GlobeTrekking - Winter 2015

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“First Tulsa, then the World” captures the essence of the Center
for Global Education’s mission: a commitment to enhancing
international education and emphasizing study abroad as critical
to the student experience. The CGE encourages all students to
explore programs to find the right fit for their academic, personal,
and professional goals. Whether students want to travel earlier than
the classic junior-year-abroad, or to study abroad multiple times, or
attend a unique program, there are plenty of options.
As Cheryl Matherly, vice provost for global education, explains,
“These programs can be a catalyst experience. By studying abroad
early, students can get a taste of what they might do and can better
tailor their education to their interests.” Furthermore, going abroad
after the first or second year of studies can allow students to have
substantial experience abroad at a time when they might be lesspressed by degree requirements or on-campus obligations.
Ready to hop on a plane at the first chance? The univerisyt
requires that students complete two semesters, generally fall and
spring, at TU before traveling. The first opportunity to study abroad
usually is the summer after the first year. As support of study abroad
increases worldwide, more programs are being created to encourage
students to travel early. Three of the many ways TU students can
begin shaping their education through an international lens are
highlighted.
Global Scholars Program
TU’s Global Scholars Program is a selective academic track for
students interested in the globalization of society. The program
equips students for the key areas projected by the Center for
Strategic and International Studies’ Seven Revolutions Initiative to
see the most change by 2035.
Lara Foley, director of the Global Scholars Program, states,
“These seven global challenges pose the most pressing worldwide
issues that can’t be solved by a single academic discipline.”
The Global Scholars curriculum focuses on each of the seven
areas — population, resources, technology, information, economics,
conflict, and governance through an interdisciplinary approach.
Global Scholars learn to use their personal interests and strengths
with a global mindset.
Open to incoming freshman and sophomores, the program is
Early Starts: First and Second Year Opportunities............1
Tulsa Bound: TU’s International Campus............................3
New Alliances: Waseda University
Exchange Aggreement.........................................................4
Meet the PAs.............................................................................5
New Staff Profiles....................................................................6
Lasting Impacts: Brewing Books.........................................7
Reflections From a Gilman Winner.......................................8
Life Abroad................................................................................9
Study Abroad: A Quality Initiative.........................................10
archaeological dig site were followed by two weeks of classes at
Durham.
“It’s not a huge time commitment,” Walker says of the onemonth stay. In fact, the institutes are only three to six weeks.
Walker’s short stay in Durham whetted his appetite. He is studying
abroad this semester in Vienna, Austria. Likewise, Womack
expanded his global education last fall in Rennes, France.
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not limited to a single year but forms a continual component to
each Global Scholar’s TU education. Acceptance into the program
is determined by a committee of faculty from all undergraduate
colleges. Each class of Global Scholars includes about 16 students,
from each of the university’s undergraduate colleges. As incoming
scholars, participants attend a retreat in the fall, followed by
programming throughout the year. Every Global Scholar takes three
Block courses centered on big questions facing the world today;
and each class of scholars is led by TU faculty in a summer course
abroad. In addition, scholars study a language and spend at least
one semester studying, interning, or researching abroad supported
by up to $10,000 in scholarships. By the end of their time at TU,
Global Scholars will complete a capstone project and portfolio
related to international issues in their field, which they will present
at the annual TU Student Research Colloquium.
For more information, contact Lara Foley, [email protected], or visit
utulsa.edu/globalscholars
Fulbright Summer Institutes
In order to familiarize more American collegians with the
academics, culture, heritage, and history of the United Kingdom,
the US-UK Fulbright Commission has expanded its outreach by
creating Summer Institutes for undergraduate study.
These institutes, nine of which were offered during the summer
of 2014, are open to U.S. freshmen and sophomores. The awards
cover airfare, host university tuition and fees, accommodation and
food, and social programming. Each institute has a unique theme,
often inspired by the program’s location. Many of the institutes
supplement academic modules by integrating participants into the
cultural and educational experiences specific to their location.
Kyle Walker and Walker Womack participated in the 2013
Durham University Summer Institute, which incorporated
archaeological fieldwork with classes led by Durham’s Institute
of Medieval and Early Modern Studies faculty. The curriculum
immersed students in the history of Northern Britain from Roman
through Medieval times. Walker, a physics and philosophy major,
had little experience with archaeology or history. He applied to the
program because it allowed him to broaden his studies and get a feel
for life abroad. Expertise is not required in order to participate in a
specific program.
Womack, who is pursuing a degree in history notes: “The
summer programs provide an educational excursion not necessarily
related to one’s major.”
Their two weeks of hands-on experience at the Binchester
For more information about the Fulbright Summer Institutes, visit fulbright.
org.uk. Students interested in applying for a Fulbright Summer Institute should
contact Nona Charleston, director of nationally competitive scholarships, at
[email protected].
NanoJapan
For engineering students, NanoJapan might be the dream
program. A collaboration between Rice University, TU, and the
National Science Foundation (NSF), the NanoJapan International
Research Experience for Undergraduates is aimed at freshmen and
sophomores pursuing studies in engineering and physics.
