate Mouttet Executive Editor Assistant VP for Marketing & Communications Amber Palmer Lead Editor Assistant Director of CCCU Student Programs Jocelyn C. Green Writer/Managing Editor Ryan Moede Marketing & Communications Manager Kerry Prugh Art Director Richard Harrison Bailey/The Agency Contributing Designer: Elissa Chudzicki, Richard Harrison Bailey/The Agency Contributing Editors: Meg Barrett and Ryan Millbern, Richard Harrison Bailey/The Agency Photos: Cover photo provided by Ryan Moede. With few exceptions, the photos in this edition of BestSemester came from students in the programs. To see more photos, including the winners in our annual competition, visit www.BestSemester.com.

YOUR ITINERARY 7 WHAT’S IN YOUR BACKPACK? Wherever your BestSemester takes you, be prepared for the journey

10 DOING A WORLD OF GOOD IN WASHINGTON, D.C. American Studies Program Allison Croley, LASP, Spring ’06

12 AFTER OXFORD The Scholars’ Semester in Oxford

14 THE POWER OF HOSPITALITY

20 ON THE PATH TO A PULITZER Washington Journalism Center

Australia Studies Centre

22 MUSICIAN, MARKETER, TIME-MANAGEMENT MAESTRO:

16 UGANDA BY THE NUMBERS

TODAY’S INDEPENDENT MUSICIAN

Uganda Studies Program

18 SO…WHAT’S RUSSIA REALLY LIKE? Russian Studies Program

Contemporary Music Center

LATIN AMERICAN SOJOURN Latin American Studies Program

19 VOICES FROM THE MIDDLE EAST Middle East Studies Program

26 READING SCRIPTS, FETCHING COFFEE, MAKING CONNECTIONS Los Angeles Film Studies Center

28 CHINA MATTERS China Studies Program

PLUS

On the cover: Fall 2007 Washington Journalism Students Tracey Wangler, Olivet

4 It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere | 30 Lessons Learned 31 Answers to Your Questions

Nazarene University (IL) and Matt Strayer, Malone College (OH) prepare to board an Amtrak train at Washington D.C.’s Union Station. During their time in the program, students explored Washington D.C. and other nearby locations.

The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) is an international higher education association of intentionally Christian colleges and universities. Founded in 1976 with 38 members, the Council has grown to 105 members in North America and 77 afﬁliate institutions in 24 countries. The CCCU is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonproﬁt organization headquartered on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. CCCU Mission To advance the cause of Christ-centered higher education and to help our institutions transform lives by faithfully relating scholarship and service to biblical truth.

Raelyn Koop, MESP, Spring ’06

Students at the Middle East Studies Program take a short break during their month of travel throughout the region to experience life ﬁrst-hand.

Good to Go

It’s

5:00

It’s 11 a.m. in Washington D.C. At the American Studies Program, you’re busy packing up your notes from the hearing you just attended at the Judiciary Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law. You get your Metro card out of your wallet and get ready to commute from the Senate office building back to your internship on K Street. Then, you’ll turn notes from the briefing into a summary for your supervisor. You can’t believe they trust you enough to be the only person from your office attending this session and you feel responsible for providing the most important information accurately. If you do your job right, what you contribute just might help your organization in its efforts to shape the nation’s response to genocide in Darfur.

Somewhere With 12 BestSemester programs located all over the world, there are innumerable activities happening at any given time. So imagine yourself at the exact same moment in different time zones at the different sites of BestSemester programs.

11:00 am

For students at the Washington Journalism Center, 11 a.m. is when the crunch begins. You usually have your assignment by then, so you’re making calls, trying to do your research in a town full of busy people. So that tick, tick, tick sound you hear is the clock heading toward a 5 p.m. deadline. And if you work in a publication that’s plugged into the World Wide Web, all of that speeds up even more. When’s the deadline? When can you get it done? It’s 11 a.m., but you already know that you may end up eating lunch at your desk. On the really busy days, that’s what journalists do. And you’re one of them.

11:00 am

It’s 8 a.m. in Los Angeles. You slam down your first cup of coffee and head to the shower. You need to be at your internship before 10 and have to allow at least 30 minutes to get through L.A. traffic — not to mention that your internship office is on a studio lot, so you need extra time to clear security. Once you arrive, you know that your first order of business is to make sure the office refrigerator is stocked with Diet Coke — the fuel that really runs L.A. It’s time to get this day at the L.A. Film Studies Center started…

8:00 am

It’s 10 a.m. at the Latin American Studies Program, so you would be thinking of a question for this morning’s conferencia speaker. Through the program’s core seminar — Perspectives on Latin American History and Contemporary Issues — you’re hearing from people throughout the region. Today’s speaker just happens to be a former Costa Rican Presidential candidate and you know that an Economic Ofﬁcer from the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica is on the schedule soon. And while you don’t always agree with these speakers, you appreciate the chance to have direct connections to the people who inﬂuence everyday life in Latin America.

10:00 am

At 11 a.m. at the Contemporary Music Center, you’re in one of two places. If you’re an Executive Track student, today you have a teleconference with Mark Maxwell, a $225.00/hour music attorney who is taking your questions re: the effects of digital music sales on traditional royalties. You know you’ll ask a question — you hope it isn’t dumb. If you’re in the program as an artist, you’re wiping the sweat off your hands and getting ready to play your new song for 20 of your peers — hoping, praying that they like it. As a songwriter, you generate the equivalent of a new paper each week, and the entire room responds, in real-time, honestly and unmercifully. It’s a mix of elation and terror — and you wouldn’t have it any other way.

11:00 am

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At 3 p.m. in Oxford, you have a choice to make. You’ve just ﬁnished a tutorial session and you’re both exhausted and exhilarated. You breathe a sigh of relief but now you must decide — do you attend the university lecture by the most recent Nobel laureate, or do you go back to the Bodleian Library to troll through manuscripts? You take a deep breath and decide that what you really need is a brisk walk around Christ Church Meadow, where you might just catch a glimpse of the college crew teams rowing along the Thames.

3:00 pm

And in Russia, It’s 7 p.m., and that means options. You can catch a movie at the Kino Theatre with your friends from the international ofﬁce at Nizhni Novgorod University. Or, you could spend some quality time at the banya — the traditional Russian steam bath. It’s a Russian experience you never imagined you’d have the courage to try, but one visit with your new friends at the Russian Studies Program, and you were hooked. It’s a great way to relax, enjoy time with friends and soak in the local traditions. If you aren’t up for a visit to the banya, maybe you’d like to head down to the pedestrian street for some tea with friends or a shopping excursion for Khokhloma souvenirs.

7:00 pm

11 p.m. on campus at Xiamen University — your home 11:00 pm It’s during your semester at the China Studies Program. After a long day of ordering fried noodles and stir-fried leafy veggies in Mandarin, interviewing Chinese grad students about the One Child Policy for your Contemporary Society presentation, and heading up to the smoke-ﬁlled “Top One” Internet cafe to Skype your parents, you return to your dorm to shower with a sprayer that washes down the bathroom while you’re at it. You climb into bed and the phone rings. Your Chinese friend Agnes asks, “Do you have time to get some bubble tea?” At 5 p.m. in Cairo, you’re hearing the sunset call to prayer

5:00 pm resounding from minarets all across the city. For Egyptian Muslims it’s a time of prayer, and for students at the Middle East Studies Program, it’s a time full of possibilities. You might be at the MESP villa participating in cultural activities like Palestinian dabka dancing or playing the tabla drum. Or maybe you’re catching a taxi downtown to use the library at the American University Cairo. Or you could be out with friends scouring the local neighborhoods for new coffee shops, stores, or fuul and ta’ammeya (local food favorites) because this is late lunch time and dinner won’t be served for hours yet. 2 a.m. at the Australia Studies Centre. Hopefully, you’re 2:00 am It’s sound asleep at your homestay, though you may still be awake chatting with your roommate or host brother. Maybe you’re in Circular Quay setting up the perfect night shot of the Harbour Bridge for your Photography class portfolio. Perhaps you’re frantically writing a paper for your Indigenous Cultures Identity & History course or placing the ﬁnal touches on a graphic design project because you spent the earlier part of the evening hanging out with homeless people at your service project’s prayer service in King’s Cross. It’s 2 a.m.; you should be sound asleep at your homestay, but after all, you’re only in Sydney once… 6 p.m. When it’s nearing crunch time in Washington, it’s time to let loose in Uganda. At 6 p.m., you are almost back on campus after your service project. Your friends are waiting for you at the ﬁeld just below the mango tree to cheer on your team during one of the football (soccer) games that are a vital part of life at Uganda Christian University. Tonight’s match has students in the business administration concentration (major) trying to regain dominance over the social work students, and you’re rooting for the social work students since you sit by one of them in class. As the match ends and the sun sets, you head to the dining commons for another meal of rice and beans.

6:00 pm

www.BestSemester.com

Spring 2008

These programs are offered exclusively through the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities. Learn more about these intentionally Christ-centered institutions at www.cccu.org.

