BestSemester Magazine - Issue 5, Fall 2009 by Council for Christian Colleges & Universities

Live like a Local

Advocacy for ONE

What’s New about New Media?

BestSemester fa l l 0 9 • i ss u e 5

t h e o f f - c a m p u s st u dy m ag a z i n e

C H I N A ST U D I E S P R O G R A M E X P LO R E S

TAKInG Hong Kong UP THE

CALLING Who are you? What are you going to do about it?

Acting in a sustainable fashion p g . 1 7 The mystery of Russian Orthodoxy p g . 3 6

Got Bestsemester? Get the latest news, learn more about each program and apply. www.Bestsemester.com

itinerary

Think Globally ACT HOPEFULLY

Find out how some of the BestSemester programs teach and promote an authentic and lasting sense of sustainability.

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21 UGANDA STUDIES PROGRAM 22 AMERICAN STUDIES PROGRAM 23 LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES PROGRAM 24 AUSTRALIA STUDIES CENTRE 25 Programmes in Oxford

THE CALLING

While it might appear to be a looming idea that is hard to obtain, calling is simply knowing how you want to live your life. BestSemester is centered on this idea and each program focuses on helping students begin to know their calling.

PROGRAMS AND DEPARTMENTS 5 DISPATCH 8 PASSPORT 26 A ROUSING ACT ONE Peter Harmon wrote a script treatment, and before he knew it, he was on his way to Hollywood. Los Angeles Film Studies Center 28 Jumping off new mediA platforms Journalism is going digital and knowing how to use new media is more important than ever. Washington Journalism Center

30 A hands-on approach to China Students get a thorough introduction to all things East Asian in a new class. China Studies Program 32 Lifting the Veil A new program helps students interacting with Muslims, Arab Christians and Israeli Jews understand each other—and each other’s cultures—a bit better. Middle East Studies Program.

34 Plan out your life in vinyl What was meant as a temporary position become the fast track to work in the world’s biggest music label. Contemporary Music Center 36 A Window into Heaven The Russian Orthodox churches are spaces to use all your senses in connecting to God. Russian Studies Program 38 BESTSEMESTER PROGRAMS

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Think local. Act global. When Volunteers return home from making a difference in another country, they bring back real-world skills and experience for their own community.

800.424.8580 www.peacecorps.gov

Life is calling. How far will you go?

DISPATCH Journal it Forward Looking back at an off-campus experience can make you laugh, cry and ask about the meaning all over again. By Mike Plunkett

A while back, I found my journal from the fall of 2000, when I

studied in Oxford, England. Reading the entries took me back to one of the most formative times of my life. I remembered taking the High Street to St. Edmund’s Hall, studying in the deconsecrated church that became the school library. I remembered my weekly routine of stopping at Harvey’s for a baguette and picking up a latte from Coffee Republic on the way to the Oxford Union. My entries transported me to the best reading spot in town; a park bench in South Park, located near my flat on the south side of town. It was the best view of the dreaming spires and the best place to read Victorian literature. In going through my journal, I was intrigued (and maybe a little disconcerted) by the fact that most of my thoughts dealt with religion and relationships. Specifically, I questioned how my faith could be reconciled with my desire to work in journalism and how women were a complete mystery to me. In one entry, I hoped that when I was older (I think older was gauged at 25), these silly issues wouldn’t be an issue anymore. Oh, how naïve of me. Nearly a decade later, I still think about religion and relationships. Life experiences have shaped how I process these great issues, but the topics often stay on the forefront of my mind. During my time in England, I had a fledging sense of what calling meant. As some years have passed and I’ve had a whirlwind of career, relationship and location changes, I’ve come to the realization that calling is never settled and resolved, but simply lived out. However, women are still a mystery, but that’s just true for all men. . . The cover story by Kami Rice provides perspective on calling. It’s a loaded term and often is a scary thing to consider. What is God’s plan for my life? How do I know what career (or careers) to take, whom to marry (or not marry) and where to live (God, please don’t make me live in my hometown forever!)? Calling really is a sense of being; how should I live my life? BestSemester programs take on calling in many ways. Also, going green is all the rage, but once that fad comes and goes with the newest version of the iPhone, how will personal decisions and community development pattern an authentic sense of sustainability? Kendra Langdon Juskus highlights what some of the BestSemester programs are doing with taking on the biblical admonition to be good stewards of God’s creation. Plus, this issue is the place to learn about Russian Orthodox churches, new media, East Asian cuisine, the history of a popular neighborhood in Sydney, Australia, and much more. I am happy to introduce a new look and feel to BestSemester magazine. Thanks to Journey Group (www.journeygroup.com), an awesome publishing company out of Charlottesville, Va., the magazine has new sections and new ways to tell the story of BestSemester. Read the stories and consider what calling looks like for you. Are you looking for a way to hone your skills, experience culture in a new way and expand your life? If so, go to www.bestsemester.com to begin the journey. One more thing: We want to hear from you. Starting in spring 2010, we will run letters to the editor. Got something to say? Email info@bestsemester.com. Letters will be edited for grammar and clarity. Your BestSemester awaits you.

BestSemester 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. To subscribe, please go to www.bestsemester.com. President Paul R. Corts, Ph.D. Executive Editor Vice President for Communications Nate Mouttet Editor Mike Plunkett E d i t o r i a l

B o a r d

Vice President for Student Programs Ken Bussema, Ed. D Campus Relations Manager Elizabeth Hanna Assistant Director for Student Programs Deborah Kim Director, Washington Journalism Center Terry Mattingly Art & Brand Manager Brandon Rush Director, Australia Studies Centre Kimberly Spragg International Student Programs Advisors Aaron Stuvland Sara Tanney Copy Editor Jocelyn Green DESIGN AND P R ODUCTION Creative Director Greg Breeding Art Director Matt Pamer Advertising Manager Amanda Wheatley Production Manager Brad Uhl 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 111 members in North America and 70 affiliate institutions in 23 countries. The CCCU is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. CCCU M i s s i o n 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. BestSemester magazine welcomes advertisements that are in line with the vision of the BestSemester programs and are mindful of the audience of BestSemester. For advertising rates and stipulations, contact the advertising manager at advertising@cccu.org. BestSemester magazine also welcomes manuscript submissions and proposals. Please note that some submissions might not be accepted. For more information or questions, email info@bestsemester.com.

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DISPATCH CONTRIBUTORS

Anna Martin Anna is a senior at Bethel University in Saint Paul, Minn. She is majoring in International Relations and is a Washington Journalism Center fall 2008 alumna, where she interned with TheHill.com.

Kendra Langdon Juskus Kendra, a graduate of Wheaton College and an American Studies Program alumna, is managing editor for Flourish, a Christian environmental stewardship initiative. She writes from Illinois, where she lives with her husband, Ryan.

Matt Woods Matt is the current ssistant at the Australia Studies Centre (ASC) in Sydney. He is an alumnus of the program, having studied at the ASC in the fall of 2007. Matt is originally from Phoenix, Ariz., and he is a graduate of Seattle Pacific University with a degree in journalism.

Elizabeth Wood Elizabeth is a senior at Union University, where she serves as a staff writer and editor for the Cardinal & Cream school newspaper. Elizabeth is an alumna of the WJC in Washington, D.C., where she worked for Baptist Press.

Shanley Knox Shanley grew up in Northern California, and became passionate about journalism in Haiti while writing home about the orphans with whom she was working. She loves traveling, trying new food and drinking really good coffee. She currently lives in Long Beach where she is finishing her journalism degree at Biola University.

Kami L. Rice Since July 2007 Kami (American Studies Program alumna, fall 1997) has been traveling the world as a freelance writer and loving it. She can be found online at www. kamirice.com.

Mimi Wiggins Perreault Mimi lives in downtown Washington, D.C., with her husband Greg. She attended the WJC in the summer of 2004, and graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism in 2005.

THE CCCU’S BESTSEMESTER OFFCAMPUS 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 Bluefield College 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 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 Judson University Kentucky Christian University King College The King’s University College Lee University LeTourneau University Lipscomb University Louisiana College Malone University The Master’s College & Seminary 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 University Northwest Nazarene University Northwest 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 San Diego Christian 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 Toccoa Falls College Trevecca Nazarene University Trinity Christian College Trinity International University Trinity Western University Union University The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor University of Sioux Falls University of the Southwest Vanguard University of Southern California Warner Pacific College Warner University Wayland Baptist University Waynesburg College Westmont College Wheaton College Whitworth University Williams Baptist College

Ambrose University College Atlantic Baptist University Baylor University Bethany University (CA) Briercrest College Campbell University Central Christian College Charleston Southern University Columbia International University Crestmont College Emmanuel College Franciscan University of Steubenville Johnson Bible College Kuyper College Lancaster Bible College Lincoln Christian College & 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 Southwestern College Tyndale University College & Seminary Valley Forge Christian College Walla Walla University William & Catherine Booth College William Jessup University

* Does not include seminaries/graduate-only schools

Sarah Mehler

North American Affiliate Colleges & Universities*

The Rocks is one of Sydney’s liveliest neighborhoods, full of history and conflict. For more, go to page 24.