For12 weeks in the summer, up to 12 U.S. undergraduates from
around the nation are immersed in Japanese language and culture
through intensive language courses followed by eight weeks of
real-world research in Japanese nanotechnology labs. Housed in
university dorms, participants benefit from cultural integration
through their personal mentors and lab communities.
Jordan Hoyt, a junior mechanical engineering major, participated
in the program after his freshman year at TU. “Immersion is where
NanoJapan really distinguishes itself: You’re able to live and truly
connect with the people, almost like joining a family while studying
abroad for just a summer.”
Hoyt describes how studying abroad early affected him
academically and personally. “Exposure to unique foods, other
perspectives on spirituality, and different modes of life made me a
more dynamic and interesting individual,” he said. The program
also has led him to consider research and international graduate
study in a new light, so that they may become part of his future
career. “It was important for me to have completed this ‘internal
analysis’ early on in college life. It helped me make critical decisions
for the remainder of my time at TU. I have the confidence to
serve as a leader and a role model,” he says, adding, “It’s been a
huge advantage to have had that eye-opening experience right
after freshman year so I can feel comfortable changing even more
through the rest of my college years.”
For more information about the NanoJapan program, visit nanojapan.rice.
edu, or contact Cheryl Matherly at [email protected].
The prospect of
voyaging halfway
around the world after
having just gotten a
handle on collegiate
education may seem
overwhelming; but
that is the beauty
of this time. There
is much to be seen,
much to be done,
and the doors to new
cultures are standing
wide open just
for you.
As a part of the Explore Tulsa program, CUPB students visited the Cherokee Heritage Center in Tahlequah, Okla. along with TU faculty and staff.
The presence of international students, who comprise nearly onequarter of The University of Tulsa undergraduate population, helps
cultivate a diverse campus community.
One partnership that exemplifies the range of internationalization at the university is the relationship between TU and China
University of Petroleum-Beijing (CUPB). CUPB, an engineering
university with a strong petroleum focus, is a top university in
China and is part of “Project 211,” an endeavor by the Chinese
government to strengthen 100 higher education institutions,
particularly in fields considered a national priority in the 21st
century. TU, recognized worldwide for the strength of its petroleum
engineering school, is well poised to support a partnership for
research and study in the field. First cooperating on a unique 2+2
degree program, involving two years of study at each campus, TU
now offers the opportunity for semester long exchanges and in fall
2014, was privileged to welcome visiting professor of English, Lili
Zhang, from CUPB.
2+2 = Success
In light of their mutual strengths, in 2008, TU and CUPB
developed a unique dual-degree program, known as “2+2”.
Students spend the first two years of study at CUPB developing a
strong framework and solid foundation in their chosen areas before
spending the subsequent two years at TU. These 2+2 graduates
receive a bachelor’s degree from both universities with most
students studying either in the College of Engineering and Natural
Sciences or the Collins College of Business. The inaugural group
of participants arrived in 2009, and the program has since proven
successful with many graduates going on to pursue advances degrees
in the United States or developing careers in global companies.
A One-of-a-Kind Welcome
In addition to equipping students in their majors, the 2+2
program includes a unique orientation. CUPB students arrive in
Tulsa the summer before their first year of studies and participate
in the “Explore Tulsa” program, which is part college orientation,
part bridge program, part study abroad. Over the course of five
weeks, they take specialized “Introduction to College Writing” and
“Essentials of Spoken English” courses that incorporate cultural
events on the TU campus and in the surrounding community.
Participants familiarize themselves with TU and Tulsa while earning
general education credit and strengthening their English skills.
These progra
ms encourag
e st
creative and
interdisciplin udents to apply
ary strategies
address maj
or global ch
to
allenges.
The “Explore Tulsa” program, however, benefits more than just
the 2+2 students. Cultural outings, such as visits to the Cherokee
Heritage Center in Tahlequah or a Tulsa Drillers baseball game,
allow students to engage with the community. The CGE partners
with Tulsa Global Alliance (TGA), a non-profit organization
promoting cultural exchanges, to arrange homestay dinners with
local families as well as an annual trip to Washington, D.C. and
New York City. In recent years, TU has redesigned the English
course sequence of the orientation program to incorporate a service
learning experience. Students also partake in a valuable language
and cultural exchange through visits to Methodist Manor, a local
assisted living facility, where they have been lucky enough to meet
TU alumni. Each student keeps a journal about their visits, and
writing assignments for the course are based on their experiences
there. At the end of the program, students prepare a cultural
presentation to share with the residents, an opportunity to practice
the presentation skills they have learned while sharing elements of
their home culture.
One Partnership, Two Experiences
Mai Chen ’16, who is in his first year of the 2+2 program, can
attest to the strength of the partnership between TU and CUPB,
especially the appeal of the 2+2 program for CUPB students.
“Everyone at CUPB knows about the 2+2 program,” he says.
Following the success of the program at TU, CUPB has
developed similar programs with a number of universities in several
countries. For Chen, however, “TU is the best among them.” He
was encouraged to study abroad through the 2+2 program by his
parents. Chen believes his time studying petroleum engineering
at TU will broaden his horizons and improve his English skills,
changes he can already see occurring.