Ryan Moede

THE CCCU’S BESTSEMESTER OFF-CAMPUS STUDY PROGRAMS SERVE THE FOLLOWING INSTITUTIONS: Members Abilene Christian University Anderson University Asbury College Azusa Paciﬁc University Belhaven College Bethel College (IN) Bethel University Biola University Bluffton University Bryan College California Baptist University Calvin College Campbellsville University Carson-Newman College Cedarville University College of the Ozarks Colorado Christian University Corban College Cornerstone University Covenant College Crichton College Crown College Dallas Baptist University Dordt College East Texas Baptist University Eastern Mennonite University Eastern Nazarene College Eastern University Erskine College Evangel University Fresno Paciﬁc University Geneva College George Fox University Gordon College Goshen College

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Grace College & Seminary Greenville College Hardin-Simmons University Hope International University Houghton College Houston Baptist University Howard Payne University Huntington University Indiana Wesleyan University John Brown University Judson College (AL) Judson College (IL) Kentucky Christian University King College The King’s University College Lee University LeTourneau University Lipscomb University Louisiana College The Master’s College & Seminary Malone College Messiah College MidAmerica Nazarene University Milligan College Mississippi College Missouri Baptist University Montreat College Mount Vernon Nazarene University North Greenville University North Park University Northwest Christian College Northwest University Northwest Nazarene University Northwestern College (IA) Northwestern College (MN)

Nyack College Oklahoma Baptist University Oklahoma Christian University Oklahoma Wesleyan University Olivet Nazarene University Oral Roberts University Palm Beach Atlantic University Point Loma Nazarene University Redeemer University College Roberts Wesleyan College Seattle Paciﬁc University Simpson University Southeastern University Southern Nazarene University Southern Wesleyan University Southwest Baptist University Spring Arbor University Sterling College Tabor College Taylor University Trevecca Nazarene University Trinity Christian College Trinity International University Trinity Western University Union University University of Sioux Falls Vanguard University of Southern California Warner Paciﬁc College Warner Southern College Wayland Baptist University Waynesburg College Westmont College Wheaton College Whitworth University Williams Baptist College

North American Afﬁliate Colleges & Universities: *Does not include seminaries/ graduate only schools

Ambrose University College Andrews University Atlantic Baptist University Baylor University Bethany University – CA Blueﬁeld College Briercrest College Campbell University Central Christian College Charleston Southern University Columbia International University Crestmont College The Criswell College Emmanuel College Franciscan University of Steubenville Johnson Bible College Kuyper College Lancaster Bible College Lincoln Christian College and Seminary Mid-America Christian University Moody Bible Institute Multnomah Bible College North Central University Ohio Valley University Philadelphia Biblical University Prairie Bible Institute Providence College & Seminary Regent University San Diego Christian College Southwestern College Taylor University College & Seminary Toccoa Falls College Tyndale University College & Seminary Valley Forge Christian College Walla Walla University William Jessup University

Feature Story

What’s In Your Backpack?

Now that you’ve shoved a semester’s worth of stuff into one backpack, you’re ready to go on your BestSemester. The next pages will give you ideas of a few more items you’ll want to squeeze in (depending on where you’re going) and some hints of the intangibles you’ll have to make room for on the way home…

Wherever your BestSemester takes you, be prepared for the journey.

Metro card

Umbrella

Water bottle

iPod Chocolates (gifts for your host family)

Laptop

Spring 2008

Feature Story

The basic rule of thumb when packing for your BestSemester is to pack light. You’ll be glad you did.

Seth Waltemyer, USP, Fall ’07

There are a few things, however, you shouldn’t leave home without. Besides the no-brainers (passport, I.D., ATM card, prescription meds, etc.), bring photos of your friends, family and home. The people you meet during your BestSemester will want to know about your life in America. You’ll need a good camera to Aaron Stuvland capture the amazing things that even you won’t believe you’re seeing. (Be sure to bring lots of ﬁlm or extra memory.) Your Bible just might be a constant companion as you seek God’s will during this intense time of your life.

nce you have begun your BestSemester, there are certain items you’ll want to make sure are in your backpack. For example, in Latin America, you’ll want an umbrella and a water bottle. If you’re studying in Oxford, your laptop and jump drive are absolute musts. You’ll be much warmer in Russia if you carry earmuffs, gloves and extra socks with you. In Washington, D.C., you’ll be toting your Metro card and professional shoes wherever you go (you’ll be wearing sneakers for the commute to your internship). No matter where you spend the semester, you’ll also have gifts for your host family with you — and that handy little card with important phone numbers and addresses on it, provided during your orientation to the program.

Cell phone (with LOTS of minutes)

Depending on which program you attend, here are some items you’ll deﬁnitely want to pack.

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Bethany Grossman, ASC, Fall ’05

Erik Dressel, ASP, Fall ’07

American Studies Program I.D. badge for your internship Professional shoes Metro card Washington Post (Style section)

Australia Studies Centre ATM card (Australia is expensive) Medium-sized towel and washcloth Musical instrument (if you need one for your study) Clothes for VERY hot and VERY cold temperatures Photos of your family and friends and inexpensive gifts to share with your host family

China Studies Program

Programmes in Oxford

Crisp $1 or $5 American bills (gifts for your host family) Chinese Chess Set (bought in-country; great for making friends on the train) Stain stick (it’s tough to master chopsticks) Toilet paper (bring your own two-ply. Really. We’re not kidding.)

Wireless Internet card Jump drive/memory stick Umbrella Laptop Polar ﬂeece Scarf iPod (it helps the time pass during bus rides)

Contemporary Music Center

Latin American Studies Program House shoes Umbrella Bus schedule Flashlight Chocolates, favorite recipe, extra photos of your family (gifts for your host family) Water bottle

Los Angeles Film Studies Center Sunglasses Movie ticket stubs Screenplay you are writing (or your friend’s screenplay) Digital camera/camera phone Chocolate croissant

Russian Studies Program Extra socks for slushy weather Earmuffs, scarf and gloves Good book for bus rides in the city The Oxford Russian-English dictionary Brownie mix (to make for your host family) Postcards, ﬂavored tea or coffee (gifts for your host family)

Theresa Ammerman, RSP, Fall ’07

iPod with this week’s free iTunes song already uploaded The latest issue of Rolling Stone Demo tracks of what you’re recording

On your way home, however, the things in your backpack will look a little different. Instead of gifts for your host families, you’ll have souvenirs for yourself and presents for your family and friends. No doubt you’ll have a journal that’s crammed with chronicles of your adventures and reflections of what it all means to you. But the most important things you’ll be taking home won’t fit inside your backpack. You’ll carry back to your campus a much, much broader view of the world, and a better sense of your place in it. You’ll bring home way more confidence in yourself than you ever had before, because you not only survived in a different culture — you thrived in it.

You’ll take back with you a clearer direction of what God has in store for you. You’ll bring home a passion that people around you won’t be able to ignore. You’ll go home with a much greater capacity to understand world events and the cultures that are involved. You’ll take with you tight bonds of friendship that can only come from such an intense shared experience. The friends you make during your BestSemester are the ones you’ll have for the rest of your life.

What’s in your backpack during your semester says a lot about the experience you are having. But what you carry home in your mind, heart and spirit will shape the rest of your life.

Uganda Studies Program

Washington Journalism Center

Sunscreen Polar ﬂeece Shawl or higab (for girls) Queen-sized sheet sewn in half for sleeping in during weekend travel Moist towelettes/hand sanitizer American candy, mug or calendar from hometown (for host family)

Water bottle Sunblock Flashlight Candy and photos from home (for your host family) Floppy disks Fiber, iron and calcium supplements/ nutrition bars Hand sanitizer Stain stick Mosquito repellant with DEET

Press pass Reporter’s notebook and pens iPod Laptop Cell phone (with LOTS of minutes) Metro card Professional shoes

Seth Waltemyer, USP, Fall ’07

Middle East Studies Program

Spring 2008

ASP

WASHINGTON, D.C.: It may be home to the President of the United States, Congress and the Smithsonian Institution, but Washington, D.C. is also well-known and recognized for its pivotal punk rock scene.

American Studies Program

World of Washington, D.C. Good Doing a

Katherine Latos, ASP, Spring ’06

Lisa Liberatore, ASP, Fall ’06

Katie and Darin Johnson Hamlin live in a 1910 rowhouse on Capitol Hill. In the evenings, they stroll past the Capitol building before making dinner together to the tune of Alison Krauss, U2 or, more commonly, National Public Radio. But by day, they take on the world’s problems — or at least some of them. Katie, now a freelance mediator, recently concluded four years at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), where she designed conflict mitigation programs. Her job was to determine how vulnerable a country was to experiencing conflict, and then to examine the effectiveness of existing aid programs. Sometimes she’d conclude that the programs in place needed to be altered, and other times, she’d decide that new programs needed to be created. “It was a fantastic, fulfilling job,” said Katie. “But it required long hours and lots of international travel for two-to-four weeks at a time.” Now Katie is a volunteer for Ten Thousand Villages and mediates for the D.C. Office for Human Rights. Darin is a Latin American specialist for World Vision, responsible for securing and managing U.S. government grants for World Vision programming in Latin America. The grants are often used to deal with issues such as confl ict resolution, youth violence prevention and security sector reform. “Oftentimes, in any type of work, it is difficult to measure one’s effectiveness,” said Darin. “This especially applies to our type of work. It can be difficult or frustrating to work in the details of policymaking, program development or mediation, since sometimes one feels quite distant from those one serves. However, structural change,

BESTSEMESTER.COM

David Lichte, ASP, Spring ’06

at both the policy and programmatic levels, can have an enormous impact, and we try to keep this in mind when discouragement sets in and the will to persevere wanes.” Their American Studies Program (ASP) internships helped shape who the Johnson Hamlins are today, but in radically different ways. Katie’s internship focused on domestic policy making, her interest at the time. But during the course of her semester, she realized domestic work was not her passion, after all. “ASP was instrumental in helping me figure out what I wanted to do professionally and that I wanted to center on issues of confl ict and peacemaking,” Katie said. “ASP teaches the concept of shalom, that peace is more than just a truce with neighbors, but a state of well-being and justice, the way it should be. It’s had a huge influence on my work. I want to repair relationships and to rebuild communities as part of the social fabric, but I also want people to experience the fullness of God’s plan for their lives and communities.” Darin’s internship at the Ethics & Public Policy Center was also very formative. “I loved the intellectual environment,” he said. “The senior fellow I worked with was amazing. He was doing a study of evangelicals and democratization in the developing world. He was a scholar’s scholar and a Christian, and he had a great way of integrating his strong commitment to scholarship with his love for God. I’ve tried to model that in my own life.” Equally significant for the Johnson Hamlins, if not more so, was ASP’s emphasis on vocation and calling, and how they can use that to help realize the Kingdom of God. While their positions and employers may change over the years, Katie and Darin are certain that their calling

“

Lisa Liberatore, ASP, Fall ’06

“

ASP was instrumental in helping me ﬁgure out what I wanted to do professionally and that I wanted to center on issues of conﬂict and peacemaking.