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passport TO P 5 :

LIVE LIKE A LOCAL No matter where you are in the world, from Los Angeles to Xiamen, China, you want to fit in. Each area has its own unique nuances, but here are some universally applicable guidelines to get around without too many stares and raised eyebrows.

op on the Bus, Gus! » Embrace public H transportation and ask local friends the best route to get to where you want to go.

Buy Local » Avoid the temptation to stick with what’s familiar and try to find the best local specialties, whether it’s at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant or the local open/farmer’s market.

alk like an Egyptian » Whether it’s W maneuvering the chaotic streets of Cairo, looking right-left-right in Oxford or waiting for a walk sign in L.A., pay attention to how the locals do it; you’ll better your chances of making it to the other side if you master this small skill.

Put me in, Coach » Join an intramural fütbol (that’s soccer, for those who don’t know) team or a pick-up game of bocce with classmates on the front lawn. Not the athletic type? Find out what local students do on a Friday night and join them.

4 5

Family Ties » Spend some quality time with your host family or adopt one from a local church; let them show you what life is like on the inside.

BY THE NUMBERS

The number of students who have come through at least one of the BestSemester programs since the creation of the American Studies Program in 1976. (As of July 15, 2009)

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IN THEIR OWN WORDS

PROGrAM TIMELINE BestSemester has served students from CCCU institutions for more than 30 years. More than 9000 students have come through one of the “culture-crossing” and “culture-shaping” programs. While some programs have evolved, such as the Summer Institute of Journalism to WJC and Oxford Honors Programme to SSO, BestSemester has been a constant and steady place for those wanting to go off-campus.

1976- American Studies Program 1986- Latin American Studies Program 1991- Los Angeles Film Studies Center 1991- Oxford Summer Programme 1993- Middle East Studies Program 1994-Russian Studies Program 1995- Summer Institute of Journalism 1998- The Honours Programme in Oxford 1999-China Studies Program 2001- Contemporary Music Center

OFF CAMPUS Q+A Amy Agadoni, Undergraduate Off-Campus & Special Programs Coordinator, Biola University, La Mirada, CALIF. Years in position: 2 1/2 Describe what you do. I process student applications, maintain course equivalencies, create courses and coordinate the registration and billing for all of our students who study abroad. Being the sole person on our campus who makes up the “study abroad office,” I work closely with our faculty program directors, department chairs, academic advising, bursars office, financial aid and our graduation counselors. Each of these partners play an integral role in helping students throughout the application and acceptance process.

2004-Australia Studies Centre

Tell us about your passion for off-campus programs.

2004-Uganda Studies Program

About two weeks before each application deadline I experience a significant influx in responding to e-mails and meeting with students. This is the most exciting time for me in my job because amidst their busy schedules, I see the progress they’re making on their application materials. I eagerly anticipate the day BestSemester sends out the acceptance notification e-mails and I imagine the students I have worked with jumping up and down in excitement in their dorms or calling home to share the news. They’re in for such a great adventure, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it!

2004- Scholars’ Semester in Oxford 2006- Washington Journalism Center

What does BestSemester mean to you?

“My time off-campuS WAS with the Latin American Studies Program in Costa Rica, which included visits to Nicaragua and Cuba. What made the experience so vivid was the time spent with the families that I lived with and the unique opportunities I had to take part in a rich culture.”

BestSemester has a commitment to excellent student programs. BestSemester staff are personable to work with and it is evident they continue to have the students’ best interest in mind. Because of BestSemester, students from all over the globe are brought together to study and live in new environments that challenge them to see the world from a new perspective and to become more confident followers of Christ. It is a joy working alongside BestSemester to make this a reality for so many students. From your campus perspective, what is your best piece of advice to students going off-campus? Ask questions and plan ahead—and take lots of pictures! (And for those students who really want to study abroad but aren’t able to for whatever reason, remember that you have the rest of your life to travel. Save your money and you’ll get there some day!)

—ANNA KINGMAN, LASP ALUMNA, FALL 2007

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passport DID YOU KNOW? New in curriculum In addition to the required Internship (6 credits) and Vocational Leadership courses (3 credits) and the option to enroll in a Mentorship course (1 credit), the American Studies Program begins a new twotrack curriculum in fall 2009: Global Humanitarian Enterprise (GHE) and Public Policy Initiatives (PPI). In spring 2009, the Australia Studies Centre began offering a series of integrative studies elective courses entitled Faith and the Contemporary Artist (3 credits each) as part of a curriculum revision at Wesley Institute. The China Studies Program added a Dimensions of East Asian Culture elective course (3 credits) in spring 2009, which combines the study and practice of visual, physical, medical and culinary arts. In addition to the Artist and Executive tracks, the Contemporary Music Center began a Technical Track in spring 2009, which is comprised of three track-specific courses in addition to the three required courses for all students. Beginning fall 2009, CMC will be on the road performing at a few CCCU campuses each semester as part of the Practicum requirement (3 credits). In spring 2009 the Los Angeles Film Studies Center began offering Hollywood Production Workshop for 4 credits and Theology in Hollywood for 3 credits. In summer 2009 the Oxford Summer Programme enhanced seminars with tutorial sessions in addition to lectures. Beginning fall 2009 the Russian Studies Program emphasizes Russian literature in Russian Literature and History (4 credits), while all students take Russian Language for 6 credit hours. In spring 2009 the Scholars’ Semester in Oxford added an area of concentration to the British Landscape course (4 credits), and in fall 2009 tutorial categories are expanding to include some modern languages, history of art, and musicology in addition to the previous offerings in classics, English, history, philosophy and theology. Beginning fall 2009, the Uganda Studies Program is offering practicum opportunities for all students: Cross Cultural Immersion/Missions for Intercultural Missions and Ministry Emphasis (IMME) students and either a Uganda Studies or a Social Work practicum option for students in the Uganda Studies Emphasis.

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DIRECTORS AND STAFF MESP Director David Holt is on sabbatical this fall 2009 semester. Heather Keaney takes over as interim director for the program. Anthony Chamberlain, LASP director, will be on sabbatical spring 2010. Assistant director Trevor Poag will be acting director during the term. Elizabeth Baigent, assistant director of the Scholars’ Semester in Oxford, will be on sabbatical for the fall 2009 semester. As of August 1, Elizabeth Hanna is the ASP internship coordinator & alumni affairs manager. The CCCU welcomes Danara Schurch as the new campus relations coordinator and Mandi Warren as the student programs coordinator. We send best wishes to Heidi Prillwitz, former administrative assistant and ASC advisor, as she leaves to attend graduate school.

SIGNIFICANT YEARS OF SERVICE At the annual BestSemester directors’ meeting in May 2009, these program directors were recognized for significant years of service: Jerry Herbert (ASP), 28 years; Jay Lundelius (CSP), 10 years; Stan Rosenberg (SCIO), 10 years; Rebecca Ver Straten-McSparran (LAFSC), 5 years. And we wish to thank these program faculty and staff for their significant anniversaries with BestSemester: Elizabeth Baigent (SSO), 5 years; Laura Barnard-Poag (LASP), 5 years; Patrick Duff (LAFSC), 5 years, Simon Lancaster (SSO), 5 years; and Nathan White (LAFSC), 5 years.

wheaton college graduate school doctoral deGrees

Biblical & Theological Studies (Ph.D.) Biblical Theology—Old Testament Biblical Theology—New Testament Historical/Systematic Theology Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) Master oF arts deGrees

Biblical Archaeology Biblical Exegesis Biblical Studies General Theological Studies Historical & Systematic Theology History of Christianity Christian Formation & Ministry Clinical Psychology Counseling Ministries Evangelism & Leadership Intercultural Studies Intercultural Studies & TESOL Teaching—Elementary Teaching—Secondary certiFicates

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Urban Mission

scholarship

servanthood

The graduate programs at Wheaton College offer students a rare combination of academic excellence and practical training in a conservative, evangelical Christian tradition. Committed to the principle that truth is revealed by God through Christ “in whom are hid all treasures of wisdom and knowledge,” Wheaton seeks to relate Christian liberal arts education to the needs of the contemporary society. We are extremely blessed by the extraordinary work of our faculty— top scholars who are dedicated to classroom teaching and the shaping of students’ lives.

w h e ato n g r a d . c o m / / 8 0 0 - 8 8 8 - 0 1 4 1 / / g r a d a d m @ w h e ato n . e d u

THE

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ALLING When it comes to your future, the pressure is on to know what to do, when to do it, and you better have a good reason why you did it. But what’s “it?”

What does God have to do with it? BY Kami L. Rice

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C Calling: Is it a verb or a noun? ¶ A person, place or thing? ¶ The word calling gets thrown around a lot. But what does it really mean? ¶ Beyond training students for myriad vocation and service opportunities, BestSemester programs are designed to help students ask central questions: Who am I? Who is God? And what is it in the world that I’m drawn to and can be involved in? These are questions of calling and the programs encourage students to ask such questions as a lifelong discipline, and to be willing to consider whether previous answers are still best when contexts have changed. ¶ BestSemester’s “culture-shaping” programs contextualize calling’s questions by simultaneously giving students skills in arenas, such as politics and film-making, for which it’s easy to find dissenting opinions about the hows and whys of Christian involvement. ¶ “Culturecrossing” programs guide students through calling’s questions in a foreign context, helping them consider what calling looks like when life’s details are different from what students have always known. ¶ Eventually, all that questioning comes to play in the light of everyday life. What does calling look like when your context is partially determined by your spouse’s calling, when you and your college degree are working retail, or when you encounter naysayers (which may include yourself ) along the way?