Chen encourages other CUPB students, asserting, “If you have
the resources, you should come here.”
The success of the 2+2 program is evident in the numbers. In the
past six years, 68 students have enrolled in the program, averaging
about 11 students per year.
The partnership has spurred such interest that CUPB and TU
have developed an alternative for students who wish to study at
TU, but may not be able to participate in the 2+2 program. The
Center for Global Education formed an exchange agreement with
CUPB so that Chinese students can benefit from an international
experience at TU for a semester. Exchange students from CUPB
first began arriving in the spring of 2013. The addition of this
exchange program is similarly successful, and TU welcomed five
exchange students from CUPB in the fall.
Bingjie Zhang ’14, a CUPB exchange student in the fall of 2014,
says she “always wanted to study abroad.” The recommendation
of a friend who had participated in the 2+2 program helped her
decide on Tulsa. A geology student, Zhang explains that, though
adjusting to life here was difficult at first, especially adapting to
the food and accents, her classes are going well, and she is pleased
to find the people nice and the city vibrant. Along with many
other exchange students at TU, Zhang used some of her time to
travel and experience the culture of the United States, spending
Thanksgiving break visiting Miami and Orlando. “A semester is
just too short,” she said, “but I am glad I chose to study at TU and
would recommend the exchange program to other CUPB students.
TU-CUPB: A professor’s point of view
The relationship between TU and CUPB also facilitates
joint research projects and faculty exchanges. For example, the
partnership has enabled Professor Lili Zhang to join TU as a
visiting scholar this year. Zhang, who is a professor of English at
CUPB, wanted to study in the U.S. in order to conduct research
and to help her daughter develop a solid command of the English
language.
When Zhang was accepted into the China Scholarship Council’s
visiting scholar program, she had to reach out to American
universities, stating her research proposal and her interest in
visiting each university. In order to win a visiting scholar place,
however, participants must receive a letter of invitation from the
host university. Though each scholar receives a scholarship from
the Chinese government to support their stay, American universities
are not necessarily receptive to the scholars if there is no prior
connection between universities or faculty.
Zhang credits the TU-CUPB partnership for enabling her to
contact and successfully arrange her residence here. She explains,
“It is not very easy to connect…to get the invitation letter from
an American university, even if you have the scholarship from the
Chinese government.” The relationship between TU and CUPB
eased the process considerably enabling Zhang to come here for
her year’s stay researching the anxieties Chinese students face
when writing in English. In light of the particular arrangements
between TU and CUPB, as well as TU’s large international student
population, her research is especially relevant in considering
strengths and weaknesses of international university experiences.
Zhang is also participating in the 2+2 program evaluation that is
surveying student participants about the program’s effectiveness,
and ultimately presenting a report to both universities.
Zhang, who arrived in August 2014, is already enthusiastic
about what she hopes to take back to her home university. Having
observed the operation of the Helen N. Wallace Writing Center,
where consultants offer assistance to all TU students on writing
projects, she hopes to employ something similar at CUPB. Zhang
believes a center could serve as the focus of English language
teaching reform at CUPB, notably the teaching of English writing.
She aims to finish her year-long research with a paper published on
the subject which would additionally augment efforts to improve
English language learning at her home university. In addition to
research, Zhang seeks to experience American culture with her
daughter, make many friends, and travel around the U.S.
When she returns to Beijing, Zhang plans to encourage her
colleagues to consider applying to the visiting scholars program
and, more precisely, to reach out to The University of Tulsa. She
concludes, “I can personally attest that the partnership between TU
and CUPB is and will continue to be an asset to students, faculty,
and researchers alike.”
The 2014-15 Peer Advisor Team: (L to R) Andres Gomez, Victoria Redding, Tracy Kinealy, Kate Cooley, Emily Taylor, and Thomas Schorr.
Each year, the Center for Global Education welcomes a group
of TU students who have studied abroad to the Peer Advisor (PA)
team. PAs are often the first point of contact for students interested
in studying abroad. They assist applicants throughout the process
and encourage the student community to consider the benefits of
international education. Additionally, the Peer Advisors work with
the full-time CGE staff to complete various projects, such as special
events and publications.
Andres Gomez
International Business and Spanish, Junior
Tulsa, Oklahoma
I studied in: Santiago, Chile
I’ll never forget: The Chilean and exchange student friends I made. I
never imagined having friends from so many different countries, but
now I have friends from almost every continent.
My advice about study abroad: Challenge yourself to work outside your
comfort zone and your usual circle of friends. Some of the best
friends I made were people I never would have imagined I would
talk to before my time abroad.
Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan, was founded in 1882 as one
of the nation’s first private and most preeminent universities. With
a strong international focus, Waseda has partnerships with over
450 universities worldwide and is actively forging new relationships.
When representatives from TU and Waseda University met at the
Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA)
conference in February 2014, a mutual interest in forming a
partnership was expressed. Over the past year, Cheryl Matherly,
vice provost for global education, has worked closely with officials
from Waseda University to develop an exchange agreement
between the two universities. On September 24, 2014, a delegation
of administrators from Waseda University visited TU’s campus
and met with Matherly and Provost Roger Blaise to finalize
a Memorandum of Understanding and specify terms for the
exchange.