”

David Lichte, ASP, Spring ’06

to build shalom through international development will remain the same. “For us, ASP helped to clarify how we could offer our deepest passions and talents to meet the world’s deepest needs – a Christian witness for justice, economic prosperity and security,” said Katie.

Ryan Moede

Katie Johnson Hamlin is a Messiah College (PA) graduate with a degree in history and economics. Her husband Darin earned his degree in Spanish from Olivet Nazarene University (IL). Both alumni of the American Studies Program, the Johnson Hamlins make Washington, D.C. their home and contribute to the international arenas that make Washington, D.C. a truly international city.

Possibilities in places of power ASP students can now choose between a project on public affairs and a marketplace project. Both projects will examine the same public issues and culminate in field projects assessing those issues in light of biblical principles and Christian responsibility, and both will still include internships. However, public affairs project students will use a set of policy concepts to analyze and evaluate contending approaches, while marketplace project students will analyze the issues by assessing how business and commercial environments shape different perspectives. Students in the project on public affairs conduct research on Topics in National Affairs while marketplace project students do research on Topics in Leadership and Management. Students in both projects join to collaborate on research in Topics in International Affairs & Globalization. In addition, students meet periodically with a professional mentor to reflect further on their internship experience and career aspirations in light of their public affairs and marketplace field research.

The American Studies Program is located in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the semester at www.BestSemester.com/asp.

www.BestSemester.com/asp

Spring 2008

SSO The Scholars’ Semester in Oxford

UNITED KINGDOM: The United Kingdom (or Great Britain, or Britain, or the British Isles) is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Students in The Scholars’ Semester in Oxford (SSO) fully participate in life by exploring the city of Oxford, Britain and even continental Europe. But time at SSO is ﬁrst and foremost time spent studying at the University of Oxford. Building on their scholarly achievements at their home institutions, SSO students come to Oxford to hone their skills; from here, alumni continue to even further academic success and fulﬁllment. Here, eight alumni share where the roads they have taken from Oxford have led.

Mandi Burton, OSP, Summer ’06

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Before You Go… While you’re in Oxford, make sure you also check out these favorites recommended by SSO alumni:

1 2 3 4 5

High Mass at St. Mary Magdalen’s Church Compline (Night Prayer) at Hertford College Guy Fawkes Bonﬁre: An annual bonﬁre around Nov. 5 to celebrate a failed plot to kill the King in 1605. The Bodleian Library and the Radcliffe Camera. The Eagle and Child: This pub was frequented by C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and the Inklings.

6 7 8 9

The Ashmolean Museum of Art and Architecture Christ Church and Cathedral: Buildings and quad are amazing. Christ Church Meadow. When you need a break from city life, hang out in this tranquil pasture in the heart of Oxford. Oxford University Museum of Natural History

Museum of the History of Science

11 12 13 14 15

St. Margret’s Well: This is the ‘treacle well’ from Alice in Wonderland. The Sheldonian Theatre: Whether or not you see a concert here, view the skyline from the tower. Blackwell’s Bookstore Rhodes House: Albert Einstein delivered lectures here in 1931. Punting: Give it a try! Mandi Burton, OSP, Summer ’06

Rebecca Henriksen | Biola University (CA) music and studio art major Rebecca Henriksen’s tutorial on court culture and art in early modern Europe sparked an interest that led her to integrate feminist theory into her art. “I would not have been exposed to these theories and ideas if I had not gone to Oxford that semester,” she said. Today, Henriksen is earning a master’s degree in religion with an emphasis on women, gender and sexuality from Yale Divinity School. Trevor Simmons | Colorado Christian University (CO) history major Trevor Simmons studied modern British history, imperialism and nationalism, and history of science and technology during his two semesters in Oxford. “Oxford provided the resources, faculty expertise, and lectures that allowed me to transform my interests into a serious endeavor,” he said. “In this way it was also a stepping stone to graduate school.” Simmons is now in a Ph.D. program in history at the University of Colorado at Boulder, where he was awarded the prestigious John K. Rice Fellowship speciﬁcally for British historians. Myrna Perez | Westmont College (CA) biology and history major Myrna Perez focused on history while at Oxford. “I attribute the fact that I am in a history of science Ph.D. program largely to my time at Oxford,” she said. “I realized that I love

www.BestSemester.com/SSO

academia, I love historical research and that I wanted to pursue those things wholeheartedly.” Perez has just begun a Ph.D. program at Harvard University.

me realize that I want to specialize in ancient philosophy,” she said. Today, Rodkey is in a Ph.D. program studying Classical Greek and philosophy at Indiana University, Bloomington.

Susan Bilynskyj | Seattle Pacific University (WA) classics and linguistics major Susan Bilynskyj studied the classics in Oxford. She will graduate from SPU in June 2008, and is applying to a two-year second BA program in classics at Cambridge University, as well as doctoral programs in classics at several universities. “In Oxford, I realized that classics (and all academia) should be viewed as a great conversation, and this cemented my plans to continue studies in graduate school,” said Bilynskyj.

Erin Null | Mount Vernon Nazarene University (OH) history major Erin Null studied Irish history and classical Hebrew at Oxford. She will graduate in May 2008 and is applying to graduate schools in both history and theology programs. “Without a doubt, Oxford was a crossroads for me; I ﬂew home from Oxford almost a different person,” she said. “Conversing with my tutor, I was required to read my paper, analyze it, defend it, and be led in directions I hadn’t even dreamed of when I wrote the paper. In Oxford I gained a large measure of the conﬁdence I’d been seeking my whole life.”

Peter Anderson | Dordt College (IA) history major Peter Anderson’s tutorials were in economic history and philosophy of the social sciences. “Through my studies at Oxford, I gained conﬁdence that I could study at a place of higher learning for graduate school,” he said. Anderson is currently working toward a doctorate in economic history at Jesus College, Oxford University. Krista Rodkey | Westmont College (CA) philosophy major Krista Rodkey studied philosophy and English in her Oxford tutorials, which helped to crystallize her academic goals. “I had long loved Aristotle, but my tutorial on issues in the Nicomachean Ethics helped

Christina Kwong | University of Arizona molecular and cellular biology major Christina Kwong studied philosophy of science while at Oxford. She will graduate with her B.S. in spring of 2008 and is in the process of applying to medical schools. “The Oxford experience strengthened my interest in looking at medicine from a more holistic perspective and pursuing a career in public health and medicine,” said Kwong. The Scholars’ Semester in Oxford is located in Oxford, England. Learn more about the semester at www.BestSemester.com/sso.

Spring 2008

ASC

Australia Studies Centre

AUSTRALIA: Unlike the United States and New Zealand, in Australia no treaty agreement has ever been made between the indigenous people and arriving Europeans.

The Power of Hospitality “Because the practice of hospitality is so signiﬁcant in establishing and reinforcing social relationships and moral bonds, we notice its more subversive character only when socially undervalued persons are welcomed. In contrast to a more tame hospitality that welcomes persons already well situated in a community, hospitality that welcomes “the least” and recognizes their equal value can be an act of resistance and deﬁance, a challenge to the values and expectations of the larger community.” Dr. Christine Pohl – Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition

Amanda Kate Gazaway, ASC, Fall ’06

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Rosalyn De Haan, ASC, Fall ’05

Students in the Australia Studies Centre (ASC) earn a semester’s academic credit by studying theology, global justice issues affecting Australia, Indigenous cultures and the arts (the graphic design program is particularly popular). Additionally, they invest 35 hours in one of seven service projects in and around Sydney, where they ﬁnd themselves spending face-to-face time with individuals who are not often recognized by mainstream society. This combination of academics and personal interaction with Sydney’s “invisible people” provides an experiential education that forever changes the students’ perspectives. Here, two alumni from the spring 2007 semester share the beauty of these close encounters in the Land Down Under. University of Notre Dame (IN) student Tyler Langdon worked with Street Level, a Salvation Army soup kitchen and chapel ministry to provide both physical and spiritual nourishment. “After dinner and church service, we [students and Salvation Army staff] would hit the streets of Sydney’s red-light district, King’s Cross, and talk to anyone in need of help. It wasn’t uncommon for a person to approach us asking for help or for prayers on any given night. One night a man divulged to me that he was tempted by the allure of the red-light district, and asked for prayer to resist. Placing my hand on his shoulder, we prayed for several minutes together right there on Sydney’s most well-known drug street.

