HPU sport management students toured the Olympic Hall in Athens, Greece, home of the AEK basketball club.
HIGH POINT, N.C., June 19, 2024 – High Point University students who were enrolled in 18 classes explored 10 countries this summer on faculty-led Global Experience and “Maymester” programs.
Short-term study abroad programs allow HPU students to travel internationally with their professors to learn about different countries through real-world experiences. Their European destinations this year included the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Italy, the Czech Republic, Greece and Switzerland. Several other HPU classes also traveled to Asia and Australia this summer.
“This year’s outstanding variety of faculty-led study abroad programs include new courses in fashion and design and luxury management to compliment popular returning courses in art, business, history, biodiversity and conservation, sport management, media and popular culture, and world languages,” said Dr. Jeffrey M. Palis, assistant vice president for Global Education. “Despite our growth, we haven’t lost sight of what makes these programs so special — the enriching opportunity to live and learn abroad with faculty mentors while having our eyes opened to new ways of approaching the challenges and opportunities that will face future global leaders.”
Global Experience programs are semester-long courses taught on campus with a two-week international travel component at the end of the semester. Maymester programs are month-long, self-contained courses generally taught while abroad in May and June.
Here are highlights from some of the European programs.
Lessons in London
Dr. Amanda Allen, assistant professor of history, led students from her Tudor Dynasty class, which focuses on the Tudors’ rule of England from 1485-1603. While touring, students compared the history they learned to the current culture.
“As the English capital, London was extremely important for the Tudors, and it is great for students to experience and see the vast historical impact that remains from this time period,” said Allen. “Their dynasty marked an important shift from the medieval to modern eras and is still a topic that fascinates many. Some of the key places we visited that highlight what life was like for the Tudors are Hampton Court Palace, Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London and the Golden Hinde. We also saw the hit musical ‘SIX’ and analyzed what is historically accurate, or not, about the musical and why the creators decided to portray things differently for a modern audience. While you can learn this topic anywhere, students witnessing it firsthand, as the Tudors meant for their people in their own time, is truly the epitome of experiential learning. I am so pleased I can teach my favorite topic on location and see the ways students light up and learn as we explored London together.”
The Maymester course provided an opportunity to learn about the historic Tudor Dynasty and explore the United Kingdom, said Georgia Regas, a Class of 2026 exercise science major from Hinsdale, Illinois.
“From studying the lifestyle, economic and political advancements of this time period to seeing where and how those decisions were made by King Henry VIII, seeing the advancements firsthand only inspired students more to explore the history of London,” Regas said. “This class and our teacher, Dr. Allen, truly deepened my appreciation for the study of history and the need for it not to repeat itself. Anyone can learn history but appreciating it and absorbing the culture is something only an abroad program like this can do.”
Alexis Way, a Class of 2025 history major from Maryland, said the experience taught her the importance of adaptability in London’s fast-paced culture.
“It has been rewarding to go from navigating the city while feeling like a tourist to feeling a part of London’s natural rhythm,” said Way. “Walking through the city with the ability to identify important dates, places and people without referring to my notes has been rewarding and a great indicator of how much I’ve absorbed through class lectures and excursions.”
As a future educator, Way looks forward to carrying this experience into her future classroom. “I’m excited to say, ‘I’ve been there!’ to my students and include firsthand stories and photos in my lectures,” Way said. “I feel more well-rounded as a historian and confident to teach the knowledge I’ve learned.”
Marketing and Culture in Spain
The purpose of the Marketing in Spain course is to enhance students’ knowledge and understanding of international marketing practice as well as the implications of language in marketing communications while studying in Spain with Dr. Miguel Sahagun, the Charles T. Ingram associate professor of marketing.
“We stay in Salamanca using the facilities of the Universidad de Salamanca, where we have classes from Monday to Thursday,” said Sahagun. “During the weekends, we travel to visit different regions of Spain, such as Merida, Sevilla, Burgos, San Sebastian, Bilbao, Segovia, La Alberca and Guarda-Portugal.”
Students explore well-preserved archaeological sites, including the impressive Roman theater and amphitheater that offer a fascinating glimpse into the past and enrich understanding of both ancient civilizations and contemporary marketing strategies, Sahagun said. Through the experience, students developed greater global awareness and deeper cross-cultural understanding. They also designed an advertising campaign that addresses multiculturalism in a global market.
Amanda Malgieri, a Class of 2025 international business major with minors in Spanish and economics from Green Brook, New Jersey, said she learned about Spain, the Spanish culture and the skills necessary to navigate across borders.
“During our four-week stay, I enhanced my language skills and practiced intercultural communication,” said Malgieri. “Noticing diversities, such as how they perceive personal space or the nonverbal communication from people, will undoubtedly help me in my future career. As an international business student, I find immense value in learning how to adapt in unfamiliar situations and to build emotional intelligence when interacting with people from another culture.”
Charlotte Miller was part of the Spanish Language and Culture in Sevilla Maymester program led by Dr. Adam Winkel and Carmen Salama. This program featured Spanish language courses and local home stays.
“Not only did it help me pursue my academic goals, but I was able to immerse myself into the Spanish culture and enhance my understanding and fluency in the language within just a few weeks,” said Miller. “This program encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and become more independent in a variety of ways. This experience is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I am so honored to have been a part of it with so many great people I met along the way.”