Waseda University will join TU’s 13 other exchange partners
as the first exchange located in Japan and one of only two in East
Asia. The agreement allows Waseda University to host TU students
for a semester or year and The University of Tulsa to similarly
host Waseda University students. Though there is currently no
Japanese language program at TU, students who choose to study
abroad through the Waseda exchange will be able to take Japanese
language courses as well as English-instructed courses from other
departments during their stay. In addition to facilitating a reciprocal
flow of international
students, the path
of an exchange
agreement fosters
the possibility
of research and symposium
collaborations between partner universities. The new
agreement, therefore, has potential for expanding international
academic opportunities for faculty and students alike. The
University of Tulsa expects to welcome students from Waseda
University in the fall 2015 term, with TU students potentially
participating in the exchange this spring.
I dream of: Writing a book in Spanish and working with Spanishspeaking writers as a publisher.
.
For its part, Waseda University, according to representatives
of the signing delegation, sees TU as a strong Southern Plains
partner for an international office with heavily coastal ties. They
hope to offer their students the diversity of a region of the United
States with which they might be less familiar. To TU students,
Waseda University administrators wish to convey that Waseda
University presents them with “chance and choice”: cosmopolitan
Tokyo provides countless cultural pursuits while the university’s
numerous departments, organizations, student communities, and
outreach programs enhance international students’ experiences.
Both universities look forward to the auspicious prospects this new
alliance presents.
Victoria Redding
Business Management, Junior
Tulsa, Oklahoma
I studied in: Valencia, Spain
I’ll never forget: The lovely people I met while I was in Spain.
My advice about study abroad: Be open and try everything! As long as it
is not a religious or moral conflict, don’t be worried about trying it.
Try everything!
I dream of: Returning to Spain.
Tracy Kinealy
English & French, Junior
St. Louis, Missouri
I studied in: Paris, France
I’ll never forget: Accidentally getting locked into the Parc des ButtesChaumont on Easter night with a friend because we’d been too busy
talking to realize it was closing.
My advice about study abroad: You learn a lot about who you are when
you have to translate that into a different language and culture.
I dream of: Befriending an elephant.
Kate Cooley
Biology/Pre-med, Senior
Albuquerque, New Mexico
I studied in: Fort Dauphin, Madagascar
I’ll never forget: Spending a week in a village where I walked 5 km
every day for water!
My advice about studying abroad: Write a blog and take a lot of pictures!
You will want to remember everything.
I dream of: Traveling the world!
Emily Taylor
Art History, Junior
Dallas, Texas
I studied in: London, England
I’ll never forget: Having high tea at Kensington Palace. Everything
was so beautifully decorated and so, so British. Will and Kate were
apparently there that day, but we didn’t hang out.
My advice about study abroad: Ask everyone you meet in the country
about themselves. Whether it’s your professor or a waiter, they’ll
have amazing stories about their lives and some good suggestions of
things to do in that city that you didn’t know about.
I dream of: Going back to Europe and just wandering around the
different countries with no plan in mind!
Thomas Schorr
Energy Management, International Business, Junior
Midland, Texas
I studied in: Brussels, Belgium
I’ll never forget: The connections I made with students from all over
the world, living with an incredible host family, traveling to unique
and fascinating new places, and stretching my perspective and
knowledge of far-off cultures.
My advice about study abroad: There is no better time in your life
to learn about different cultures, global issues, and incredible
opportunities abroad than your time in college. Take full advantage
of making yourself more marketable, more diverse, and more
comprehensive of our interdependent world.
I dream of: One day working abroad, either in international relations
as an advisor for countries with developmental needs or with an
international oil and gas corporation.
Few people know how much study abroad can change your life
as well as Eric Marshall, BSBIL ’04, Brewmaster and Founder
of Marshall Brewing Company. When Marshall entered his
undergraduate studies at the University of Tulsa, he was an
engineering major with a sincere but unfulfilled love for German
culture and countryside. By the time he graduated, he had an
International Business and German degree and looked forward to
starting his studies in the beer brewing industry. Marshall’s story,
however, is not just one of career redirection. On a personal level,
his approach to life and even his definition of family have changed
as a result of his time at TU, specifically thanks to his study abroad
experience. Marshall is proof that studying abroad can change the
course of your life.
The Center for Global Education is pleased to welcome two new staff members this fall.
Candice Chinsethagid, Coordinator of Short-Term Programs
A native Tulsan and TU alumna, Candice Chinsethagid has been deeply involved
with international education thanks to her “love of all things international.”