“I attended many churches throughout Sydney during my semester. The Easter service at St. Mary’s Cathedral in downtown Sydney was one of the most beautiful services I have ever attended. There was a full orchestra, a full choir, and with the sun glowing through the stained-glass windows, it felt like the edge of Heaven. “But while the service at St. Mary’s was one of the most aesthetically stimulating

www.BestSemester.com/asc

Rosalyn De Haan, ASC, Fall ’05

services that I have experienced, Street Level was the most inspiring and spiritually motivating. Gathered for a simple Friday night service were some of Sydney’s poorest and most forgotten. Week after week, they would ﬁll the makeshift chapel with words of praise and thanksgiving. They would ask for prayer and talk about their personal journeys in faith. When they sang, their voices sounded terrible, but their passion was incomparable. Amongst their testimony, their love and their enthusiasm, I found the most beautiful church in Sydney.”

Rosalyn De Haan, ASC, Fall ’05

Serving Sydney

Seattle Pacific University (WA) student Kristin Kirk served at Newtown Mission where she helped cook meals for up to 200 people, and befriended and prayed with and for those who came. “I used to be one of those girls who tensed up every time I walked past a homeless person on the street. I was so worried about working at Newtown Mission. But I got to know so many people there that would have scared me in a different environment;

Tyler and Kristin represent just two of dozens of stories of serving in and around Sydney. Here are the seven service projects currently available for ASC students:

Hillsong Impact Kids: Ministry to inner-city Aboriginal children.

we gave friendship a chance and every single person surprised me.

Newtown Mission: Church-based ministry to the homeless.

Trinity Youth Center: Anglican youth boxing ministry.

Parramatta Mission: Homeless ministry.

Oasis: Salvation Army ministry which includes Street Level soup kitchen and chapel ministry and Street Evangelism at King’s Cross (Sydney’s red-light district).

Dalmar Children: Youth group for at-risk kids.

Street Work: Charity with a wide range of children’s ministries.

“The ﬁrst time I sat down at a table, Jayne was there. Jayne had ratty brown hair, a huge gap in her teeth — and a beautiful smile. She was amazingly friendly. I expected her to talk about how hard her life was, but instead she wanted to know about me. I hadn’t expected people to desire friendship, but they did. It was scary at ﬁrst, learning how to open up to people you had seemingly nothing in common with. But we’d talk about politics, travel, etc. It was fun! “The biggest thing I learned at Newtown was this: we are all the same.

I know that sounds simplistic, but it really is amazing when you fully realize that every single person living on this earth was made in God’s image. We all have our dreams and desires and downfalls — and it took me conversing with a table full of people living completely different lifestyles than me to fully understand this.” The Australia Studies Centre is located in Drummoyne, Australia, just outside of Sydney. Learn more about the semester at www.BestSemester.com/asc.

Spring 2008

USP

Uganda Studies Program

UGANDA: Due to its colonial history, Uganda’s ofﬁcial national language is English, but Ganda or Luganda, Swahili, Arabic and other Niger-Congo and Nilo-Saharan languages are also spoken by its population.

Since it’s almost impossible to put into words what you will experience during a semester at the Uganda Studies Program (USP) here’s what you can expect…in numbers.

819

Pictures you will take

Really close friends you’ll keep for the rest of your life

Big questions you will bring home to America

40 Students in USP per semester, on average

Scott Clark, USP, Fall ’06

4 3 78 7

Moment you will realize that ‘wealth’ does not only apply to materials

Dana Hendrickson, USP, Fall ’04

Caitlin Whitesel, USP, Spring ’06

11 9

Cities you will travel to in Uganda and Rwanda

Major life changes that you will integrate into your life once you return to America Ben Raber, USP, Fall ’06

Worship/praise songs you will learn in Swahili and Luganda

Service project locations

Ben Raber, USP, Fall ’06

6,000

Snakes you’ll encounter

Students enrolled at Uganda Christian University (UCU), the host campus of the Uganda Studies Program (USP)

Days you’ll spend in Rwanda

Prayers you’ll offer for the people you meet

Scott Clark, USP, Fall ’06

Tim Norton, USP, Spring ’04

Hippos you’ll spot in Queen Elizabeth’s National Park and Game Reserve

countless 16

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• Times you will realize why • Stars you’ll see Uganda is known as a country of hospitality where the visitor is the honored guest

• Children who will want to hold your hand

• Mangos you can buy

“Our [CCCU] vision for USP students is that they would gain a deeper and stronger faith by interacting with people of a different culture.”

Red-tailed and blue monkeys living on Monkey Hill, a ﬁve-minute walk from campus

Times you’ll be served beans and rice each month

Lions you will see in a semester (if you’re lucky) – but don’t count on that!

Tim Norton, USP, Spring ‘04

Amy Reid, USP, Spring ’05

The Bigger Picture These numbers offer just snapshots of what you’ll experience at the Uganda Studies Program. But to help you understand the bigger picture of what USP is all about, we recently caught up with USP director Mark Bartels and former assistant director Cynthia Smedley and asked them to share their vision for the program. Here’s what they said: Caitlin Whitesel, USP, Spring ’06

Scott Clark, USP, Fall ’06

Songs you’ll sing to God alongside your Ugandan peers

Chapel you will help to lead for the Uganda Christian University community worship time (along with others in the Uganda Studies Program)

14 20

Times you realize how few ‘things’ you need to enjoy the simple pleasures of life

Times you will journal and reﬂect on your faith in light of the things you are learning

Ice cubes in your Coke

Scott Clark, USP, Fall ’06

Ben Raber, USP, Fall ’06

Heather Buxman, USP, Fall ’05

Days you will spend living with a local Ugandan family — unless you are in the Intercultural Ministry and Missions Emphasis, in which case it would be 117 days (the entire semester).

116 www.BestSemester.com/usp

Amazing sunsets

Heidi Sykora, USP, Fall ’05

Bartels: “Our vision for USP students is that they would gain a deeper and stronger faith by interacting with people of a different culture. In Uganda that means dealing with issues from which Americans tend to be Mark Bartels insulated: poverty, corruption, injustice, AIDS. The answers that North American evangelicals formulate for these issues prove insufﬁcient and often detrimental when confronted with the realities in East Africa. But many Ugandans themselves know the best ways to approach these issues. Americans can participate in living out the realities of the Kingdom of God (fruits of the spirit, justice for the oppressed, healing for the sick, etc.) in Uganda by following the lead of faithful Ugandans who know much more than we do about Uganda, the problems, and, often, the Kingdom of God.” Smedley: “The Uganda Studies Program seeks to serve the University community and the local community by assuming the stance of a learner. It is easy to adopt a narrow view of physical poverty when approaching a Cynthia developing country; however, Smedley Uganda possesses great spiritual and social richness. The focus of our discussions and learning together is how to fully embrace and understand this contrast. Our goal is to walk beside students as they gain better understanding of the global church and our brothers and sisters in Uganda.” The Uganda Studies Program is located in Mukono, Uganda. Learn more about the semester at www.BestSemester.com/usp. Spring 2008

RSP

RUSSIA: In 2014, Russia will host the Winter Olympics for the ﬁrst time. In 1980, Russia, then the U.S.S.R., hosted the Summer Olympic Games, which the United States boycotted over the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Russian Studies Program

Northwest Nazarene University (ID) graduate Aaron Stuvland levels about his experience in the Russian Studies Program.

So...What’s

Russia Really Like?

Aaron Stuvland decided on the Russian Studies Program (RSP) not because of what he knew about Russia, but rather, what he didn’t know. “Russia loomed as the mysterious, little understood behemoth of a country, ﬁguring prominently in the continent’s history and culture,” he said. “It was this underlying element of the unknown that attracted me to Russia.”

Here’s what the Idaho native learned living in Russia’s third largest city, Nizhni Novgorod:

BestSemeter: What is one of your most vivid memories from RSP? Stuvland: My ﬁrst time at a banya, a communal bath house. Three older Russian men noticed that we (other American students and I) were American, and cornered us with a “special treat” involving raw ﬁsh from the Volga River.

BestSemester: How did RSP challenge you academically? Stuvland: The largest challenge for me was the language — both in class and simply getting around. In a short time, I grew accustomed to the necessity of having at least a working knowledge of the language and, more importantly, learning by doing, or at least saying, words and phrases. BestSemester: What struck you about Russian culture? Stuvland: The depth and importance of friendships in Russia. Considerably less emphasis is placed on the individual, as the family, group or community is a much more common point of reference for Russians. I was awestruck by the genuine interest and empathy afforded me and my American compatriots by Russian students. BestSemester: What’s your take on contemporary Russia? Stuvland: To borrow from historian James Billington, Russia is very much a country in “search of itself.” Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia is an increasingly complex arena of ethnic, religious and cultural differences held together by a loose set of conﬂicting ideas and structures. In many respects, Putin’s policies rippling outward from Moscow are partly an attempt to create the preferred order amidst historical chaos — to create a sense of shared Russianness by force of political will. The magnitude and trajectory of this task is commonly lost in translation between Russia and the West. Thus, Russia remains an incredibly important region for study if only for the fact that it remains an enigma in many minds.

