>> [Background Music] Have you ever wanted to travel?
Wouldn't it be cool to experience the landscape
and cultures of Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa,
the Middle East, or the Caribbean?
Well, Montgomery College Study Abroad Programs are great ways
for you to travel the world, be immersed in a different culture
and earn credits towards your degree while you're at it.
Get your passport ready, the details are coming up next
on MC 101: On The Real.
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[Background Music] Hi, welcome to MC 101: On The Real.
I'm Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, Senior Vice President
for Student Services at Montgomery College.
MC has an extremely diverse, ethnic student body.
We have students from more than 170 countries.
Because of this diversity the college is dedicated
to bringing a greater awareness
of global perspectives to our students.
One big way we're accomplishing that is
through our Study Abroad Programs.
Dr. Greg Malveaux, the coordinator of Study Abroad
at MC has the details.
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>> [Background Music] I would say the concept of Study Abroad
in general is probably three concepts that you could put it
into the first being that we have an environment for a study
for academics that goes beyond the constraints
of the traditional classroom setting.
With Study Abroad you're able to not only read about it,
write about it, and discuss it but you're actually able
to get you hands dirty in the midst of it,
meaning that you experience it as well.
Those locations and those different experiences
that you know historically or culturally,
you become immerse in with Study Abroad.
And to do things, you know, such as archeological digs,
go to different museums abroad,
to go to sites whether it's the mountains, rivers,
whatever ranges that you have to in terms of really trying
to understand a little bit better that environment,
that culture, that history, whatever discipline it is
that you're-- you're looking at, it allows you
to actually get deeply involved, delve with it.
And even the individuals there
and how they experience those things
as they are experiencing those things, not just what you read
but actually being there for that experience itself.
The next two concepts of Study Abroad, I think closely connect
to Montgomery College.
We really want to incorporate service learning
as part of this as well.
Service learning components tend to be a part
of a short term two-week program where a group may help
to build a water irrigation system in a village
that doesn't have the plumbing and so forth and students so,
you know, we expect them to get involved.
Probably the third concept in terms of study abroad
and also Montgomery College is a part of is bringing it back
to the fold here at the college itself and having programs
where students and faculty,
administrators share their experiences
to the community itself and to have different functions,
different speakers on campus, celebrating different cultures
and just, you know, appreciating our diversity in a very global
and educational manner.
Aside from short-term study abroad
which I mentioned you have semester
or year-long study abroad and that is for credits
that are earned in, you know, a full schedule,
full credits that are earned.
We make sure that any classes
that are abroad are transferred back here
and can be transferable
to schools throughout the state as well.
The students who go abroad are very diverse group.
These are students who are open-minded to other groups
so people cultures, environments,
but not necessarily the case.
We also have students who've never traveled in there life
who feel like "Well, I need to have a new experience as well."
Some of the locations are, well they've gone all over the world.
India is a location that was not long ago, also Senegal
and the Gambia, Germany, Luxembourg, and Belgium as well.
We did a Peru program that looked at archeological sites
and digs that were done there.
So, in the future the hope is to do a number
of Study Abroad Programs and projects.
I'm excited about the fact
that perhaps we will be doing a program at Cuba
for a short-term study abroad for two weeks.
We have a very exciting possibility as well
with a relationship with the University of Gondar in Ethiopia
and we were actually fortunate to have some of the officials
from the University of Gondar visited us and talked
about this partnership.
So, those are some of locations, those are some
of the disciplines that we're involved with them as well.
After each student returns from a study abroad,
we have a one-on-one conference in my office,
a post sort of interview.
And a lot of these students that I've interviewed, you know,
have said that it has altered their lives
and they get this sort of experience they appreciate
in terms of international experience.
They become far more marketable, you know,
in terms of a job market.
Students want to get in the midst of things,
they want to meet those people,
they want to get their hands dirty, they want to be part
of the culture, they want to eat that food,
they want to experience it fully
and that's the gift of study abroad.
I strongly encourage students to take part in study abroad.
I cannot stress enough this sort of opportunities
and the life altering occurrence
that could result from study abroad.
I do my best to try to assist them
and still have a safe program for them but I do, you know,
certainly encourage study abroad for their open-mindedness
and for they're growth.
So, if a student has interest in study abroad you can contact me
by phone, by e-mail, and online at my web page for study abroad
and I will do my best to assist you
and look forward to seeing you.
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>> So, you see, study abroad is an exciting way to travel
to far away places and to work with and learn from people
from every corner of the planet.
But, what exactly happens on a study abroad program?
Let's have some of our faculty members
who have instructed their classes abroad fill you in.
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>> [Background Music] I was one of the tour leaders to Senegal
on Gambia in West Africa.
The program was tied in with my--
BIO 203 class which is General Microbiology.
>> I was fortunate to be able to travel
with the China program in 2008.