After participating in a faculty-led study abroad trip to the UK during her time
at Tulsa Community College, Chinsethagid was inspired to pursue a bachelor’s
degree in history at TU. After graduation, she worked with the Oklahoma Institute
for Teaching East Asia (now known as the Confucius Institute) through a grant
from the University of Oklahoma-Tulsa. Chinsethagid then obtained a master’s
degree in international administration from the University of Denver. While
at Denver, she learned about the operation and management of NGOs and
nonprofits, studied abroad again (this time in Costa Rica) and interned with the
Institute of International Education. The internship led to a post-graduation job
as a program coordinator and advisor for the Fulbright Program. Returning to
Tulsa, Chinsethagid took a position with the Society of Exploration Geophysicists,
a nonprofit based in Tulsa. As coordinator of short-term programs at TU,
Chinsethagid will be coordinating short-term, faculty-led programs. Previously,
responsibility for the various elements of this programming had been dispersed
throughout the CGE staff. In light of the recent and projected growth of study
abroad, Chinsethagid is excited to fill this much-needed role and hopes to begin
by compiling a standard of procedures for the development and implementation
of a faculty-led study abroad course in order to strengthen, evaluate, and augment
the faculty-led options available. Both personally and professionally, she seeks to
advocate for the benefits of study abroad: “Travel abroad changes the way you see
yourself and the rest of the world. It changes your approach to humanity.”
Hitomi Kurihara, Long-Term Education Administrators Program (LEAP) Intern
Originally, from Nagasaki, Hitomi Kurihara joins the CGE staff by way of
Kyushu University, located in Fukuoka, Japan. Kurihara is here through the
Long-Term Education Administrators Program (LEAP), an administrative
development program for professionals in the Japanese higher education system.
LEAP provides participants the opportunity to improve their English skills, learn
about administrative practices of the U.S. higher education system, and complete
a full-time internship. After three months of intensive English language study in
Baltimore, Kurihara arrived in Tulsa in August 2014 to begin her time with the
CGE. Over the past six-and-a-half years, she has worked in research promotion
and international affairs at Kyushu University. During her full-time internship at
the CGE, Kurihara’s duties include facilitating front office reception, assisting in
administrative tasks, contributing to the planning and execution of special events
such as the International Programs Fair, and participating in the CGE’s relationship
with the International Leadership Council of The University of Tulsa and the Tulsa
Global Alliance. Additionally, Kurihara will be conducting research on university
support systems and funding strategies for researchers. She hopes her research will
help Kyushu University develop, fund, and promote further research opportunities.
Kurihara looks forward to contributing to the internationalization of her home
university, improving her English, and making many friends along the way.
6
Company without interviewing in person. By the time Marshall
opened his local Tulsa brewery in 2008, he’d been brewing beer for
nearly five years. At last, he was able to unite his desire to bring the
local brewing culture he’d witnessed in Germany to his hometown.
Today, the brewery is flourishing, and Marshall gets to flex both
his business and German skills on a daily basis. The changes in
Marshall’s life as a result of his study abroad experience, though,
are not limited to the professional realm.
The Siegen program included a host family arrangement with
Klaus and Hildegard Knüppel, which, Marshall states, made the
exchange “very much host family-focused.” While students had the
opportunity to switch to university housing when the academic term
started, Marshall opted to remain with the Knüppels for his stay.
“Living with a family that spoke no English,” he says, was ultimately
responsible for his language improvement over the course of his
semester. Likewise, he was immersed in the culture and experienced
everyday life in Germany. For Marshall, then, the choice to spend as
much time with his host family as possible was a no-brainer: “I was
really lucky because I had the best family ever.”
Though Eric Marshall had been introduced to Germany
throughout his childhood during family trips in Europe and
individual interests, it was not until college that he truly had the
opportunity to study German language and culture. After realizing
that engineering did not quite suit his passions, Marshall chose to
switch his major to International Business & German, a decision
he attributes in part to the counsel of Mark Collins, professor of
business and finance and coordinator of international business
programs. Likewise, it was Collins’ encouragement that helped
Marshall select the Siegen Exchange for his junior year study
abroad experience in the spring of 2003. At the time, the program
included several components. Students commenced with three
weeks of courses led by a TU professor in Germany. Next, a
professor from Universität Siegen led the group in study. Finally,
after a brief interim for travel, students began the official term at
Universität Siegen, fully immersed with local students.
Outside his academic pursuits, however, Marshall gained a
profound appreciation for the culture and lifestyle in Germany. He
particularly noted that, “Culturally, Germans love and celebrate
beer and brewing.” Both the accessibility to a fresh, local product
and the pride taken in creating the product were attractive to
Marshall as a business major and a beer-lover. Upon returning
to the United States, Marshall put his observations to use: When
nostalgia for the German breweries led him to what he jokingly calls
“withdrawals” during his final year of studies at TU, he began to
experiment in home-brewing.
After graduation, Marshall entered the World Brewing
Academy, a dual-campus program in Chicago and Munich. He
then apprenticed at six different breweries throughout Germany;
experiences that bolstered his impressive résumé, so much so that he
was hired by the Downington, Pennsylvania-based Victory Brewing
“My German family is very loving and nurturing. They sincerely
consider their host students as their kids.” As a result, all involved
have made keeping in touch regularly a priority, and the connection
has incited multiple cross-Atlantic visits. Marshall estimates the
Knüppels have been to Tulsa about five times, and he has returned
to Germany at least as often. The internationally-extended family
was most recently reunited in the summer of 2014 when Marshall
was able to take his wife and daughter to see Siegen, the town in
which he lived during the exchange. The Knüppels subsequently
returned the visit, spending several weeks in Tulsa before moving
on to Washington, D.C. to visit another TU-Siegen exchange alum.