The Russian Studies Program is located in Nizhni Novgorod, Russia. Read more about Aaron’s adventures in Russia at www.BestSemester.com/rsp. Jennifer Farthing, RSP, Spring ’04

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www.BestSemester.com/rsp

MESP

EGYPT: Egypt is the most populous country in the Middle East, and Cairo is the largest metropolitan area in Africa.

Middle East Studies Program

Voices

from the

Middle East

Andrew Schwartz, MESP, Spring ’06

Lebanese newsmakers, Egyptian scholars, Israeli religious leaders, Palestinian youth and U.S. Embassy staff. The people you meet throughout the Middle East Studies Program (MESP) are experienced in the arenas of religion, academia, media and politics. They offer sobering perspectives on the many challenges faced by peoples living in a region of crisis. After a MESP lecture, you will often leave with a humble sense of the responsibility that comes with a deeper knowledge of the human condition. “The speakers we heard were essential to processing and understanding not only our time in the Middle East, but also the worldview we came with as North Americans,” says Dena Nicolai of Dordt College (IA), who attended MESP in Spring 2005. “The

topics our speakers discussed were crucial to giving us a basis for comprehending the reality of what we saw when we walked out our door. I felt extremely privileged to engage in conversation with such knowledgeable and well-recognized people.”

Each semester, students hear from 25-30 different speakers. This list represents a sample of past and present lecturers, therefore students should not expect to see all of those listed in any one semester. Travel plans may change due to course alterations and safety concerns.

In Egypt Drs. Chahinda Kareem and Madiha Safty are professors at the American University in Cairo. Rev. Paul Gordon Chandler, Rector of the Anglican Church in Maadi, Cairo, recently authored Pilgrims of Christ on the Muslim Road: Exploring a New Path Between Two Faiths. A widely published scholar, author, and gender activist, Dr. Omaima Abu Bakr writes and speaks on subjects related to Islam and women’s issues. Chief of the Cabinet to the Secretary General of the Arab League, Ustaz Hisham Yusef operates at the center of the League’s most important diplomacy in the Middle East and answers questions regarding regional politics and U.S./Arab relations. Drs. Gamal Abdel Awad and Diaa Rashwan are senior researchers and experts at the Al Ahram Center for Strategic and Political Studies. Hon. Sheik Tantawi is the Grand Sheik and Hon. Abdel Monem Foda is Deputy Principle of the School

for Missions of Al Azhar University, one of the top institutions of learning in the Sunni Muslim world. Islam Online is a Cairo-based Web site disseminating news, information and teachings on Islam and the Muslim world. MESP and IOL youth try to meet for discussion.

In Turkey One of Turkey’s brightest young editorial writers, Mustafa Akyol addresses issues facing contemporary Turkey. His writing can be viewed on his Web site, “The White Path” (www.thewhitepath.com). Dr. Murat Somer, Professor of International Relations and Politics, and the students in the International Relations Club at Istanbul’s Koc University introduce students to concepts of ethnicity, identity and politics in Turkey.

In Syria Abuna Athenasius, head of a monastic order at St. Georges Monastery in the Wadi Nasara area of Syria, answers MESP students’ questions on Orthodox theology and faith.

www.BestSemester.com/mesp

In Jordan Senior researcher at the Center for Strategic Studies (CSS) at the University of Jordan, Dr. Mohammed Al Masri speaks about issues facing Jordan, in particular social demographics and Israel-Palestine dynamics.

In Lebanon Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah is a leading Lebanese Muslim scholar and one of the two most respected Shi’ite authorities in the world. The leader of one of northern Lebanon’s strongest political factions, Dr. Samir Geagea led the Lebanese Forces through the Lebanon War and is involved in sensitive negotiations to form a new ruling coalition. Mazar Mallouhi and his wife Christine founded Al Kalima to publish and distribute books to build

bridges of understanding between Muslims and Christians.

In Israel An Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs ofﬁcer working in public & media relations,Yigal Palmor answers questions on Israeli policies toward regional neighbors. Dr. Nafaz Nazzal is Professor of Middle East History at Al Quds University. Dr. Nazzal is involved in the Palestinian national movement and speaks about Palestinian issues and perspectives. Additionally, MESP meet with Palestinian youth through the university.

Gershom Gorenberg is a noted Jerusalem-based writer who most recently published Accidental Empire, a historical account of the settlement movement after 1967. Rabbi Michael Schwartz, a human rights activist with Rabbis for Human Rights, speaks on Palestinian grievances about the Israeli occupation.

And this is just a taste. To read more about the people you’ll meet along the way, visit www.BestSemester.com/ mespconnections.

Recently appointed Archbishop of the Malkite Church in Israel and well known for his autobiographical book Blood Brothers, Archbishop Elias Chacour answers questions regarding the struggle for peace in a warring land. Claire Thurman, MESP, Spring ’05

Spring 2008

WJC

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Although the city is the nation’s capitol, the citizens of Washington, D.C. have no political representation in Congress.

Washington Journalism Center

San Diego Union Tribune June 12, 2005 Lawmaker’s home sale questioned Cunningham defends deal with defense ﬁrm’s owner

Students come to the Washington Journalism Center (WJC) expecting to learn from reporters, hone their skills, and add some clips to their portfolio. In Kelly Bennett’s case, that included having a small part in a process that led to a Pulitzer Prize.

June 15, 2005 Cunningham’s Realtor a longtime contributor

June 24, 2005 Cunningham says sale ‘showed poor judgment’ June 26, 2005 Fed probes could cripple Cunningham as fundraiser

July 5, 2005 Boat sale by ‘Duke’ made him $400,000 Buyer’s kin were lenders of Cunningham mortgage

July 2, 2005 Agents raid Cunningham home, MZM ofﬁce, yacht Lawmaker’s lawyers: Surprise searches an ‘appalling abuse’

July 17, 2005 Cunningham departure to reverberate in San Diego

July 15, 2005 Congressman’s career buried by blizzard of questions on actions

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August 31, 2005 Cunningham case a view into political pork process

August 20, 2005 Cunningham plans legal defense fund

On the Path to a Pulitzer

Kelly Bennett — Bennett covers the housing and job markets for an online daily newspaper called voiceofsandiego.org (see her newsblog at voiceofsandiego.org/survival/).

July 1, 2005 Cunningham questioned over commercial use of congressional seal

September 17, 2005 House panel OKs Cunningham legal fund

Working in a newsroom is rarely dull. But when Kelly Bennett’s editor at the Copley News Service (CNS) in Washington, D.C. raised questions about fi nancial transactions by former Congressman Randy “Duke” Cunningham, things got even more interesting. Bennett, then a senior at Point Loma Nazarene University (CA), was at CNS for an internship through BestSemester’s Summer Institute of Journalism in 2005, a year before the program expanded into the semester-long Washington Journalism Center. It was another muggy summer day in the nation’s capital when CNS editor Marcus Stern set his reporters, Bennett included, on the trail to sniff out anything awry in Cunningham’s fi nances. “It was so exciting to be with Marc in his office, hearing him share his hunch that there was something amiss in Cunningham’s fi nancial dealings, and then to see the way that hunch turned into a story bigger than even Marc could imagine,” said Bennett. Bennett gathered fi nancial disclosure forms for all of Cunningham’s years of service. “Stern showed me what to look for and I highlighted and Post-it-noted the forms so that he could know exactly what to ask Cunningham (and the contractors he was proved to be associated with) about,” she said. She also gathered quotes from a few think tanks and political analysts. So when “Lawmaker’s home sale questioned” ran in the San Diego Union-Tribune, Kelly Bennett was listed as a contributing reporter. After her internship concluded, she continued to follow the Union-Tribune’s subsequent reporting on Cunningham. “His jail

Sometimes the most significant “happenings in politics and society happen because a journalist is there to scratch her head about it.”

September 23, 2005 Cunningham is allowed to use campaign funds for legal bills

November 30, 2005 Cunningham staff devastated at extent of corruption

December 2, 2005 Some Republicans are dumping donations given by Cunningham

December 16, 2005 Panel faulted over Cunningham probe Democrat wants nonpartisan staff

sentence heightened some excitement I’d felt about being even a small part of reporting that story,” she said. “But in April 2006, when I learned that Marc Stern and Jerry Kammer and CNS and the U-T were being honored with the Pulitzer Prize, I was blown away. “Immersing myself in a newsroom was the tipping point for me deciding to be a journalist,” she said. “Being with a bureau as it sorted through a major investigative story gave me a sense of journalism I’d not seen before: keepers of context for society. Journalists watch trends over time, examine statements in light of previous ones, view the world through a lens of law, precedent and ethics. Sometimes the most significant happenings in politics and society happen because a journalist is there to scratch her head about it.” Today, Bennett covers the housing and job markets for an online daily newspaper called voiceofsandiego.org (see her newsblog at voiceofsandiego.org/survival/). “The housing beat touches everyone — people who own a home, people who’ve lost a home to foreclosure, people who rent, people who are homeless,” said Bennett. “It’s a fascinating beat to be on.” Bennett’s series, “People at Work: A Monthly Look at the Things We Do for Money,” has taken her all over the county to spend a day with tuna taste testers at the Chicken of the Sea corporate offices, an all-night drive-thru worker at Del Taco, a funeral director in the 59th year of his career and a woman who collects and recycles cans on the beach to supplement her Social Security income, among others. “My boss jokes that the people I find have such complex biographies that I must be making some details up,” Bennett said. “I prefer to believe that, given a chance and a safe space in which to tell it, every person in our society has an incredible story. And that’s where journalists come in, to write down what these people have to say and to tell it in a way that speaks to a wider audience.”