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Intrepid reporter meets the mission fields

Heather Surls, a 2008 graduate from The Master’s College, isn’t quite sure how it all fits together: her dream to be on the mission field; her giftedness as a writer; her role of wife and maybe someday of mother. But these questions aren’t new. She was wrestling with them when she headed east in fall 2007 to study at the Washington Journalism Center (WJC). She wasn’t married yet when she was in D.C., but her relationship with her now-husband was serious. She knew that if she married him, missions were going to be in their future. She was excited about that. But there was also this other passion that WJC fed, as did her uber-enjoyable internship with the Religion News Service. In fact, Heather was acknowledged by the Religion Newswriters Association as the top student religion reporter in 2008. “I’ve loved writing for as long as I can remember,” she acknowledged. This fall she and her husband Austin will arrive in Israel for Austin’s studies. It’s already hard for Heather to find time for her own writing, and writing isn’t the only thing she’s passionate about. “I’m not sure where or when it’s going to work out to use that gift,” she said, “but I know God is in control, so I’m not in despair about it.”

It’s not always about a job But doesn’t calling have to do with how you earn a living? Not exactly, explained Ken Bussema, the vice president for student programs for the CCCU. “When talking calling and vocation, BestSemester programs are not looking specifically at ‘job.’ Instead, the programs see calling as something we’re called to be rather than to do,” he said. Bussema explained that the programs intentionally expose students to people who have found their passions and ways for making a difference. This helps students see calling fleshed out and believe that they, too, can make a difference. “That kind of story and imagination cuts across all of our programs,” he said. He stresses that there are different routes, rather than one right route, for students to make that difference. Cultural and economic pressures tell students to finish college knowing exactly what they will do with their lives, immediately launching into some final, fixed version of it. But that approach leaves no allowance for discovering that you were wrong about your original goal or your timing was off.

Minding The Gap from here to Uganda When Annie Carter, an alumna from Olivet Nazarene University, pursued acceptance in the Uganda Studies Program for fall 2007, she simply desired to see more of the world, especially East Africa. Studying off-campus seemed like a good vehicle for that. She wasn’t expecting to reach the end of the semester wanting to return to Uganda. Stateside, she’d been studying corporate communications with a sincere but unclear desire to do something beneficial for other people. But during four months in Uganda she met Ugandans who modeled a pace of life she appreciated, the incorporation of spirituality into life, and a dedication to the lives around them. She was so attracted to what the culture embodied that she wanted to go back to learn more. So she applied and was accepted as one of the program’s interns for the 2008-09 program year. Now, a month after returning to the United States, she’s working full-time at The Gap, which is not what she envisioned doing and has been challenging to accept. “I don’t want to dismiss it, though, because I hope it ends up being formative in some way,” she said. However, “it’s been a chalIt’s OK not to find what lenge to transpose what I loved about you’re looking for my life in Africa into the portions of my life that I have to live now.” Tom Willett, assistant director of the Contemporary Music Center She still hopes her corporate com(CMC), suggests CMC students as a prime example of not taking a linear approach in munications training and her experiunderstand one’s calling. Willett believes that most students come to CMC wondering ence abroad will meet some day but whether they can or should have a career in the music industry. “The ways you can indoesn’t know yet what that will look tegrate faith and creativity are so myriad and sometimes you must get to point B before like. “If it was only about work,” she you see around the corner to point C,” he said. “And often, point C is something you said, “I might be able to rest in just havdidn’t have the ability to imagine earlier.” ing a job right now, but I want to get to For students who find that their original plan isn’t a good fit, Willett said success the point that the disciplines and values often is in clarity. “We feel that it’s another kind of success, that sometimes getting a I was taught and loved abroad penetrate clear signal that, no, this isn’t the right thing is as significant as discovering they’re the not just my work but my whole life.” next U2,” he said.

“BestSemester

programs are not looking specifically at ‘job.’ Instead, the programs see calling as something we’re called to be Rather than do.” — K e n B u s s e m a , vice president for student programs

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Every note guides the journey Union University alumNUS Will Gray, an English major who came to college on a basketball scholarship, headed to CMC his last semester of college in spring 2002. He left knowing that God has called him to creative work. And, he said, “If you are called to do it, you do it.” Now a full-time musician living in L.A., Will is touring, finishing a new record, and working on a documentary film that considers what success is in the music business. He knows from experience that adversity and critics really test a sense of calling. Everyone’s called to do something when things are going well, he noted, but when things start to fall apart it gets fuzzy. “Over the years what’s been defined more acutely in my own life is that it’s about the journey. I’m a professional maker of things. Making is all I can do and all I have control over. I can do that with excellence and sometimes see a glimmer of [response from others],” Will said. Like many entrepreneurs running small businesses, Will usually puts in 15-hour days, spending only 10 percent of his time doing music and the rest doing the administrative part of business. “I’m pretty driven,” he said, “and thought I would reach this goal.” But the goal is 10 years out, and he’s had to find grace for himself as he settles into the long, hard work to get there. “I felt a lot of pressure to figure it out, to make it and be successful right away,” Will said. “But when you settle in, you have a lifelong vision of what you’re doing. You don’t have to sprint.”

“I’m A PROFESSIONAL MAKER OF THINGS. MAKING IS ALL I CAN DO AND ALL I HAVE CONTROL OVER.” — Will Gray, CMC alumnus

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P Philosophers speak of telos and praxis. Telos is a sense of final purpose, which informs and guides a sense of doing, the praxis. ¶ This sense of purpose answers the questions of being. Being encompasses the things Annie’s talking about: how do I live out my life and interact with the people around me? It encompasses Heather’s choices of how to be a wife and mother and live as an American in foreign cultures. It encompasses Will’s determination to do the work and commit to a long-term goal of success. ¶ Talk often focuses on all the doing; yet, all the choices that make up a sense of calling only come together under a strong sense of knowing who you are and what you’re going to do about it. ¶ And it’s here, in a lifelong dedication to God’s design that bids us to participate, that calling flourishes. As it flourishes, we flourish and so do those whom our calling serves.

Think Globally. . . FALL 09 BESTSEMESTER.COM

. . . ACT

HOPEFULLY!

Sustainability is all about the big ideas and the little actions. In policy and practice, everything counts toward creation care and community development. BY Kendra Langdon Juskus I L L U S T R AT I O N S BY N O M O C O

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Environmental sustainability.

Community development. Social entrepreneurship. Smart growth. Local economies. Think globally, act locally. Every day, catchphrases brimful of societal hope and renewal scroll across our awareness like streaming Twitter updates. And with word of each new solution to the world’s problems, we get a little buzz of hope for what could be in this world of brokenness and disarray. But then what? Students embark on BestSemester programs with this question topping off a giant list of queries: Where is God’s hope in a world where more than two million people die annually from a lack of clean water? Or where the United States comprises five percent of the population but produces 30 percent of the waste? Or where 50 species go extinct every day? And, in a world that proposes an overwhelming number of solutions to these tragedies, where does the biblical narrative fit? “Illuminating the connection between human activity and the health of creation is consistent with the behavior of Jesus,” said Trevor Poag, assistant director of the Latin American Studies Program (LASP). “Jesus emphasized so-called ‘right living.’ We aim to model our practice on the

behavior of Jesus, it’s that simple. It should be expected that we live in ways that revere God’s spirit in all of creation.” At the Scholars’ Semester in Oxford and the Oxford Summer Programme, the two BestSemester programs under the Scholarship and Christianity in Oxford (SCIO), encouragement to live gently and compassionately on the earth (purchasing carbon offsets for international travel, using resources sparingly, and learning to “live small” from British culture) is placed alongside wisdom from aid and development workers and seminars like “Creation and Environment.” “We are committed to the vision that God as Creator gave us a place to live,” explained Dr. Stan Rosenberg, director of the SCIO programmes, “and expects us not to abuse and treat it as an entitlement, but to use it wisely and with the good of others in mind.” Across the pond at the Latin American Studies Program, students in the Environmental Science Concentration explore ethereal cloud forests and brilliant coral reefs, where they analyze and work to improve humanity’s influence on these ecosystems. And living in a financially poorer but ecologically rich region ignites a burning desire to figure out what just, holistic living looks like. Kyla Cofer, a graduate of John Brown University who did LASP in the spring of 2004, explained this effect of the program: “Taking the bus each day to class, passing the people on the street and living in communities, along with traveling to farms and cloud forests, it’s impossible not to think that in our everyday, basic lives, we should be conscious of our impact in the ecosystem. One could say LASP revolves around these issues.” Similarly, Uganda Studies Program students, who wake with the sun and collect rain water during their rural home stays, can’t ignore the ways humanity relies on the land—and the ways that wealth often hides or disguises that dependency. “Creation” is often divided into the “human” and the “natural,” but in Uganda it becomes obvious that creation is really a web of cultivation and provision between humans and nature. By living alongside Ugandans, USP students are granted a privileged perspective on the dirt-under-the-fingernails reality of what often seem like abstract environmental concepts. “I think students are often struck by how close they are to many of these things in Uganda as opposed to in the U.S.,” said Mark Bartels, the USP director. “Global warming isn’t about SUVs or hybrids, but about whether the increasingly irregular rains at their rural home stay will come in time to save that season’s crops. Organic food isn’t about a niche grocery store, but about how their host family raises its own chickens and grows its own food. One lesson some students take away is that generally what is sustainable is what is already going on.” Students at the Australia Studies Centre (ASC) spend their semester in a region where drought and scarcity demand real lifestyle changes (no clothes dryers or central