And then, for the Senegal and Gambia trip I was asked
to help do some of that education
and the preparation there.
And I proposed and developed and then co-led the India program
that was during the winter of 2011 and 2012.
>> In the Senegal trip, I was one of the three faculty leaders
and that was tied to my African History course,
history 230 which is Africa Since 1800.
The three of us actually had students
who were working with us.
>> I had two students that I were supervising.
One of the students was interested
in studying the HIV-Aids issues in Senegal
and the other student was interested
in studying the efficacy of the herbs, African herbs
on certain microbial infections.
>> Each of these programs inform what I do in the classroom
because each of these programs looked at global themes
and you might have something happening in Senegal
that actually illustrates common themes in Modern Asia.
>> Our students wrote papers and they did work when they
where in country in Senegal
for which they've received academic credit.
Well, a student who was interested in nursing went there
and observed nursing programs in country.
I had a student who was interested in art
and he studied Senegalese instruments,
musical instruments.
My student who is in History visited the site
of Goree Islands which was the site of a slave fort.
There were several different kinds of projects.
>> With the India program,
we did spiritual sites, religious sites.
We saw how that translated into modern life so we were
at the holy city of Hinduism.
We looked at how Islam had blended there.
We looked at the monument of the great Moguls.
>> Going to the West African Research Center in Dakar,
to speak with some of the professors that taught
at the universities and also to actually go into the field
to look at some of the methods that they are using to walk
with these HIV individuals.
>> We visited the University of Dakar
and a very spirited discussion with one of the faculty members,
one of the female faculty members
about the role of women in Senegal.
>> It was important to understand the--
what happened with Imperialism.
So, we had to ride the trains
because that's what the British used.
We took two overnight train rides.
We did a service project at a school for untouchable children.
We went to a dance festival.
>> The traditional African Healing settlement in Fatick,
there we met some patients
and we've met some traditional healers
and they further explained the sort of methodology
that they used to heal these patients.
>> When we were in the Gambia, we spoke to a gentleman
who was involved in historic restoration
of an old slave fort along the Gambia River.
>> We stated in Assam [phonetic] and one morning we did yoga
at sunrise on the roof of the Assam as we looked
out of the Ganges river.
That's just a tiny portion of what we did.
But, with everything that we did, we gave lectures
or we had experts give lectures.
>> The outcomes of these activities in terms
of culture was very, very mind boggling.
The students for the first time had to see a lot of things
through a culture and not a cultural lens.
>> I think the students were able to benefit a great deal
from interacting with local people.
>> For the students they got this information,
they got to hear how the sitar had traveled across here Asia
from the sitar player who then started playing Beatles music.
>> This travel allowed them to see other cultures,
other ways of living that they are not used to.
You know, it was quite exciting for the students to mingle
with people from other cultures.
>> There is a great value in interacting with people
in multi-cultural contexts
and so they will carry these experiences forward with them
in the future as they go through their lives.
I think this experience will be a major reference point
in their lives.
>> What was really amazing for them was to meet these families
when we were at the Taj Mahal.
Everybody was celebrating.
They wanted our students' pictures taken with them.
That was a huge, huge, huge thing.
So, each student got something different from the trip.
>> Going and interacting with people
who speak different languages
or in a different culture changes you forever,
changes you forever.
>> Here at Montgomery College people from all parts
of the world about 170 countries are represented.
And, this study abroad program helps the students to be able
to respond to the different cultures they are fortuned
to meet in their classrooms.
>> Regardless of what your major is.
Having this experience of interacting with people
in another country, in a different culture,
in a different language,
in a different cultural environment is
extremely valuable.
>> The great thing
about Montgomery College's Study Abroad Program is its academic
nature, its creation by faculty,
this is not just a tour and you're protected.
>> Montgomery College Study Abroad is one of the bests.
I am proud to be part of that program.
>> I saw a great saying and I don't know who said it but said,
"Leap and the net will appear."
Well, this is an amazing opportunity to travel
with Montgomery College because you can leap
and we're the net for you.
And so, you have everything to gain.
>> It's a fundamental part of your education to have this kind
of experience so I recommend it in the strongest possible terms.
>> All I can say to Montgomery College students,
"If you are interested in embarking on an exciting
and enjoyable academic endeavor, that can have a powerful impact
on your psyche and personal relationships.
Please join the Montgomery College Study Abroad program.
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>> [Background Music] Whether you engaged in a short-term
or extended program, the Study Abroad Programs
at Montgomery College will give you a greater understanding
and appreciation of other cultures while having the
opportunity to see places
and do thing you might never have had the chance
to do otherwise and it looks fantastic on your resume.
That's all the time we have for this episode
of MC 101: On The Real.
Thank you for watching our show.
And we'll leave you with images
from MC's past Study Abroad Programs.
See you next time.
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