WJC students exploring multimedia news Just as journalism isn’t conﬁned to print on dead tree pulp (that would be paper), neither is the Washington Journalism Center. Several WJC internships involve multimedia experiences, including work with weblogs, video and audio. In the past two semesters, several students have been actively involved in helping create a new online edition of The Washington Times. At the Columbus Dispatch Washington Bureau, for instance, Malone College (OH) senior Matt Strayer ﬁled stories for the print and online publications and also compiled broadcast packages which he will use in his sample tapes when he is searching for a job after graduation. He knew this was a multi-platform job and that’s why he wanted it. “Interns aren’t allowed on air, but I’ve gone to several press conferences and covered my stories as though I was the main reporter,” said Strayer. “I’ve done interviews with congressmen and senators, gathered supporting background information, and then turned it over to the main reporter who writes the script and produces the story. It’s been really exciting. I got to experience a new facet with broadcasting.” While in D.C. for WJC, he also produced a broadcast piece which was broadcast from Me-TV (Malone Entertainment Television) back on his home campus. Check it out on YouTube by searching for “Matt Strayer WJC.” “Getting the byline and clips were probably the most important thing to me when I got here,” said Strayer. “But I soon discovered that even more critical is the experience itself: learning how to talk to people, how to present ourselves as professionals, how to come up with story ideas and most of all, how to think like a reporter. WJC students are seeing what we’re made of, and what God has made us to be while we’re here. That’s more valuable than any story we could write.”

The Washington Journalism Center is located in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the semester at www.BestSemester.com/wjc.

www.BestSemester.com/wjc

Spring 2008

MARTHA’S VINEYARD, MA: There are no bridges connecting the mainland to Martha’s Vineyard. It can be reached only by ferry or airplane.

Contemporary Music Center

Scott Ayers, CMC, Spring ’06

CMC

a musician made music. Period. Promoting his work was someone else’s job. That was then.

This is now.

A typical day for Contemporary Music Center (CMC) alum and bassist-for-hire Nathan Thomas begins on a tour bus, as he wakes in a new city after a night of traveling. The Montreat College (NC) grad might grab a breakfast burrito, update his MySpace page and answer emails from his friends and fellow musicians in Nashville until his early afternoon sound check. After sound check he usually strikes out on foot to explore the city, all the while calling band managers and texting artists to solidify future show dates and studio sessions. Then of course, he must deliver onstage with SheDaisy, Stephanie Smith or Krystal Meyers (all three of whom he’s ﬁ lling in for on bass this fall and winter). After the show, he might mingle with concert promoters, fans and musicians backstage, handing out business cards and CD samples in an effort to make connections. At the end of the night, with heavy lids, Thomas boards the bus and begins again. Boston-based singer-songwriter and CMC alum Katie Chastain’s days are equally hectic. Chastain, a graduate of Taylor University (IN), wears many hats. To pay the bills, Chastain spends Tuesday through Friday working day jobs as a part-time administrative assistant and as a personal assistant. “In the evenings I try to tackle the administrative tasks of show promotion, marketing, etc.,” she said. “My weekends are devoted to performances and rehearsals with my band.” Warren Pettit

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a. Katie Chastain b. Mark DiCicco c. Nathan Thomas

Building Buzz Asbury College (KY) grad and CMC alumna Amanda Keane is executive assistant for Nettwerk Music Group in Nashville where she works with artists such as Jars of Clay, Josh Rouse, Matt Wertz and Rosie Thomas. She stresses the importance of online communities in establishing and maintaining buzz around artists. “If your fans are talking, you’re in good business. We try to provide them with tools to keep the buzz going, i.e. news updates, contests, free downloads, behind-the-scenes videos, podcasts, text messaging, etc.”

Check out the latest releases from the CMC alumni on MySpace. While you’re at it, why don’t you add them and tell your friends? Nathan Thomas www.myspace.com/nathanthomasbass

A semester at the Contemporary Music Center mirrors this artist 2.0 lifestyle, preparing students to succeed in a frenetic and ever-changing industry.

Mark DiCicco www.myspace.com/markdicicco Phil DuPertuis www.myspace.com/gretelmusic Jill Pickering and Kate Rapier www.myspace.com/jillandkate Katie Chastain www.myspace.com/katiechastain Paul Wright www.myspace.com/paulwright

In order to continue booking shows and remain visible in the rapidly changing industry, Thomas and Chastain — and other independent musicians like them — must spend as much time promoting themselves as they do playing music. In the age of the do-it-yourself independent musician, artists must have it all: killer sound, stage presence, marketing savvy and talent for cultivating fans online to build a following. Fortunately, a semester at the Contemporary Music Center mirrors this artist 2.0 lifestyle, preparing students to succeed in a frenetic and ever-changing industry. Students in CMC’s Artist Track (aspiring recording artists, touring performers, songwriters, session players or engineers) leave the CMC with the experience necessary to record, mix and master their own songs, an essential skill-set for any independent musician attempting to cut a demo on a limited budget. “I was the only bass player at the CMC during my semester, so on any given week I had to learn 15 to 20 songs for the weekly performances, retain them in my head and pull them out later when the artist was ready to track it in the studio,” said Thomas. “After I graduated, I got the call to play bass with SheDaisy during their tour, and I had about 10 hours to learn 17 songs for the next day. Because of my work at the CMC, I felt prepared for that task.” In addition to ﬁ ne-tuning their musical skills, the students in the Artist Track spend countless hours working with students in the Executive Track (aspiring band managers, booking agents and publishers). As a result of this constant interaction, the CMC produces business-savvy artists and artist-friendly executives equipped to thrive in the do-it-yourself independent music scene. The combination of both musical talent and business knowledge has opened doors for CMC graduate and songwriter Mark DiCicco. Since graduating in 2005 from Oral Roberts University (OK), DiCicco has worked with legendary producer Charlie Peacock on a variety of projects — including the new Switchfoot recordings — gained

www.BestSemester.com/cmc

Warren Pettit

experience in new media marketing at EMI/Re: Think and managed to write, record and release an EP titled Still on the Run. “I feel that the CMC opened my eyes to how big the music industry actually is, and how many different things you can do to make money in the industry,” said DiCicco. “I’ve been fortunate enough to use my work experiences to further my knowledge Scott Ayers, CMC, Spring ’06 of the industry.” Because of their training at the CMC — where they were required to design MySpace and Facebook pages, Web sites and electronic press kits — DiCicco, Thomas and Chastain understand the value of creating online communities and electronic resources in order to promote their music. “I use my MySpace to give people a concrete form of reference for my work,” Thomas said. “That way, they can check it out for themselves.” Even with all the right online promotional tools, there is still no substitute for personal interaction. “Handshakes, smiles and business cards are my best promotional tools,” said Thomas. “There’s nothing better than personal connection between people.” Contemporary Music Center is located in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. Learn more about the semester at www.BestSemester.com/cmc.

Spring 2008

LASP

Latin American Studies Program

COSTA RICA: Costa Rica makes up only about 0.1% of the world’s land mass, but contains nearly 5% of the world’s species biodiversity.

Latin American Sojourn

Cuba

As a student of the Latin American Studies Program (LASP), you’ll be based in San José, Costa Rica, but your semester will take you all over the map. Here, we’ll help you plot your course through Latin America.

Guatemala Nicaragua

Who Goes Where? Where you go while in Latin America depends, in part, on your concentration. Choose from Latin American Studies (offered both fall and spring semesters), Advanced Language & Literature (offered both fall and spring semesters), Environmental Science & Sustainable Development (offered in the spring), or International Business Concentration (offered in the fall). All LASP students begin their semester with a few weeks in San José, Costa Rica before embarking on the ﬁrst Central American trip for 10-12 days (normally this is to Nicaragua). After this, you’ll split into your concentration groups for ﬁve weeks. The Language & Literature students travel to Panama during this time. Latin American Studies students have gone to Cuba in the past. International Business Concentration students have traveled to Guatemala. After the concentrations conclude, all students reunite for a reentry workshop in Miami. Each semester’s travel itinerary is subject to change.

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Yuri Semenyuk, LASP, Spring ’04

Costa Rica Panama

Jenna Reeves, LASP, Fall ’06

CUBA: For students in the Latin American Studies Concentration

Molly Wright, LASP, Spring ’02

Sarah Wineland, LASP, Spring ’05

(From left to right) “In Cuba, I not only learned about the Cuban Revolution, but I was given the privilege to understand why and how it took place, as well as see its effects. Through the eyes and voices of the Cuban people, I finally began to glimpse Agape love,” said Kyla Cofer of John Brown University (AR). •“I remember making hand-made books and listening to my new friends talk about philosophy,” said Cofer. “They have so many more thoughts and dreams to offer than I ever could imagine for myself. The great thing is that they pursue those thoughts and dreams in a creative, remarkable way. Why is it that these things are so hard for me to find? I remember that in Cuba was the first time I began to understand art. One of my LASP friends explained the painting to me in the art show we saw. It showed people, only with blank faces. I still think about how I sometimes see what people do and not who they are.”