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heating), and where the influence of Aboriginal culture emphasizes the interdependence of lives and land. Australia Studies Centre faculty, staff and students have been progressively adopting sustainable “lifestyle commitments,” starting small in order to make change an achievable—not overwhelming—reality. Starting by using only Fair Trade chocolate, ASC has also eliminated plastic bags and advocates a continual sense of being mindful of how Christians should live sustainable lives. All of these choices are made in light of the Australian environment: a land that is both hostile and fragile, and where indigenous people have much to teach about sustainable lifestyles. “Having discussions while in the Outback puts many of [the students’] standard assumptions about creation into question,” explains ASC Director Kimberly Spragg. “We spend time talking about our theology related to creation. Is it a theology of domination, a theology of stewardship, or a theology of interrelationship? Does creation exist for our use or does it, on its own, bring glory to God? How do we live in the face of the answers we find? We have many good discussions about this sitting out in the open with the wind in our hair and the sun on our faces.” Students of the American Studies Program work out similar questions in the very different environment of marble halls and asphalt streets. In Washington, D.C., when the president affirms green jobs, or when climate change legislation enters Congress, ASP students—at internships ranging from Senate offices and the Natural Resources Defense Council, to Sojourners and local non-profits— launch into translating these issues into policy, corporate procedure and community programs. This year, ASP will introduce a Global Humanitarian Enterprise track, bringing experts into the classroom and students into the field to engage initiatives that maximize the triple-bottom line—profit, planet and people—since the three are always entwined. As each programs’ students wrestle in different ways through the real-life issues that are often abstracted and over-simplified by news media or celebrity campaigns, their personal experiences are grounded in a biblical narrative that challenges them to balance faith and action, despair and hope. “The conversation is truly much larger than ‘sustainability’ or ‘green,’ and many students who complete CCCU off-campus programs ‘get’ this fact,” explained LASP’s Poag. “Sustainability is a concept that reflects a deeper shift in our overall Christian narrative.” Spragg captured this shift as it happens for students in Australia, but also for the global citizens who come out of every BestSemester program: “We do not do this because we think that we can save the world, or maybe even change it! The world is so broken and so fallen that a few people giving up regular chocolate or plastic bags isn’t going to do much. But we believe these things are important because it reminds us that what we do locally has global consequences. The effects of this will hopefully be revolutionary.”

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“The conversation is truly much larger than ‘sustainability’ or ‘green’ and many students who complete CCCU off-campus programs ‘get’ this fact.” T r e v o r

P o ag ,

a s s i s t a n t

d i r e c t o r,

L A S P

You’ve read about how these BestSemester programs are working to promote sustainability. Now look a bit further into the essence of these programs. For more information, go to www.bestsemester.com. 21 UGANDA STUDIES PROGRAM 22 AMERICAN STUDIES PROGRAM 23 LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES PROGRAM 24 AUSTRALIA STUDIES CENTRE 25 PROGRAMMES IN OXFORD

Photo provided by Gwyneth Jones

Jean-Claude (right), a survivor of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, speaks to students in the spring of 2008. He and Speciose (left) talk about a community outside of Kigali, Rwanda for children who were orphaned by the genocide.

Uganda Studies Program

A Sojourn into Humanity In the midst of suffering and injustice in Africa, God might be hard to see. However, God can be found if one looks closer. BY Shanley Knox

After living in Uganda for four months, Joy Asay’s first advice to students looking at the Uganda Studies Program (USP) is this: don’t go if your sole intention is to have a good time. “If you don’t want to grow, don’t go,” Joy, a senior at Biola University, wrote about her trip. “The program does not sugar-coat life there, nor does it expect its students to be tourists. The door is opened for us to live real life next to locals, not romantic, lovethem-from-a-distance life. We get to decide whether to step through the door or not. If we take the plunge, we will laugh, cry, feel stupid, realize mind-blowing things, and see the world a little more like it truly is.” Like many others in USP, Joy looks backs on her time in Africa, and sees a semester that changed the way she views everything. For many students, some of the most important life changes occur during experiential learning, which involves studying with Ugandan students, living with Ugandan host families, spending time with missionaries and Ugandans involved in human services, trips to post-genocide Rwanda and days spent alone in rural home stays. “A big part of the trip for me was visiting post-genocide Rwanda,” Joy said. “I have

never been exposed to such an awful history and so much human suffering. It cuts you deep and makes you ask questions. Human suffering and genocide is no longer some fuzzy concept happening across the world: it happened right across the border of the place you have come to call home. Where was God in all of that? Well, you will have to discover for yourself.” Through classes focusing on cross-

wholly depend on the Great Provider and Comforter, even in worship experiences,” Kaia Hagberg, a junior at Judson University, wrote about learning to worship in Africa. “I’m truly getting a taste of what it’s like to have nothing to call your own but the love of the Father.” Kaia also said that time spent in a rural village taught her about being a minority, and how to identify with those suffering

“I’m truly getting a taste of what it’s like to have nothing to call your own but the love of the Father.” K aia

H agbe r g , U S P

A L U M N A

cultural immersion, faith in action and African history and culture, students in the Uganda Studies Program learn how to take the experiences around them and implement them into their lives, hearts and futures. Many students returning from the program say that their experiences taught them, more than anything, about their own spiritual lives and hearts. “It’s an amazing feeling being stripped from everything I know and learning to

from racial discrimination. She now views racial issues in an entirely new light. Joy, also, said that her time in Uganda changed her perspective on racial and cultural differences. “People are really the same, we’re not so different,” Joy said. “When I came back, I felt more of a bond as humanity in general, not as much like they’re African, I’m American, here’s a rich person, here’s a homeless person, but this is a person.”

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AMERICAN STUDIES PROGRAM

Advocacy for ONE Through internships and new curriculum, students can get a first-hand look at the work of non-governmental organizations. BY Elizabeth Wood

Upon her arrival at the American Studies Program (ASP) in the fall of 2008, Divine Muragijimana faced doubts and fears about her future. It was not until after her internship experience with the ONE Campaign during that semester that Divine discovered her calling to work in policy. “I experienced all the pros and cons of policymaking during my fall semester spent in Washington, D.C.,” Divine said. “No matter what happens in my life, I now know what my calling is and that’s all that matters.” In her role as a liaison between the ONE Campaign and other organizations, Divine gave presentations and worked to advocate an end to extreme poverty in Africa. She said her internship with the ONE Campaign was both humbling and inspirational. Not only was she directly involved in policy work, Divine also gained a better understanding of what it meant to work for a non-governmental organization (NGO). ASP has been placing students in internships with NGOs since its inception in 1976. Beginning this fall, the program’s interaction with the NGO community will take

multinational corporations are looking for opportunities to participate in these development partnerships. Forprofit companies are investing financially in the belief that sustainable markets for their goods and services rely on sustainable environments and stable societies with improving standards of living. “There are major commercial players working with NGOs and philanthropic organizations trying to figure out how they can support projects that serve everyone’s interests,” said Baker. “ASP’s goal is to put our students on the front lines in this cutting edge field of private-public partnerships we see developing here in Washington, D.C. We want today’s college students to have an opportunity to learn first-hand how global actors are designing and managing projects abroad in pursuit of a triple bottom line: economic value, environmental value, and social value.” Through internships with a variety of NGOs, ASP students from both tracks continue to be challenged to study emerging trends like social entrepreneurship through the

“People who work for NGOs love their work. This type of work is not easy, but if you are passionate about it as I am, you will have no problem. It is rewarding in the end.” Di v ine

M u r agi j i m ana

on a new importance when ASP introduces the Global Humanitarian Enterprise (GHE) track. The track—which accompanies ASP’s traditional Public Policy Initiatives track—will attract students with interests in the areas of social causes and campaigns, business management and development, intercultural studies, missions, and social work. The GHE track will allow students to study and partner with organizations that work to address key global developmental issues. “ASP is uniquely positioned to be able to expose students to the important advances being made in how development work is conducted across the globe,” said Peter Baker, the new ASP director. Traditionally, governmental organizations have worked directly with local or international NGOs like Habitat for Humanity or World Vision to address a specific problem abroad. More recently,

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lens of biblical justice and vocation. “The Global Humanitarian Enterprise track represents a major step forward in enhancing the scholarly and experiential parameters of ASP. What remains constant across both tracks, however, is the core DNA of ASP,” Baker said. “Our shared purpose with our campuses is to help equip future leaders with the character, community, and confidence necessary to connect their biblical faith with public life and calling.” Like Divine, students in ASP are encouraged to take advantage of unique internship opportunities comparable to the ONE Campaign. “People who work for NGOs love their work,” Divine said. “This type of work is not easy but if you are passionate about it like I am, you will have no problem. It is rewarding in the end.”