Leading a month-long study abroad program in Sevilla, Spain, is an incredibly rewarding experience, Salama said. “As an educator, the greatest satisfaction comes from witnessing the students’ personal and academic growth unfold. It’s inspiring to see their perspectives broaden, their language skills improve, and their independence and adaptability flourish.”
French Language and Finance in France
Students routinely laud the benefits of study abroad programs and describe them as life-altering opportunities, said Dr. Benoît Leclercq, French Program director and associate professor of French. Faculty are proud to instill life skills in students on campus, and he saw students practicing those same skills overseas in a different language.
“Over the course of our Maymester in Aix-en-Provence, Nice, Marseille and Cassis, I have seen usually reserved students volunteer to help people in the streets, ask directions or engage in conversations with the locals, all in French,” said Leclercq. “I have witnessed students make this new, foreign city their own and guide their classmates through windy, medieval streets to make on-site historical and architectural presentations. I have had the pleasure and surprise of discussing and contrasting with them the finer points of the European Union and its administration compared to the American federal system.”
Studying abroad challenges and heightens the competencies students have and strive to develop, he said. With three hours of class every day, large amounts of reading and homework, as well as visits and excursions, students are pushed beyond the limits they thought they had. Students not only developed their linguistic skills in record time, but they also became adept at handling the unexpected and uncomfortable, Leclercq said.
Studying in France provided a different pace than her normal organized and scheduled practice, said Shelby Caruso, a rising junior double major in French and international business from Washington, D.C.
“I lived more in the moment, and it felt like a completely different life compared to what I was used to,” said Caruso. “I also think that this experience will help me in the future. I studied French on the trip and can tell that my ability has improved since the first day I arrived. I believe that learning a language is an important skill that can help anyone become more confident when traveling abroad. It made life in France so much easier and made navigating an unfamiliar situation more peaceful.”
The finance course based in Aix-en-Provence provided students with an extraordinary opportunity to develop their cultural navigational skills, said Thomas James, professor of the practice of finance.
“Steeped in history dating to the Roman era, this small walkable city is known as ‘the City of 1,000 Fountains,’” said James. “Second only to Paris in the number of mansions, it has offered students beautiful architecture, a variety of museums, art galleries and other cultural opportunities. The daily markets selling food, clothing and flowers, as well as a vast array of dining establishments, provided students with the opportunity to live like locals during their stay.”
Exploring Art in Italy
The Grand Tour of Italy is an art class that allows students to view and create art ranging from the ancient to the most contemporary. Scott Raynor, chair and professor of art and graphic design, joined Mark Brown, associate professor of art, in leading students each day to study works by the ancient Romans and Renaissance artists.
Highlights included giving HPU students the opportunity to visit the world’s most important contemporary art exhibition, the Venice Biennale, where students saw cutting-edge artworks from artists representing more than 80 countries. Students also had special permission to create art in world-renowned museums, such as the Academia, and sketched the ancient ruins in the Roman Forum. Students were encouraged to experiment, sketch and find their unique voice by engaging the works of art from the past and present, said Raynor.
“Having the chance to go on the Grand Tour Global Experience program was not only a huge opportunity to learn about the culture in many cities but was also a way for me to grow in my art,” said Kinsey Gebhart, a senior studio art major. “Being able to see so many paintings, sculptures, carvings, buildings and so much more was a perfect way to create my own art that was different from what I normally do. This was a way for me to go outside of my comfort zone and gain a better understanding of not only what I’m capable of but what people were able to do hundreds of years ago.”
Checking Out the Czech Republic
Honors Scholars spent a month exploring the urban architecture of Prague and studying the foreign and familiar, said Dr. Stacy Lipowski, associate professor of psychology and faculty director for the Honors Aesthetic Maymester in Prague. She co-taught a Space and Place class with Jay Putnam, associate professor of theater. Dr. Timothy O’Keefe, assistant professor of English, led a class on estrangement.
“In a class on estrangement, students engage questions of cultural identity and creativity through multi-media projects, such as personal video montage and photographic fiction,” said Lipowski. “Students taking a course on Space and Place are developing performances to examine the personal nature of the spaces in the city that surrounds them.”
Emily Gaines, a Class of 2025 behavioral neuroscience major from Concord, North Carolina, said studying abroad with the honors program in Prague taught her life skills that will help her prepare for her future career in occupational therapy. Gaines oversees a blog, Prague Blague, that captures students’ study abroad experience in the Czech Republic.
“I think this will help with my studies and future career because it taught me strong communication skills as well as time management, navigating skills and just being immersed in culture and adapting to new things,” said Gaines. “Studying in a foreign country is not a familiar or easy task, but I feel confident that I am leaving with valuable skills I hope to keep with me as I continue my education and start my career.”
Jacqueline Frate, a first-year pharmacy major in the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, said studying abroad is an incredible opportunity and something she had always dreamed of doing.
“I am taking an Aesthetic Inquiry course in Prague, and like all Honors classes, they challenge me in a whole different way than my science curriculum does,” said Frate, who is from Charlotte, North Carolina. “Taking a class such as this one in a place like Prague allows me to look at things from an entirely different perspective. Additionally, studying abroad has helped me to navigate the world from a new place filled with so much excitement alongside my trusted friends and professors.”