GUATEMALA: For students in the International Business Concentration Antigua is known for the “Semana Santa” or “The Holy Week” right before Easter. Huge processions pass through the streets telling the story of what happened 2,000 years ago. People sacriﬁced much time and energy in preparation for this big event. Yuri Semenyuk, LASP, Spring ’04

Allison Croley, LASP, Spring ’06

Yuri Semenyuk, LASP, Spring ’04

(From left to right) Guatemala is full of fascinating architecture built by the early settlers. At many locations, such as in this city of Antigua, only remnants remain after earthquakes changed the course of human history. • These sisters live in a city near Lake Atitlan where a local Catholic parish has been working in a coffee community, building houses and providing jobs for the coffee workers and their families. • This gentleman was decorating the street by making an “alfombra” or a “carpet” out of colored saw dust. Some would spend hours and hours doing meticulous work to decorate the carpets — sometimes working through the night — only for the procession to pass over it and destroy it. Once that happened, another carpet was built to replace that.

NICARAGUA: For all students In Nicaragua, you’ll meet some of the kindest people on the planet. You’ll also visit several historical sites including “El Parque de la Paz” or “Peace Park.” At the end of the bitter civil war, the Nicaraguans laid down their weapons and set them in cement, as a sign of peace and the end of war.

COSTA RICA: For all students

Allison Croley, LASP, Spring ’06

Yuri Semenyuk, LASP, Spring ’04

Allison Croley, LASP, Spring ’06

Sarah Schirripa, LASP Spring ’07

Yuri Semenyuk, LASP, Spring ’04

Living in Costa Rica, all LASP students experience the beauty of a natural environment and culture that is breath-taking. Additionally, students who study in the Environmental Science concentration (one of four concentrations offered within LASP) have a chance to explore some of the world’s most diverse places. Your adventures will take you through mountains and valleys, to cloud and rain forests. (From left to right) • Your host-parents will most likely take you shopping with them in the market, where booths are piled high with colorful, exotic fruits and vegetables. • Learn about the journey of a banana…from a ﬁeld in Costa Rica to your breakfast cereal in the United States. • If you’re a biology buff, you may have seen poison-dart frogs on the Nature Channel. In Costa Rica, you can hold one in your hand. • This is Osa Peninsula, on the Southwestern part of Costa Rica, where no roads or electric poles disturb the environment. It’s home to some of the most fascinating birds and other wildlife. • The entire class visits an iguana farm in Costa Rica. The BriBri indigenous community designed this farm to repopulate the Caribbean coast with iguanas. The BriBri people use iguanas for human consumption, medicinal purposes, and the creation of arts and crafts (with iguana skin).

PANAMA: For students in the Advanced Language and Literature Concentration (From left to right) Kuna Indian women dressed up LASP students in the traditional dress, molas. L-R: Allison Croley, Montreat College (NC); Ashley Orlando, Taylor University (IN); Julie Benson, Taylor University (IN); Megan Bauhof, Spring Arbor University (MI); Bethany Musser, Eastern University (PA). Front- Bekah McCoy, Olivet Nazarene University (IL). • A Kuna Indian woman in Panama.

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The Latin American Studies Program is based in San Jose, Costa Rica. Learn more about the semester at www.BestSemester.com/lasp.

Spring 2008

Los Angeles Film Studies Center

LOS ANGELES, CA: Los Angeles is the second largest city in the country, with 3,849,378 citizens. The Greater Los Angeles Area has a population of over 17 million people.

Jenna Reeves, LASP, Fall ’06

LAFSC

“Don’t touch the Pelligrino bottled water, OK? That’s just for the producers.”

Reading Scripts, Fetching Coffee, Making Connections: The Invaluable LAFSC Internship Experience “Don’t touch the Pelligrino bottled water, OK? That’s just for the producers,” said the office manager at the Tollin/Robbins Production Company. The year was 1998, and James Duke, then a student at Union University (TN), was learning the ropes as an intern there while spending the spring semester in Hollywood with the Los Angeles Film Studies Center (LAFSC). During his internship, he fi led, took out the trash, brought his superiors coffee, even helped with the laundry. He also was on set for several Nickelodeon television shows as a director’s assistant. Duke had never worked harder. He was having the time of his life. Now fast forward to the present. Today, Duke is a fi lm producer who has worked on projects such as Pop Star and The Least of These, starring Isaiah Washington. Duke does not embody the stereotypical fast-talking, bullhornbellowing Hollywood producer. In fact, he’s quite the opposite. “To make real dents in this town, you have to be different,”

Duke says. “It’s normal to yell at people here, to step on people on your way up the ladder. It’s abnormal to try and lead the way Christ lead, which is by serving, going the extra mile to let people know how appreciative you are of them and their talent. Humility goes a long way.”

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Duke’s story has been echoed by dozens of other Los Angeles Film Studies Center alumni who started their careers playing the part of the ever-present gopher during the LAFSC internship. But they wouldn’t trade it for anything. “Internships are how most people get their start in the entertainment business,” said Sunday Boling, who was a student

at Bryan College (TN) while at LAFSC. “It’s a way to network and show off your passion and willingness to work long and hard, which is what this industry requires.” Since her LAFSC internship at 20th Century Fox Feature Casting, Boling has served as a casting director on more than 30 ﬁlms, including the recently released Waitress starring Keri Russell. The good news is, in addition to the secretarial duties and Devil-Wears-Prada-style errand runs, students at the Los Angeles Film Studies Center make meaningful contributions to the selection, development, production and promotion of major feature ﬁ lms, depending on their internship placement. Greg Wilson, a 2004 graduate of Taylor University (IN), works in casting and development for Henderson Productions, the production company of Hollywood icon Garry Marshall (creator of

Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, Los Angeles Film Studies Center Edition In the game Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, the goal is to connect actor Kevin Bacon with any ﬁlm actor or actress in as few steps as possible. See how LAFSC grads made the connection between themselves and the ubiquitous actor. Greg Wilson: “I had a very short role in Georgia Rule as a Mormon boyfriend. I was in that movie with Garrett Hedlund, who was just in Death Sentence with Kevin Bacon.”

Some recent LAFSC student internship sites include:

James Duke: “I just produced a ﬁlm with Isaiah Washington as the star. Isaiah Washington starred in True Crime with Clint Eastwood. Clint Eastwood worked with Kevin Bacon on Mystic River.”

Anonymous Content Dr. Phil Dreamworks Animation

Sunday Boling: “Kevin Bacon starred in The Woodsman with David Alan Grier. I played a press reporter in Bewitched that also starred David Alan Grier. I also cast the ﬁlm Kissing Cousins, in which David Alan Grier plays a supporting role.”

The Ellen Degeneres Show Focus Features Fox Studios Marvel Studios

Kallie Yeoman: “This semester I attended the American Cinematheque Awards; while I was there, I bumped shoulders with several celebs, including Tom Hanks. Tom Hanks and Kevin Bacon co-starred in Apollo 13.”

MTV New Line Post Production Thunder Road Universal Casting Warner Bros. Publicity and Promotions Brian Steele, LAFSC, Fall ‘05

Happy Days and director of films such as Pretty Woman and The Princess Diaries). During his internship, Wilson wrote synopses of scripts that were submitted to Henderson Productions. Kallie Yeoman, a current LAFSC student and biology major at Indiana Wesleyan University (IN), also interns with the American Humane Association’s Film and Television Unit, where she highlights any animal action that takes place in a script. “The action varies from bird sounds to fishing to the appearance of a family pet or a dying animal. I log the information into a computer database and rank the animal activity from mild to intense,” she said. When Yeoman’s not at her desk reading scripts, she accompanies American Humane Association representatives on set and takes copious notes on how animals are treated during shooting. “While on set I watch all of the scenes that include animals and log the activity,” she said. “I make notes of how many takes of a certain scene there are, if the production staff was cooperative and how the animal acted and was treated during the scene. These are all obviously things I could have never done at my home campus.” The personal and professional relationships formed during internships are crucial to students’ success in the film industry, too. “My fi rst four jobs in Hollywood were all a direct result of my

www.BestSemester.com/lafsc

Rozlyn Stanley, LAFSC, Spring ‘06

internship at LAFSC,” said Duke. “Because of the internship, I had a jump on the relational dynamic that is incredibly important in this town.” Boling continues to reap the beneﬁts of the networking connections she made during her time at the LAFSC. After she was hired on as assistant to the vice president of feature casting at Fox, she worked for the company for two years. “During that time I made numerous contacts in the business, which led to me starting my own company with the woman who hired me for the internship in the ﬁrst place,” she said. Wilson, as a result of his internship, was offered a full-time job at Henderson Productions in casting and development. Best of all, in the vast and sometimes lonely Hollywood landscape, LAFSC alumni have each other and the resources of the Center for personal and professional support. “When in need of work, a place to live, a roommate or just about anything else, the alumni resources at LAFSC are tremendous,” said Boling. “I am very grateful for the program, as it made my move to L.A. and my dream of being in the entertainment business a possibility.” For more information about a semester at the Los Angeles Film Studies Center, visit www.BestSemester.com/lafsc. Spring 2008

CSP

China Studies Program

CHINA: There are 108 billionaires in China today. 21.5 million Chinese still live in poverty, on under $90 a year.

China Ch Chin C hina hin h iina in na n a Matters Ma Matt M atttt att a tters ter ters tte ers er e rrs s

TWO CHINA STUDIES PROGRAM ALUMNI DISCUSS CHINA’S IMPORTANCE TO THE REST OF THE WORLD

Students in the China Studies Program (CSP) live, work and study in the context of an emerging world superpower. China is the world’s most populous country and one of the oldest civilizations. And even though it’s half a planet away, what happens in China affects the rest of us in a big way — all you The New York Times 26 Aug. 2007*

have to do is open a newspaper to see how. Your commentators on these pages are China Studies Program alumni Andrew Scruton-Wilson, senior business management major at Taylor University (IN), and Christopher Dodds, senior international business and politics major at

Chris: “Recent studies of air samples in the Western United States show large amounts of pollutants originating from China. This was the ﬁrst direct evidence that China’s environmental problems were directly affecting the United States. ”

Messiah College (PA). Andrew: The China Studies Program is located in Xiamen, China. Learn more about the semester at www.BestSemester. com/csp.