LATIN AMERICA STuDiES PROGRAM

FOR LOVE AND COFFEE Two students learn the value of a coffee bean, Latin American culture and agri-business. BY Kami L. Rice

In the fall of 2008, Anna Wagner, a senior at Greenville College, was the first Latin American Studies Program (LASP) student to live with the Castro family on their coffee farm in San Pedro de Poás, Costa Rica. A semester later when Elisa Tally from Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minn. took her place, the family kept calling her “Anna” at first. During their three-and-ahalf-week stays with the family, Anna and Elisa each fell in love with its members and with the coffee they grow. Both students were newcomers to agriculture in general but loved being immersed in the business of growing things. “Growing coffee has influenced my perspective,” Anna said. “I have never [before] thought so intrinsically about how my coffee is grown. It’s a very beautiful and intentional process.” Because Elisa was with the Castros in March, she accompanied her host dad, Miguel “Pancho” Castro, on business trips, exposing her to an entirely different part of the coffee growing business. She also attended barista classes with one of

her host brothers. Since the family sells their coffee directly to buyers without any brokers in the middle, barista classes are crucial to better understand the needs of buyers to help them grow better coffee. Elisa said the whole business is fascinating, and now she’d like to work at a coffeehouse in order to see the other end of the coffee chain. Anna’s and Elisa’s coffee farm experiences made up the service learning component for each of them during their respective semesters of LASP. All students who choose the Latin American Studies concentration are placed individually with host families around Costa Rica. While there, they work in some kind of project that immerses them completely in Costa Rican culture and that, ideally, is related to their skills and interests. Students in the other LASP concentrations have a similar type of experience during the second half of the semester. “I was really excited to go live with this family because it would be pure Spanish, and I would be away from other gringos [non-Latinos],” Elisa said. “I had some great

conversations with my host mom and dad that really embodied what LASP is all about: using Spanish to build relationships.” Anna loved discovering the connection between agriculture and culture and the way coffee-growing is more than just a business for the Castros. It is also part of who they are as Costa Ricans and as Latinos. “They understood how coffee worked into their lives,” she explained. Coffee is one of Costa Rica’s primary exports, so understanding the dynamics of the Costa Rican coffee culture is important for understanding the country as well as its relationship with North America. Exposure to Costa Rica’s agricultural sector leaves many LASP students willing to pay more for their coffee and other produce now that they know more about what it takes to grow and harvest their food. For Costa Ricans, coffee is a part of their livelihood and their liveliness. It is their beverage and their business, and a conduit of how they interact with each other and build community. Through the Castros, Anna saw that “it is possible for work and life to work together.”

Photo provided by Anna Wagner

At the end of the collection day, Nicaraguan migrant workers bring their collections at “El Sitio” to the main tractor to receive their payments.

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Charlie Balch

George Street, the main thoroughfare of The Rocks, is one of Sydney’s busiest streets. The Rocks, a neighborhood on the northern part of George Street, has been around since the formation of the colony in 1788.

AusTRALIA STUDIES CENTRE

Listen to The Rocks cry out George Street, found in one of Sydney’s historic neighborhoods, tells a tale of revolt, revolution and resiliency. by Matt Woods

Dig in and discover the many layers that lie inside The Rocks. Stand on the hot concrete sidewalks of George Street in the heart of Sydney’s oldest neighbourhood. Listen to the blare of the car horns and the clapping of dress shoes on the pavement, as businessmen and women weave around the strolling visitors looking for a pub. Notice the locals ducking in and out of the maze of winding alleys and staircases. In the shadow of the Harbor Bridge, look across the water of Sydney Cove at the iconic Opera House. Built on top of natural sandstone ledges, The Rocks, less than a tenth of a square mile, is a cultural meeting place where young and old, rich and poor, and native Australian and immigrant walk the same twisting paths. George Street is the entrance to this labyrinth, its busiest thoroughfare, and a popular visiting spot for both tourists and Sydneysiders. “History is all about change, and it began here,” said Dee Ladd-Hudson, owner of The Rocks Walking Tours. Ladd-Hudson notes that the physical changes in The Rocks reflect the social ones. It is easy today to forget that The Rocks looks like it does because of people’s choices; choices that created culture and choices that destroyed

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culture. In its many levels, The Rocks tells the story of Sydney and of Australia. It was in George Street 36 years ago that policemen drove Jack Mundey down the asphalt road out of The Rocks, after carrying him away from the protest on Playfair Street, which fought government plans to demolish the neighborhood’s historic buildings and replace them with skyscrapers. Yet, Mundey’s cause prevailed. Since the protest, revitalization efforts have turned the area into a cleaner, more tourist-friendly destination, while still protecting historic buildings and areas of low-income housing, where many of the neighbourhood’s oldest residents live. Almost 72 years prior to the protest, residents walked the woodblock road to Centennial Park, where they celebrated Australia becoming a nation. This celebration was on the heels of one of the hardest times on the area. Bubonic plague had swept through The Rocks the previous year, giving any resident the opportunity to earn two pence for each rat caught in the quarantined neighborhood. More years of poverty and unemployment were to follow as the area’s buildings and its reputation eroded in the throes of the Depression. Before the first cobblestone of George

Street was laid, the Cadigal people, the area’s Aboriginal residents, stood in the mud of the bush and watched Arthur Phillip and the First Fleet raise the British flag over Tallawoladah (now known as The Rocks) 221 years ago. The sailors, soldiers and convicts of the First Fleet took over the area, which quickly became known for debauchery and thievery. Meanwhile, smallpox would nearly wipe out the Cadigal people, as only three were still alive within three years of the landing. Long before the street was on the map, the Cadigal people put the first human footprints in the land, arriving in the area just as the harbor took its current geological form 6,000 years ago. Cadigal people harvested oysters from the rocks, built spears from the bones of kangaroos (who have since been pushed far out of the area), and fished from canoes with shell hooks and lines of hibiscus bark. They also practiced ceremony at sacred sites, all of which have been lost. Thinking about what is beneath your feet is an important part of understanding the story of Australia. Those who do take the time to consider those who have walked before them begin to understand the depth of Australia’s place in history. As Ladd-Hudson said, “If you don’t stand here, you’ve missed the story.”

Programmes in Oxford

All about the Bard In lectures and city activities, students study about one of the world’s greatest playwrights up close and personal. BY Mimi Wiggins Perreault

While “To be or not to be” might be the question, being a part of Shakespeare’s world provides some answers for fans studying in Oxford. While on the Scholars’ Semester in Oxford and the Oxford Summer Programme, as part of Scholarship and Christianity in Oxford, students have the opportunity to study closely the man, his times, and his works; to visit sites associated with him in Stratford-upon-Avon, the town of his birth; and to see many plays by Shakespeare and his contemporaries in Oxford, Stratford and London. “I decided to pursue my academic interests in Shakespeare because I love him,” said Amanda K. Ruud, a senior at Biola University who came to Oxford in fall 2008. “I am fascinated by the questions he asks, the stories he tells, and the world to which he told it.” Oxford’s world-class libraries give students access to the enormous range of Shakespearean scholarship. One of Shakespeare’s First Folio, thought by some to be the most important of the rare volumes, is sometimes on display. The display coincides with productions by the Globe Theatre in its Old Quadrangle, built during the time that Shakespeare was writing. Learning about Shakespeare and the times in which he wrote is made easier by the structure of the courses offered at Oxford which give ample time for independent research, and opportunities for scholarly conversation in tutorials. “Not only was my tutorial a great time for me to delve individually into Shakespeare’s works on a rigorous

schedule, but it was an incredible opportunity to take the pulse of Shakespeare scholarship today,” Amanda said. To complement studies in the library, students may become involved in student-led productions of Shakespeare or see professional productions at Oxford, Stratford-uponAvon or the Globe Theatre in London, which, like Stratford, is about 90 minutes by bus from Oxford. In Stratford-upon-Avon students can visit five properties associated with the life of Shakespeare and his family. Shakespeare’s birthplace, the New Place/Nash’s House, Hall’s Croft, Shakespeare’s wife Anne Hathaway’s cottage, and his mother Mary Arden’s house all welcome visitors. Alicia Joy Prickett, another Biola student who studied in Oxford in fall 2008, said her visit to Stratford-upon-Avon was the best experience she had while studying in Oxford. Alicia also saw the Royal Shakespeare Company perform Hamlet at Stratford, and gained a better understanding of how theatre differs from literary studies. Her interests in Shakespeare became so great that she decided to become a member of Biola’s Shakespeare Society, and this coming semester will serve as its president. “While I had studied (and thoroughly enjoyed) Shakespeare’s plays in the classroom, Stratford gave me a new appreciation for him as a person,” Alicia said. “Walking through the grand, beautiful church he attended while in Stratford, wandering down the streets while it snowed just a little, and dipping my fingers into the running Avon gave me a context for the greatest writer of the English language.”