Now, over a decade after their initial meeting, loved ones on both
sides of the Atlantic are rooting for future generations of the family
to continue the legacy of the TU-Siegen exchange.
As Marshall’s story demonstrates, when you study abroad, your
career, your family, and your outlook on life can expand to places
you never dreamed. Now a College Collins of Business 2014 Fast
Track Alumnus, Marshall unites his business skills with his passion
for the German culture daily. More than this, however, Marshall
expresses that his experiences overseas have given him a broader
perspective. “I have a wider definition of family,” he says. “I am
proud to speak about the important role my German family plays in
my life. The simple truth is that by studying abroad, you will not be
the same.”
Eric Marshall ’04 developed a lasting relationship with his host family, Klaus and
Hildegard Knüppel, in Seigen, Germany, pictured here, that continues to this day.
7
The Benjamin A. Gillman Scholarship is a nationally competitive scholarship
administered by the U.S. Department of State and is intended to encourage
diversity of students and locations in study abroad.
I fostered a desire to go abroad from the very moment I found
out how accessible study abroad is at The University of Tulsa.
Before even starting at TU, I toured the campus and was given
some statistics on how many students go abroad, proving how
easy it is. Next, I had to decide where I wanted to go, and when I
wanted to plan this adventure. Location was simple. I read a book
entirely set in Ireland, and it was no contest: I wanted to see the
beautiful scenery in person. Timing was something that took more
forethought. I decided to travel my sophomore year in order to
have the possibility of going again later in my college career. With
that all decided, funding was the next question, which led me to
an information session on the Gilman Scholarship, a nationally
competitive scholarship that is based on both need and merit. That
info session changed the still-tentative plans that I had made so far.
The Gilman Scholarship encourages travel to nontraditional
destinations (places that students don’t often select) and does so by
awarding more scholarships, statistically speaking, to these places.
That wasn’t the entire reason that I changed my location, but it
made me consider other non-European locations. I started looking
at programs in Africa because, as a sociology major, I wanted to
go to a developing country. After narrowing my options, I chose
Uganda, because the “Uganda: Post Conflict Transformation”
program offered by SIT Study Abroad best fit my interest.
After deciding on the program, I wrote my two application
essays and had them reviewed by Nona Charleston, the director of
nationally competitive scholarships, and Wendy Sheets, from the
Center for Global Education. It was a very quick process, but with
enough resources at my disposal and people who had experience
with the Gilman Scholarship, I had an advantage. I heard back
sooner than expected — I had been awarded the scholarship! The
money I received helped to pay for my flight and visa, as well as the
things that I needed to prepare for a semester in Africa.
I still haven’t perfected the art of properly conveying my
experience in Uganda. It was magnificent to say the least. The
Ugandan culture has very little in common with that of the U.S.,
but going through a program facilitated our cultural immersion
seamlessly. My peers and I were given a homestay family through
whom we learned all of the norms that Ugandan children follow,
experiencing the day-to-day life there. For example, it is culturally
unacceptable to have “sleep overs” in Ugandan families. Mothers
worry too much, and children are expected to sleep at their own
houses. Along with our families, we were given connections in the
academic field. By touring the local universities, attending lectures
given by experts in our field of study, and toting the well-known
logo of SIT, many doors of academia were opened to us. Such a
drastic change in culture did not come without its difficulties. There
seemed to be a constant tug-of-war between the American culture
we were bringing in and the Ugandan culture they were introducing
to us. We became aware of things we take for granted as part of
the “American way,” such as fixed prices at stores. Suddenly, we
had to learn how to negotiate prices while combating the stereotype
of Americans being “rich.” We were in a place where few people
have cars, and walking is the main form of transportation; everyone
greets each other on the streets, and their regular diet consists of
foods I had never heard of before I entered the country. The SIT
program included a built-in period to orient us to the culture. The
first week of orientation was a life saver, a statement with which
everyone on my program would agree. That is the ultimate beauty
of studying abroad. Being able to experience the culture of another
country, not as a tourist, but as an accepted member in their society,
is a rare opportunity.
Studying abroad in Uganda was the most impactful experience
thus far in my life. I recently got a tattoo as a tribute to my
wonderful time in Uganda. After realizing how close I am to
meeting my graduation requirements and taking into account how
easy TU makes it to study abroad and how highly-encouraged it is,
especially in my field of sociology, where a cross cultural education
is so valued, I have made the decision to go abroad again. My
professors are accommodating my goal to go abroad again, and
so are the CGE and SIT, as my second program will be through
them as well. By offering this opportunity, TU shows the dedication
it has to students getting a well-rounded education and allowing
us to take advantage of and really make the most of our time as
undergraduates.
