The First Christian Study Abroad Summit
This past April, Living & Learning presented the inaugural Christian Study Abroad Summit, hosted by LU Send of Liberty University. The summit was a gathering of off-campus studies offices at Christian colleges and universities and the programs and international colleges who receive the students.
The 50 attendees represented 12 Christian colleges and universities and 11 study-away programs and international colleges. Throughout the gathering, we came to refer to these two groups as senders and receivers. While many of the attendees interface one-on-one with each other throughout the year, this forum allowed attendees to capture a greater sense of the field, meet new colleagues operating in similar capacities, and begin to cast a vision for the future of Christian experiential learning programs.
We recognize that there are phenomenal organizations that serve as leading experts in traditional study abroad such as the Forum on Education Abroad, NAFSA, and Institute of International Education. Christian colleges, universities, and study abroad providers are well served by these organizations. What is missing, though, is a space for Christians to build community, collaborate, explore the nuances and unique challenges of Christian Study Abroad programming, and discern how a biblical worldview can form our thinking around global engagement.
The gathering kicked off with an orientation to the room, worship, and prayer. On day two, the large-group sessions covered topics including Leading Study Abroad on Your Campus, How Faith-Affiliated Colleges and Universities are Defining Their Planned Outcomes in Global Learning Programs (research presentation), and Defining Christian Study Abroad: A Guided Discussion on Best Practices Rrom the Room.
During breakout sessions, participants explored topics that included:
Tactics to increase study abroad participation on your campus
Faculty-led programming, financial models for study abroad
Student conduct abroad within a Christian context, and
How academic collaborations can increase access to study abroad for specific disciplines
The final morning included a panel discussion on a range of topics hearing from Austin Robertson of Biola University, David Martinez of George Fox University, Nikki Kang of Bethel University, Brittney Villhauer of Students International, Pie Martinez of Westmont in San Francisco, and Kimberly Spragg of the Uganda Studies Program.
The summit ended by looking to the future and how we will move forward.
First, L&LI will keep this community going between Senders and Receivers over email.
Second, an invitation for the community to contribute in three ways:
A document outlining Christian study abroad distinctive.
Planning for future gatherings, and academic collaboration (new programs).
The launch of an association — an open space for Senders and Receivers to foster the ideas discussed at the Summit through multiple venues and formats.
Lastly, we hope to continue the conversation this fall at the Best Practices in Christian Higher Ed at Abilene Chrisitan University.
We look forward to our next Christian Study Abroad Summit.
Want to learn more and be involved? We would love to connect with you: info@livingandlearninginternational.com