“While I had studied (and thoroughly enjoyed) Shakespeare’s plays in the classroom, Stratford gave me a new appreciation for him as a person.” A L I C I A

JOY

P R I C K E T T

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LAFSC

Los A ngeles F ilm S tudies C enter

A Rousing Act One

Photo provided by Peter Harmon

LAFSC alum Peter Harmon sold a script, moved to L.A. . . . and the rest is being written. by mimi Wiggins Perreault

Since his work for Nu-Lite, Harmon has been a production assistant for American Idol and reviews and writes transcripts for the A&E show Intervention. In addition, he has recently been writing short scripts for a company that produces edited acting reels for aspiring actors, SmartReels. SmartReels provides industry-quality short films for professional actors, tailor-made to their acting style and range.

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t’s been a busy year for Los Angeles Film Studies Center (LAFSC) alumnus Peter Harmon, but with two fully produced screenplays under his belt, he’s not complaining. ¶ “I’ve been working as hard as I can and challenges have arisen,” Peter said. “The challenges have really tested me—and so far I feel great about how my career and my family life have gone since I moved to L.A.” ¶ Peter loves to write, but his time at LAFSC allowed him to try all different parts of movie production. For his final

project, Peter directed a short film with a group of classmates, and at the LAFSC premier party he spoke with a woman who really liked the film his group produced. “I had no idea it would ever lead to anything,” said Peter, a graduate of Towson University, who attended the program in spring 2008. “So when she called me when I was back home in Maryland about possibly directing a film for Nu-Lite, I was really surprised.” Nu-Lite, a film production company which produces films for a Christian African-American audience, bought a screenplay Peter wrote and commissioned him to do more work. A few weeks later, he loaded his car up and moved back to L.A. He started working for Nu-Lite as a director for a planned film and when that fell through he started writing. During the time he worked for Nu-Lite, Peter wrote screenplays for two movies produced by Nu-Lite, Johnson Family Christmas Dinner and Jones Preaching to the Choir (also called Pastor Jones Heavenly Voices)—and he was given a springboard for his career. The movies were made for an audience primarily of African-Americans who are Christian and religious, and were great settings to play with dramatic dialogue as well as humor. “As far as writing for a black audience (as a white guy), it wasn’t very different from the usual stories I write,” Peter said. “It was comedic with dramatic elements, or vice versa depending on how you look at it, and had to do with a wide variety of different relationships. Yes, there are inherent differences in cultures intrinsically but the emotion was pretty much the same.” LAFSC offers professional screenwriting as one of its electives for the semester. Students learn about screenwriting elements by examining scripts and instructors also emphasize Christian faith and values as they relate to script content. “Many come in with a desire to write screenplays but have never gotten around to doing it,” said Kris Young, the course instructor. “The biggest screenwriting technique I teach is simply to FINISH one. More can be learned from

doing that in one semester than reading or thinking about it for years.” Young said as a student, Peter was “very disciplined and took writing seriously.” That focus and drive might be just one reason he was able to dive into screenwriting. Peter continues to write. He has recently been writing short scripts for a company that produces edited acting reels for aspiring actors, SmartReels. SmartReels provides industry-quality short films for professional actors, tailor-made to their acting style and range. In addition, Peter married Ashlea Shelton, whom he met at Towson University, in July 2009. In other words, he’s staying busy. For more information about a semester at the Los Angeles Film Studies Center, visit www.bestsemester.com/lafsc.

“The biggest screenwriting technique I teach is simply to FINISH one.” —Kris Young, course instructor

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WJC

WA S H I N G TO N J O U R N A L I S M C E N T E R

Jumping off new media platforms More than just keeping tabs on what friends are doing in any given moment, social networking is the path toward the future of journalism. by Shanley Knox

standard 500-word news story used to satisfy your editor. But lately, it just isn’t cutting it. ¶ Instead, news organizations are looking to meet the needs of millions of people who would like to see the latest headlines under an “updates” tab on their Facebook page, or receive them on their iPhones. ¶ “The Internet has flattened the playing level when it comes to getting ideas out into the

public square,” said Chris Moody, a 2008 alumnus of the Washington Journalism Center (WJC) and a Palm Beach Atlantic University graduate. “A few years ago, only a few media elites held the nation’s attention, and now anyone can compete.” Chris, now the manager of new media at the Cato Institute, attributes his understanding of the changing media world to his time at WJC, where he sat through lectures and assignments emphasizing the future of journalism. This future was explained as something looking a lot like blogs, flip cams and online news. It looks like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. This is new media, and WJC takes it seriously. “New media and social networking sites don’t appear to be fads and we think it’s important for students to know what impact these will have on their field and on their career,” program coordinator Greg Perreault said. Students entering into the semester-long program in the heart of Washington, D.C., find professors who practice what they teach. Perreault and program director Terry Mattingly are journalists and critics who use social

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media to their professional advantage. Both are avid bloggers, committed to the very latest technology, and students find that their questions will often be answered by text message, that their professors know more about Twitter than they do and that a lot of communication and networking is done through Facebook. Through devoting entire lectures to blogging, creating a multi-platform set of skills and the importance of social networking, the WJC faculty is committed to helping students understand how to use familiar social media as a tool for academic writing and research. “There is a whole new set of skills we have to define and, after defining, learn how to teach,” Mattingly said. “I think it’s very important for us to explore new media as something that still requires skills—skills that can be verified and graded and can help you do work that matters.” The program integrates these ideas through class assignments, the most significant of which is a group blog called “InkTank” (http://www.wjcblog.typepad.com), a collaboration blog between current students, alumni and WJC professors that acquires 90-100 hits a day.

“In the age where everyone can communicate differently, you have to be able to translate your message in a variety of formats.” —CHRIS MOODY, WJC ALUMnus

Many students find that this blogging experience helps them in their internships during their WJC semester. In an interview discussing the benefits of InkTank, Mattingly said that he has yet to hear from a journalism student who wasn’t helped by their InkTank blogging experience, whether they were pursuing sports reporting or working with non-profits. The presence of new media at the Washington Journalism Center is taught within the context of writing and research. These skills are viewed as a lasting, integral part of telling stories, and new media is presented as a venue through which to enhance, rather than replace, these skills. “We were taught that being a writer meant being an effective communicator,” Chris said about his time at WJC. “In the age where everyone can communicate differently, you have to be able to translate your message in a variety of formats.” The Washington Journalism Center is located in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the semester at www.bestsemester.com/wjc.

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CSP

C h ina S tudies P rogram

A hands-on approach to China A New Elective Merges Cooking, Acupuncture and Tai Chi into an integrative introduction to East Asian culture. BY MImi Wiggins Perreault

earning tangible ways to express cultural knowledge is just one byproduct of the China Studies Program’s newest elective course, Dimensions of East Asian Culture. ¶ “This course provides a broader understanding of culture,” China Studies Program Director Jay O. Lundelius said. “The ‘hands-on’ element of the course helps students to gain a deeper understanding of the culture.” ¶ The course is an elective 3-credit hour course that

introduces students to the basic components of Chinese and East Asian culture. The course consists of four overlapping segments, one which focused on the ideas of balance through Tai Chi, the gracefulness of painting, one that talks about the importance of health and gives insight on medicine and a third which teaches the elements of cooking. These classes in essence build upon one another. The course was offered for the first time in spring 2009—but has been in the making for a few years. “Students participate in and learn a Tai Chi routine every afternoon for five weeks,” Lundelius added. “They actually learn the elements of Chinese painting and how to apply their cultural understanding to the art form.” While there are a few lectures about the history and symbolism of Chinese art, the course is mainly hands-on. Students spend most of their time learning how to hold a brush, mix pigments and paint watercolors in the Chinese manner. In the cooking section, students will learn guidelines and techniques about Chinese cooking and regional/cultural cuisines. In the course students spend most of their time preparing and cooking meals. In the Chinese medicine and in Tai Chi sections, students will hear a few lectures on unifying Chinese philosophy, but most of their time will be spent practicing a standard Tai Chi routine. Guest instructors are brought in from the community to teach elements of these classes to students, while CSP

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Program Administrator Yili Lundelius teaches the cooking elements of the course. While students don’t actually get to practice Chinese medicine, several elements of the Yin and Yang are learned in their classes. Students have requested a course on Chinese cooking for years and so both were glad they could add the element to this culture course. “Students have always asked for a Chinese cooking course,” said Jay Lundelius. “When it was put in the context of the underlying Chinese principles and philosophy— especially as they relate to eating and health—this course seemed valuable.” Students often discover ways to apply what they have learned in their classes to their everyday life, and realize that among the differences there are still some similarities. “[Jay Lundelius often says,] ‘Everything you hear about China is true somewhere but nothing you hear about China is true everywhere,’” said Joni Miller, a student from Colorado Christian University who attended the program in spring 2009. “Policies and traditions can vary from region to region and it is important to realize the diversity that exists within China.” Overall, Miller feels like the program helped her to feel at home in a faraway culture. “The China Studies Program not only prepares students for life in China, but also teaches important skills for living in any new culture,” she said.