Study abroad is an opportunity unlike any other and something
I would recommend to everyone. There are programs to suit
everyone’s preference, and there are resources to make travel
available to almost any student at TU, whether their concern is
funding, course load, location or the ability to adapt to a new
environment. Along with that, there are scholarships that help
to fund these life-changing adventures. Study abroad is where I
found everything I wanted from my college experience: a quality
education, a challenge to overcome, new experiences unlike any
I had ever come across, and the opportunity to step out of my
comfort zone and enjoy doing so.
Kristina Marcotte ’16 traveled to Uganda with the help of the Benjamin A. Gilman
Scholarship, a nationally competitive and prestigious scholarship competition.
By John Mason, BA ‘14
After receiving a Bachelor’s Degree of Arts in English, John Mason interned
with the CGE before re-locating to the Open Road Training Center in Yuan
Zhou Zhen, China, just north of Hong Kong, where he is an English instructor.
His first-person account of how he got to Hong Kong follows.
If you were to go back in time and tell my younger self that I
would someday be living and working in China, I probably would
just laugh at you. Now, however, I can’t see myself doing anything
else.
Being in the College of Arts and Sciences, I was required to take
two years of a foreign language; I wasn’t really sure, though, which
language to study. Regardless, I went into enrollment fully prepared
to sign up for Spanish since I had studied it in high school. However,
as I was enrolling with Dr. Misra [Kalpana Misra, dean of the
Henry Kendall College of Arts & Sciences], I think she could tell by
my voice that I was dissatisfied in my choice. I vividly remember her
taking a good look at me and replying, “Are you sure?” It took me
a grand total of maybe two seconds before I responded, “Chinese.”
Without another word, she signed me up, and I was left wondering
what I had just done. As I began studying this new language, my
instructor informed the class about a language buddy program that
the Center for Global Education had put together with the 2 + 2
Chinese students (mentioned in the Tulsa-Bound article on pg. 3). It
took meeting just one Chinese student to realize the vast on-campus
community of Chinese students. I immediately became enthralled
by the culture, the language, and the people. It was brand new to
me, and it was exciting to experience another culture first-hand.
My desperation for going to China grew rapidly, but from a
financial standpoint, I always thought of studying abroad as an
impossibility. I was nearing the end of my college life, and all I can
remember thinking was, “What if it could work out?” After one
curious phone call and a brief talk with the CGE peer advisors, I
was left with a different mindset. I was fully prepared to invest in
this adventure of a lifetime, and it wasn’t going to break my bank
account. Needless to say, when the plane landed in Beijing, the
trajectory of my life was forever changed. I went on a summer
language program with IES Abroad, and it proved to be one of the
best times of my life.
During the summer after graduation, the CGE offered me an
internship working with students in the 2 + 2 program. Getting the
chance to continue building relationships with the Chinese student
community was an honor to say the least, and I absolutely loved it.
Getting to play a role in helping more Chinese students integrate
with the TU community was enormously rewarding, and I made
some truly lasting friendships.
One day, a particularly close Chinese friend of mine, Lawrence
Chu, informed me about a job opportunity to work as an English
teacher with his family in China. I can’t say I’ve ever had a more
“this-is-it” moment than that one.
Now that I’ve been here teaching English in China for about
six months, I can honestly say that I couldn’t be happier with my
life. I’m forever grateful to all of the Chinese students who allowed
me into their circles and were kind
enough to share their culture
with me. I’m glad that I
decided to make one little
phone call to the CGE office
to inquire if study abroad
was even feasible, and I’m
overjoyed that I got to come
back and work with the
CGE to help even more
Chinese students experience
America. I still have a hard
time wrapping my head
around the fact that I got to
experience the melting pot that is
The University of Tulsa.
John Mason ’14 turned his language requirement
at TU into a career teaching English in China.
As part of its mission, The University of Tulsa affirms to educate
men and women of diverse backgrounds and cultures to “welcome
the responsibility of citizenship, service, and leadership in a
changing world.”
What better way to achieve this aim than through comprehensive
internationalization, immersing students in a diverse campus
environment while creating an awareness of the larger world
around them? A team of more than 80 faculty and staff
members developed the Strategic Plan for Comprehensive
Internationalization (SPCI), which recommended six strategies
to integrate an international mindset into all aspects of university
operations, helping guide TU’s international activities. The results
have been good.
The commitment to comprehensive internationalization at TU is
now a key component of the university’s reaccreditation. In order
to maintain accreditation with The Higher Learning Commission
(HLC) and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
(NCA), TU has chosen an Open Pathway approach that holds
the university to a 10-year cycle of accreditation reaffirmation,
with a comprehensive evaluation conducted every 10th year. The
university is required to designate “one major improvement effort
it has undertaken” which “suits the institution’s present concerns
or aspirations.” Currently in the seventh year of the reaffirmation
of accreditation process, TU proposed the Strategic Plan for
Comprehensive Internationalization (SPCI) as its Quality Initiative
in August 2014.
The SPCI, implemented in May 2011, is to be supplemented by
the four milestones delineated in the Quality Initiative as follows:
Develop and fully implement the TU Global Scholars Program.