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Chris Dodds

Andrew Scruton-Wilson

“American companies are playing a part in this pollution crisis in China. Many American companies take advantage of China’s less stringent environmental controls; in China, they can push pollution to extremes.”

Chris: “China has played a key role in the North Korea nuclear disarmament negotiations. Through ASEAN and the Six-Party Talks, China looks to increase its role as the East Asian regional leader. While the United States favors its regional ally, Japan, for this role, this does not keep the U.S. from utilizing China’s willingness to cooperate in meeting shared goals such as a nuclear-free North Korea. China has used its favorable relations with North Korea to advance the nuclear disarmament talks that have been stalled for six years and has hosted formal discussions in Beijing between the U.S. and North Korea, along with South Korea, Japan, Russia and China.” Balitimore Sun 27 Oct. 2003

Andrew: “NBA coverage is all over the Chinese news stations. With 1.3 billion people following the NBA in China, it has a huge impact over there. People are getting up at 6 a.m. to play basketball, and courts after school are ﬁlled with basketball. Wearing proper shoes and jerseys is important to the Chinese, and they are widely sold in China (the genuine articles as well as knock-offs).” Florida TODAY and USA TODAY 28 Oct. 2007

Chris: “The Olympics is a point of international pride for the Chinese. Beijing has undergone transformation in an attempt to clean up the city’s image. Many social activists from the United States and elsewhere have used the Olympics to their advantage. The Chinese are so intent on presenting a good face to the international community through these games, they have been more willing to give in to international demands.”

The New York Times 7 Aug. 2007*

Andrew:

PR Newswire 26 Sept. 2007

“The world underestimates how much of a fan base of all the up-and-coming pop culture can be found in China, which is one-sixth of the world’s population. I would predict that more and more concerts will be held by American pop artists in China. The Chinese are beginning to explore the western culture as much as they can under the government controls and censorship.”

Chris: “International recognition of the problems with Chinese exports, along with the growing social awareness of the Chinese middle class, has caused Chinese citizens to question product safety in their own country, where product safety laws are less strict and unevenly enforced. This has created a new market for American producers of product quality testing applications. China’s own quality problems may help to alleviate our growing trade imbalance.”

www.BestSemester.com/csp

The New York Times 16 Aug. 2007* * ©2007 The New York Times All rights reserved. Used by permission and protection by the Copyright Laws of the United States. The printing, copying, redistribution, or retransmission of the Material without express written permission is prohibited.

Spring 2008

Jill Werdel, MESP, Fall ’05

Good to Go

Lessons Learned

American Studies Program, Fall ’99 Nathan Gonzales Vanguard University (CA)

Bethany Musser, LASP, Spring ’06

“The American Studies Program altered the course of my life: I found my wife and my calling. The best advice I can give is to take your internship seriously, but don’t take yourself too seriously.”

“I learned that good stories worth telling abound if you look hard enough. Every interview should lead to three more. Don’t sit around brainstorming ideas — explore your community and talk to everyone. Learn to recognize a good story when you hear one. You will ﬁnd plenty.”

Jill Werdel, MESP, Fall ’05

We asked several alumni to share what they learned from their BestSemester experiences. Here’s what they said:

Summer Institute of Journalism, ’03 Jeremy Weber Wheaton College (IL)

Latin American Studies Program, Spring ’07 Lindsey Gant Olivet Nazarene University (IL)

“As my small Nicaraguan ‘sister’ carried a bucket three times the size of mine on her head, I followed her up the slippery hill in amazement over how little she complained about her struggles, and how much I stressed over my small load of problems. I learned how similar the difficulties of humanity are. The difference is that while North Americans ask for God to relieve them of their burdens, Latin Americans ask for stronger backs.”

The Scholars’ Semester in Oxford, ’06-’07 Laura Carlson Gordon College (MA)

“Memory is inescapable in Oxford. The city, with its weathered buildings, miles of books, daily cadences of bells and rhythmic liturgies, is steeped in it. Remembering the past — recent or remote — gives us identity and humility. In Oxford, I learned that remembering my ‘knittedness’ to the past can ground my outlook as a student and as a Christian.”

Mathew Farber, OSP, Summer ’05

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Preparing for your BestSemester... Who can apply for a BestSemester program? BestSemester programs are “extension campuses” for any student enrolled at a college or university that is willing to grant credit for the off-campus experience. Therefore, any student may apply. However, colleges and universities that are a part of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities have agreed to grant this credit to their students and those students have priority acceptance for BestSemester programs. The CCCU is a higher education association of 182 intentionally Christ-centered institutions around the world. There are now 105 member campuses in North America and all are fully-accredited, comprehensive colleges and universities with curricula rooted in the arts and sciences. In addition, 77 afﬁliate campuses from 24 countries are part of the CCCU. The Council’s mission is to advance the cause of Christ-centered higher education and to help its institutions transform lives by faithfully relating scholarship and service to biblical truth.

Who on campus can help prepare me to study off-campus with BestSemester? Each college or university designates a main contact person on their campus. Every year BestSemester materials and updates are mailed to these appointed persons or to the campus’ chief academic ofﬁcer. In addition, faculty and administrators who request materials receive information on BestSemester programs from the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities. To ﬁnd out who is the main campus contact at your school, e-mail info@bestsemester.com or go to www. BestSemester.com/campuscontactlist. What is the cost? Fees are published online in the costs portion of each program site. If you have questions about fees, please contact your campus contact or the CCCU. Your campus contact can be found at www. BestSemester.com/campuscontactlist. You can contact the CCCU at 202-546-8713 or by e-mailing info@BestSemester.com. Christine Underwood, ASC, Fall ’05

Lisa Block, CSP, Spring ’07

Roger Ginnett , CSP, Spring ‘06

Answers to your important questions.

How is credit granted? Since BestSemester programs are considered “extension campuses” of your college or university, the hours of credit for each program are not granted by the programs, but are recommended by the Council to the home institution. (Usually 16 credits are recommended for each semester program and six credits for the Oxford Summer Programme.) Your home college or university grants the credit. “Transcripts” are sent to the registrar’s ofﬁce at the end of each semester. Credit can usually be applied in a variety of ways — usually a combination of major/minor credit, general education credit and general elective credit. Council recommendations are provided on program Web sites. You are advised in advance of program participation to follow your home campus policies and procedures for determining applicability of program credit. (Usually this is with your academic advisors and/or the registrar.) Most syllabi are available at www.BestSemester.com/syllabi and are usually useful in determining the applicability of credit.

To learn more about a particular BestSemester program, visit www.BestSemester.com or call 202-546-8713.

Do you have questions for the experts your students meet during BestSemester programs? Would you like to share your understanding of a topic or region with other CCCU professors and local experts? Would you like to use your personal photos of far-away places during class lectures? Accomplish these goals through BestSemester program visits, on-site workshops and professional development study tours.

Professional Development Study Tours occur most summers and feature seven to 11 days in-country at program sites. Meet with local leaders in government, business and culture and hear ﬁrst-hand accounts of life in the region. The summer 2008 Professional Development Study Tour will be hosted by the Russian Studies Program. (Learn more at www.BestSemester.com/rspstudytour.)

Three-to-four day Program Visits offer an up-close look at one of our domestic programs. Sit in on a class lecture, meet the program faculty, observe students’ internship sites, and learn from experts in the ﬁelds of government, ﬁlm, music or journalism. In March 2008, the American Studies Program will host a program visit (www.BestSemester.com/aspvisit), and in May 2008, the Contemporary Music Center will offer a workshop on developing a contemporary music curriculum in conjunction with a program visit (www.BestSemester.com/cmcvisit).

Jennifer Farthing, RSP, Spring ’04

Calling all off-campus study advocates!

If you’d like more information about these opportunities, as well as future visits or study tours, please go to www.BestSemester.com/ studytours.

You’re gonna love this. Take one semester to study off campus for a learning experience that will challenge your thinking, broaden your horizons and strengthen your faith.

Culture Shaping

Culture Crossing

Study off-campus but stay in North America while developing knowledge and abilities to understand and shape the culture in which you live.

Study abroad to better understand and engage your place in God’s world. • Australia Studies Centre (Sydney, Australia)

• American Studies Program (Washington, D.C.)

• China Studies Program (Xiamen, PR China)

• Contemporary Music Center (Martha’s Vineyard, MA)

• Latin American Studies Program (San José, Costa Rica)

• Los Angeles Film Studies Center (Los Angeles, CA)

• Middle East Studies Program (Cairo, Egypt)

• Washington Journalism Center (Washington, D.C.)

• Programmes in Oxford (Oxford, England) • Russian Studies Program (Nizhni Novgorod, Russia)

Important Dates

• Uganda Studies Program (Kampala, Uganda)

(Beginning with applications for Spring 2009) Applications for the Fall Semester due April 1. Applications for the Summer Semester due March 1. Applications for the Spring Semester due October 1. Visit your off-campus study coordinator for more information or visit us online at www.BestSemester.com Jana Eberly, ASC, Fall ‘06

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