PHOTOS PROVideD BY GRACE ROYER (2)

CSP Program Assistant Heather Carlton and Bryce Newton, a student at Indiana Wesleyan University, perform a tai ji for high school students in Lan Tian, China. Below, Yili Lundelius teaches cooking to students in the Dimensions of East Asian culture course.

“Policies and traditions can vary from region to region and it is important to realize the diversity that exists within China.” —JONI MILLER, CSP ALUMna

The China Studies Program is located in Xiamen, China. Learn more about the semester at www.bestsemester.com/csp.

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MESP

MIDDLE EAST STUDIES PROGRAM

Lifting the Veil

Hanging Out takes on a whole new meaning when meeting with Muslims, Arab Christians and Israeli Jews. by Kendra Langdon Juskus

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merican students in the Middle East Studies Program (MESP) pass them on Cairo’s streets, see them in the market and sit next to them in the cafés: young people like themselves—university students, clusters of friends, young professionals—who have goals and interests similar to their own, but those whose lives they rarely get to share. ¶ Language barriers, cultural stereotypes

and the demands of school, work and family often cloak these locals behind a veil of anonymity, which American students find challenging to lift. But MESP’s new Culture and Language Exchange is changing that. The Culture and Language Exchange is a detailed name for a simple concept: fostering and building relationship. Initiated in the spring of 2009, the Exchange provides individuals from two very different cultures the opportunity to engage one another as peers, rather than strangers, in informal, face-to-face settings. “Part of our mission is to allow students to experience Egypt not just academically, but existentially,” said Jonathan Pinkney, a MESP program assistant who helped oversee the creation of the Exchange. “This is the true value of a study abroad program—the full-fledged engagement and interaction with another culture in a way that is transformative. And an essential aspect, if not the most essential aspect of this interaction, is meaningful relationships.” The academic, student life and travel elements of MESP have always enabled students to dive down deep into life in the Middle East. Classes involve Arabic instruction with Egyptian teachers, as well as encounters with local scholars and leaders. MESP students also live in Egyptian households for a week, where they gain a local understanding of Arab culture. But the Exchange allows for a new level of cross-cultural intimacy, with MESP students meeting Egyptian Muslim and Christian peers for weekly one-on-one time together on a continuing basis. Put simply, it’s hanging out. But “hanging out” takes on new significance when it’s happening between individuals of two cultures that share a history of tension and a hope for a future of greater understanding. “I would say that these kinds of programs offer one of the most life-impacting learning opportunities students experience during the semester,” said MESP Director David Holt. “For the remainder of their lives, whenever students hear media reports of any kind about the people of the

Middle East, they will always measure the reports against their quality time with real Muslim friends while in Cairo.” It doesn’t take a policy expert to understand that the political relationship between the United States and the Middle East is sensitive, at best. But it also doesn’t take a psychology major to know that personal connection can change everything. “[One] student was paired with a young woman from Saudi Arabia who wore the full niqab (the veil that covers a woman’s entire body except for her eyes),” said Pinkney. “While our student had been spending time with her throughout the semester, she had never seen her without her veil, and thus had never seen her face, until the very end of the semester, when she visited her home, and, in a true moment of trust and intimacy, the Saudi woman took off her veil.” “Hanging out,” when it occurs on such an intimate level, not only changes the nature of a relationship; it also changes the people in that relationship forever. The Middle East Studies Program is located in Cairo, Egypt. Learn more about the semester at www.bestsemester.com/mesp

“Part of our mission is to allow students to experience Egypt not just academically, but existentially.” —Jonathan Pinkney, MESP program assistant

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cmc

C O N T E M P O R A RY M U S I C C E N T E R

Plan out your life in

V I N A CMC alumna took the Executive Track and ended up at the world’s biggest music label. by anna Martin

hen Contemporary Music Center (CMC) alumna Ruthie Fowler graduated from Azusa Pacific University in 2003, she had no idea she would become personal friends with the members of Snow Patrol, get winked at by Snoop Dogg, see herself in Spin Magazine or work in direct contact with the

president of the world’s biggest record company. What’s even more amazing is that Ruthie started as the second assistant to the president and chief operating officer at Universal Music Group (UMG), a job in which most people don’t last two weeks. How did she do it? Ruthie will tell you the secrets to success in the music industry are pretty simple: speak the language and meet the right people. Now a media planner for UMG, Ruthie works with a team of six to coordinate advertising for artists who are

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signed to labels under UMG. Ruthie works with all the labels, and has been placed in charge of advertising for UMG’s catalog label, Universal Music Enterprise, which promotes current as well as past albums for its artists. She started out as the second assistant to Zach Horowitz, the president & COO of Universal Music Group. Directly out of college, Ruthie applied for what was meant to be a temp job at UMG. “It was a high pressure job, but I decided it was better than working in the mailroom,” Ruthie said. Instead of staying for two weeks, Ruthie kept her position for more than a year and established a strong relationship with

“Ruthie is a great success story and one of our best alumni.” —TOM WILLETT, assistant director, CMC

Y L In her role as media planner for the Universal Media Group, Ruthie Fowler (left) has met some of the industry’s top musicians and songwriters, including Lisa Loeb (pictured), Snow Patrol and Pink. Photo provided by Ruthie Fowler

Horowitz and other top executives in the company, which led to her ascent in the company. During her time at Martha’s Vineyard, Ruthie participated in the CMC’s Executive track—one of three tracks that make up the center’s curriculum. She says her experience with CMC during her last semester of school prepared her more than anything else she could have imagined. “Not only was I given an education to see what it would be like to be part of a label, I was able to work with artists and experience booking shows and see all the different aspects of the music business,” she said. “Without the CMC, I would not have been able to look at the full picture of the music industry. If I would have started with a management agency, I would have only seen the day-to-day aspect of working directly with the artist. If I would have gone to booking right away, I would have only seen the day-to-day workings of booking tours.” Learning the music business jargon is something Ruthie says was incredibly important in getting her the job she has. “It was so great to know what I was listening for, know what

I was hearing and know whose job it was to do certain things. That was crucial during the interview process,” Ruthie said. “Ruthie is a great success story and one of our best alumni,” said Tom Willett, assistant director for the CMC. “We want to help prepare people for careers in the mainstream—as artists, producers and musical technicians. Like Ruthie, students can successfully work in the mainstream record business and be a strong Christian.” Ruthie is proof positive that in order to succeed in the music business, or any business for that matter, it’s about connections and knowledge. “I am 28 and I have two window offices for the world’s largest music company. I do not know how it happened, but I am so thankful for the CMC and all the insight I got from my time there,” she said.

The Contemporary Music Center is located in Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. Learn more about the semester at www.bestsemester.com/cmc.

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RSP

RUSSIAN STUDIES PROGRAM

A Window into Heaven Tradition, mystery, identity and worship come together in the holy places of Russian Orthodoxy.

Text by Sara Tanney • Photos by Chelsea Beth Hodgson

e no longer knew whether we were in Heaven or on earth, for such beauty we know not how to tell of it.” ¶ To understand Orthodoxy one must first experience it. This is what emissaries to Prince Vladimir expressed back in the

tenth century and it is still true today. Shrouded in mystery to the typical American college student, Russian Orthodoxy may seem strange and archaic. Many students come to the Russian Studies Program (RSP) unsure of how to approach this ancient faith: Is it living and relevant or is it mired in tradition? As Orthodoxy reemerges after Soviet repression, it is, in fact, making a vibrant comeback. Students witness this as they help clear rubble and rebuild a church in Nizhnii Novgorod, as they interact with host families and friends at the university, and as they visit different places of worship throughout the semester. Through these experiences they begin to see that there is more

than just tradition behind the meaning of the sacred altars and radiant icons: it is a faith that appreciates beauty as a reflection of the Divine, venerates the poetic dynamic of the Trinity, and gives significant value to the relationship between God and his Church. While students may arrive to Russia only expecting to engage the history of Orthodoxy, they usually discover a depth of religious understanding that enriches even their personal faith. The Russian Studies Program is located in Nizhnii Novgorod, Russia. Read more about Russia at www.bestsemester.com/rsp.

Chelsea Beth Hodgson is a recent graduate from Seattle Pacific University and graduated from the Russian Studies Program in fall 2008. She enjoys photo journalism where her photos tell the stories. More of her art can be found at www.flickr.com/chelseabeth.

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1 The Mother of God Nativity Church is a beautiful landmark in Nizhnii Novgorod. 2 The Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood was “built” around the cobblestones on which a favored Tsar was assassinated. 3 While in a cathedral at the Saint Euthymius monastery, gazing at the fully-restored frescoes while listening to an a cappella quartet sing sacred Russian Orthodox hymns will take your breath away. 4 A detail from the interior of St. Isaac’s Cathedral in St. Petersburg. 5 The altar seen through the Holy Doors in St. Isaac’s Cathedral.