A four-year interdisciplinary certificate program, the Global
Scholars Program unites students from each of the undergraduate
colleges to consider vital issues in today’s world from a multifaceted
perspective. Participants benefit from an international focus in
their studies through study, research, or work abroad as well as
through tailored courses on the TU campus. Furthermore, the
Global Scholars Program is designed to be a catalyst for increasing
interdisciplinary courses offered at TU, bringing in guest lecturers
and scholars, and fostering a broader awareness of the global
community for the university as a whole. For more information on
the Global Scholars Program, see “Early Starts,” p. 10.
Deepen interdisciplinary teaching around critical global issues
associated with TU’s research institutes, including energy,
technology and environment; indigenous populations; community
health; and entrepreneurship.
Closely aligned with the creation of the Global Scholars
Program, this marker is focused on developing an international
and interdisciplinary curriculum within the university. Aided by
initiatives of the Global Scholars Program, the university further
encourages interdisciplinary teaching by expanding involvement
with existing research institutes and permanently funding Faculty
Internationalization Grants to support the creation of new courses.
These courses will utilize university engagement with international
research collaborators in order to address key interdisciplinary
issues. Additionally, this milestone calls for an examination of
current institutional amenability to internationalization including
a consideration of teaching loads and institutional resources,
such as campus housing, which might present barriers to further
internationalization.
Significantly increase participation in study abroad by developing
education abroad tracks for each undergraduate major.
Recognizing that many students seek to study abroad without
delaying time of graduation, TU aims to improve the integration of
study abroad experiences into degree programs. Taking the example
of the University of Minnesota’s curriculum integration (which is
internationally acknowledged for its innovation), TU launched the
Major Advising Plans for Study Abroad Project (MAPS) to support
the collaboration of faculty, academic advisors, and study abroad
professionals to foster a shared responsibility for an international
undergraduate experience. This project will identify specific options
and optimal timing of study abroad for each major on campus.
In addition, TU and the Center for Global Education have joined
the Institute of International Education’s (IIE) Generation Study
Abroad initiative with a pledge to double the number of students
profiting from study abroad opportunities within the next five
years. The creation of a task force to survey both barriers to and
opportunities for reaching these targets, as well as the appointment
of a new associate dean for global education, are the concrete
means by which this heightened international integration will be
achieved.
Deepen the engagement between TU’s undergraduate international
students and domestic students, both in and out of the classroom.
In light of TU’s thriving international undergraduate student
body, the university proposes the consideration of its diverse
campus community as a way for students to meaningfully engage
in intercultural experiences within the city of Tulsa. As such, TU
is reviewing the integration of international and domestic students
in the university experience. By assessing new student orientation
and freshman year experiences, expanding campus leadership
programs to encourage interaction of domestic and international
students, and increasing writing and communication support for
international students, the university hopes to enhance a sense of
shared community. Likewise, TU is developing resources for faculty
to teach in diverse classrooms and offering professional development
for staff working with international students in order to better
engage with international students and promote global learning.
These milestones, “will establish international, intercultural
or global awareness as a central formative experience for TU
undergraduate students.” With the Global Scholars Program in
its second year and the development of programs for integrating
international encounters into academic tracks in progress, the
Quality Initiative is well underway in furthering the goals of the
SPCI. As Cheryl Matherly, vice provost for international studies,
explains, “TU’s mission assumes that students who graduate from
TU understand something about how the world works and how
to work with people from different backgrounds. These are the
requirements for citizenship and service in a changing world.”
These decisions mark a re-focusing of the university’s efforts in
response to the global community in which it operates today and
recognize the inherent potential of study abroad to enhance the
execution of the university’s mission. By pursuing these goals, The
University of Tulsa and the Center for Global Education look
towards a globally conscious and integrated future as we amplify
our present international engagement.
i Quality Initiative Proposal, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
ii Ibid.
Nikki Hager ’1
5 and Gabriella
Pierce ’15 parti
led course in Gh
cipate in TU’s fa
ana. This progra
cultym exemplifies
interdisciplinar
the integrated
y nature of TU’s
and
internationaliz
ation efforts.
Weston Kightlinger ’14 (second from right) and fellow participants in the
Engineers without Borders Program traveled to Cotani, Bolivia. There they
built a solar heated shower unit that they had designed back in Tulsa.
11
Denmark
Norway
France
England
Wales
Scotland
Iceland
Germany
Sweden
Poland
Finland
Greece
Jordan
Russia
Nepal
Ireland
Morocco
Canada
Cuba
Dominican Republic
Bonaire
Japan
Bolivia
Mexico
Nicaragua
Costa Rica
Panama
Ecuador
Peru
TU has a variety of ways to get you
where you want to go. Since 2004,
more than 1,100 TU students have
spent time abroad in 66 countries.
This map indicates the destinations
where TU students have earned
academic credit abroad.
Senegal
Spain
Ghana
Belgium
Netherlands
Switzerland
Hungary
Brazil
Italy
Austria
Argentina
Chile
Turkey
South Korea
Indonesia
Oman
India
Bhutan
Madagascar
Uganda
China
Fiji
Cambodia
Singapore
Thailand
Egypt
South Africa
Botswana
Czech Republic
Australia
New Zealand