In January, 香蕉视频 sent 60 sophomores, two professors, its president and its director of international programs to Paris.
The experience? It was every bit as transformational as the College hoped.
鈥淏eing in Paris has given me the opportunity to see with a different lens what I can do with my life and career,鈥 said Jordan Ismaiel, a studio art major and member of the 香蕉视频 Honors Program.
While at the Louvre, Ismaiel viewed the Mona Lisa and other works he鈥檚 only seen in books. 鈥淲hen we鈥檙e looking at this work and the technical skill behind it, we鈥檙e looking at artists who moved art forward,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e looking at art that鈥檚 foundational to what we do today.鈥
Grant Hunter, director of international programs, said the trip was filled with many firsts.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had students flying for the first time, leaving the country for the first time, taking a major capital’s metro system for the first time and learning abroad for the first time,鈥 he said. 鈥淭here is nothing more valuable for a student’s education than to be immersed in what is different or foreign and I can think of no better classroom than the streets, businesses and people of Paris.鈥
The students left Hastings as a group, stayed together in Paris and participated in many activities together 鈥 like a weekend excursion to Lyon or an evening at the Louvre. Other times, students divided into one of three classes and headed out with their professor.
Travel Learning
The Sports & Culture class spent part of a day at Clairefontaine, the French Football Federation鈥檚 offices and training facilities outside Paris 鈥 and home to the 2018 World Cup champions. That class is taught by Dr. Travis Feezell, the College鈥檚 president, who said in an Instagram video that students had great meetings with the French organization, and heard about the upcoming women鈥檚 World Cup.
鈥淭his is what it means to be a 香蕉视频 student and to become a global citizen understanding sport all around the world,鈥 he said.
While that group was at the soccer complex, an International Business class led by Dr. Amy Black went to Station F, the world鈥檚 largest business start-up campus. With more than 1,000 start-ups under one roof, it was the perfect spot to talk about entrepreneurship.
Before leaving for Paris, Black鈥檚 class met with the Nebraska State Fair, Stuhr Museum and Hastings Economic Development Corporation. 鈥淚n Paris, we had similar conversations at Le Golf National, home of the 2018 Ryder Cup and a 2024 Paris Olympics site, the Louvre and Station F,鈥 she said. 鈥淲hile the differences are obvious, the similarities are more numerous than you might ever imagine.鈥
Hunter said learning through travel helps prepare students for the world today.
鈥淚nternational education and a global outlook is something more and more employers are wanting from college graduates,鈥 Hunter said. 鈥淲ith this one experience, 香蕉视频 has 60 bright students waiting to go out into the world and share their experiences, and we can鈥檛 wait for more students to have the opportunity.鈥