FALL 09 BESTSEMESTER.COM

BESTSEMESTER PROGRAMS You’ve read the stories; now you want the details. What does each program offer? How many credits will I receive? Do I live in a hut or in a dorm? Read on. YEAR FOUNDED

CREDITS

INTERNSHIP OR PRACTICUM

SERVICE LEARNING

STUDY TRAVEL

HOUSING

TRANSPORTATION

PASSPORT REQUIRED

American Studies Program =1976 =16 max =internship =residence hall =public www.bestsemester.com/asp | page 22 Washington, D.C. is a stimulating educational laboratory for the American Studies Program (ASP). Participants explore pressing national and international issues through enrollment in either the Public Policy Initiatives track or Global Humanitarian Enterprise track, which combine seminars led by ASP faculty and Washington professionals with student projects. The internship (20-30 hours per week) is essential to the ASP experience. Students live in the Dellenback Center in the Capitol Hill neighborhood.

Australia Studies Centre =2004 =18 max =home stay/student housing =public www.bestsemester.com/asc | page 24 CCCU partners with the Wesley Institute in Sydney, Australia, to offer the Australia Studies Centre. Students study theology, global justice issues affecting Australia, Indigenous cultures and the arts. Additionally, students choose electives in theology/ ministry, music, drawing/ graphic design, dance and/or drama. Home stays, service learning and travel around Australia are important components of the ASC. Students spend time in the Australian capitol, Canberra; travel to a sheep station on the edge of the Australian Outback; and spend the last week of the semester in New Zealand connecting with the Maori people.

China Studies Program =1999 =18 max =residential housing

=internship =public

www.bestsemester.com/csp | page 30 The China Studies Program enables students to engage China’s ancient history and intrigue from an insider’s perspective. While immersed in Chinese culture, students participate in seminar

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courses on the historical, cultural, religious, geographic and economic realities of this strategic and populous nation. Students choose between completing a broad Chinese Studies concentration or a Business concentration. Students also study standard Chinese language and apply their skills by serving in an orphanage or tutoring Chinese students in English. The program begins and finishes the semester in Hong Kong and introduces students to the diversity of China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an and Xiamen.

ticipate in one of four concentrations: Latin American Studies (offered both fall and spring terms); Advanced Language and Literature (designed for Spanish majors and offered both fall and spring terms); International Business (offered only in fall terms); and Environmental Science (offered only during spring terms). Students also take part in a practicum/internship and travel to nearby Central American nations, such as Nicaragua, Guatemala, Cuba and Panama (varies by concentration).

Los Angeles Film Studies Center Contemporary Music Center =2001 =16 =practicum =student housing =car www.bestsemester.com/cmc | page 34 The Contemporary Music Center provides students with the opportunity to live and work in the refining context of community while seeking to understand how God will have them integrate music, faith and business. The CMC offers three tracks: Artist, Executive and Technical. The Artist track is tailored to students considering careers as vocalists, musicians, songwriters, recording artists, performers and producers. The Executive track is designed for business, arts management, marketing, communications and related majors interested in possible careers as artist managers and record company executives. Each track includes coursework, labs, directed study and a practicum. CMC was founded on the concept of the artists’ colony, so students live and work in Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.

=1991 =16 =internship =apt =public /car www.bestsemester.com/lafsc | page 26 The Los Angeles Film Studies Center trains students to serve in various aspects of the film industry with professional skill and Christian integrity. The curriculum consists of two required seminars, Hollywood Production Workshop and Theology in Hollywood, focusing on the role of film in culture and the relationship of faith to work in this very influential industry. In addition, students choose one elective course from a variety of offerings in film studies. Internships in various segments of the film industry provide students with hands-on experience. The combination of the internship and seminars allows students to explore the film industry within a Christian context and from a liberal arts perspective. Students live in the Fairfax District in Los Angeles.

Middle East Studies Program Latin American Studies Program =1986 =18 max =internship =home stays =public www.bestsemester.com/lasp | page 23 Based in San José, Costa Rica, the Latin American Studies Program introduces students to a wide range of experiences through the study of the language, literature, culture, politics, history, economics, ecology and religion of the region. By living with local families, students become a part of the day-to-day lives of Latin Americans. Students par-

=1993 =16 =apt & home stays =public www.bestsemester.com/mesp | page 32 Based in Cairo, Egypt, the Middle East Studies Program offers students a unique opportunity to explore and interact with the complex and strategically important world of the modern Middle East. Students explore diverse religious, social, cultural and political traditions of Middle Eastern peoples through interdisciplinary seminars. They also study the Arabic language and may work as volunteers

with various organizations in Cairo. Through travel in the region (typically Israel, Jordan and Turkey), students are exposed to the diversity and dynamism of the local culture.

Oxford Summer Programme =1991 =6 =student housing =public www.bestsemester.com/osp | page 25

rial, an integrative seminar (or thesis in the case of second term students), and the British landscape course. Students group their work in a concentration so that all elements of their programme work together. Applicants are generally honors and other very high-achieving students and must have a 3.5 GPA to be considered for the programme. Students may complete two semesters of the programme.

Uganda Studies Program The Oxford Summer Programme allows students, as affiliate members of Wycliffe Hall, University of Oxford, to do intensive scholarship in the oldest university in the English-speaking world. During the five-week programme, students hone their research and writing skills while exploring the relationship between Christianity and the development of the British Isles. Seminars and tutorials are given on specialized topics under expert Oxford academics in the areas of English language and literature, history, including the history of art and history of science, philosophy, and theology and the study of religion.

Russian Studies Program =1994 =16 =home stays & residence hall =public www.bestsemester.com/rsp | page 36 The Russian Studies Program strives to give students a broad learning experience in the largest nation in the world. The majority of the semester is spent in Nizhnii Novgorod (Russia’s third largest city) where tudents live on the campus of Nizhnii Novgorod State University while they complete intensive language learning and live with a host family in the second half of the semester. Students are offered three seminar courses (History and Sociology of Religion in Russia; Russian Literature and History; and Russia in Transition) and receive instruction in the Russian language.

Scholars’ Semester in Oxford =1998 =17 =student housing =public www.bestsemester.com/sso | page 25 The Scholars’ Semester in Oxford is designed for students who want to study intensively and to a high standard. Students develop their academic writing and research skills and explore the disciplines and interests of their choice. As Visiting Students of the University of Oxford and members of Wycliffe Hall, students study in the oldest university in the English-speaking world. SSO students enroll in a primary and secondary tuto-

=2004 =17 =practicum =home stays and/or residence hall =public www.bestsemester.com/usp | page 21 The Uganda Studies Program (UCU) provides students with both immersion in a local community and broad exposure to a variety of people and places in Uganda and Rwanda. Students in the Uganda Studies Emphasis (USE) live on campus at Uganda Christian University (an international affiliate of the CCCU) in Mukono, Uganda, sharing their lives with university students from Uganda and other parts of Africa. Students in the Intercultural Ministry & Missions Emphasis (IMME) live with host families within walking distance of the university. All USP students take classes from UCU professors and share meals with UCU students. Service projects and practicum opportunities are an integral part of USP, as are experiences in Rwanda and rural Uganda. In addition to the core experiential course, students choose from an approved selection of courses from the UCU curriculum.

Washington Journalism Center =2006 =16 =internship =apt =public www.bestsemester.com/wjc | page 28 The Washington Journalism Center is a semesterlong study program in Washington, D.C., created for students interested in the field of journalism. Students take classes focusing on their personal writing skills and on the history and future of the media. These classes—Foundations for Media Involvement; Reporting in Washington; and Washington, News and Public Discourse—combined with an internship (25-30 hours per week) at a top news publication help students learn to integrate their faith in a journalism career. Students live in the Dellenback Center in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, exactly eight blocks from the Capitol. Service learning opportunities are bountiful throughout the District and are a crucial piece of learning about the culture of D.C.

Study at Alliance Graduate School of Mission While Living Near the Intercultural Capital of the World The Alliance Graduate School of Mission (AGSM) provides excellent academic preparation with close proximity to the intercultural capital of the world–New York City! The programs include training you to reach the unreached, modeling the tentmaking mission strategy, holistic approach to learning and mission, developing your cross-cultural communication skills, and exposing you to urban evangelism and church planting. Programs available • M.Div. with a specialized Missions track • MA in Intercultural Studies • Master of Professional Studies: emphasis on Urban Ministries

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Non-profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 16

Council for Christian Colleges & Universities 321 Eighth Street, NE Washington, D.C. 20002

FIND YOUR CALLING 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

Engage with popular culture and public life through

Study abroad to better understand and engage

off-campus study that shapes culture.

your place in God’s world.

American Studies Program (Washington, D.C.)

Australia Studies Centre (Sydney, Australia)

Contemporary Music Center (Martha’s Vineyard, MA)

China Studies Program (Xiamen, PR China)

Los Angeles Film Studies Center (Los Angeles, CA)

Latin American Studies Program (San José, Costa Rica)

Washington Journalism Center (Washington, D.C.)

Middle East Studies Program (Cairo, Egypt)

Programmes in Oxford (Oxford, England)

Russian Studies Program (Nizhnii Novgorod, Russia)

Uganda Studies Program (Mukono, Uganda)

Important Dates

Applications for the spring 2010 semester: October 1

Applications for the Oxford Summer Programme: January 15 (early admission), March 1 (regular admission)

Applications for the fall 2010 semester: February 1 (early admission), April 1 (regular admission)