Cross-cultural experiences for Bluffton University students open new opportunities for sophomores, juniors and seniors. There are short-term and long-term experiences offered to students. Paul Neufeld Weaver, professor of education and Spanish and director of global education, and Elaine Suderman, assistant director of cross-cultural programs, both play a role in the decision-making
Riley Larcom, junior accounting and business major filling out his cross-cultural application.
for the cross-cultural programs.
“We feel students need to experience something completely different, participating and immersing themselves within a culture that isn’t their own,” said Suderman.
Students are able to apply for short-term experiences during this time. Applications were opened for students on Oct. 13 and will be open until Oct. 20.
The short-term experiences offered this year are located in Bolivia, Czech Republic, Guatemala, Hopi Navajo and Zuni located in the southwest U.S., Kentucky, San Antonio Texas, and Washington, D.C. All these participating students will take on this experience between the months of May and June for a two-week period.
“We want our students to connect with them and learn from them,” said Suderman. “Then when they come back, how do they change and what do they do differently due to participating in a cross-cultural experience.”
Students also have the option of a semester-long experience. This will give them the chance to dig deeper and immerse themselves more within the culture of the particular experience they chose. The long-experiences are structured in a more condensed form compared to the short-term experiences.
“We have students who feel that short-term experiences aren’t enough,” said Suderman. “Those students usually are those who have traveled a lot and done mission-type trips with their churches or through the school, so they are ready to do something longer.”
The program was designed about 20 years ago to have students globally connect to a culture outside of their own. Most universities in Ohio don’t offer cross-cultural experiences as Bluffton does.
“Some students come to Bluffton because they hear about the opportunities that we offer,” said Neufeld Weaver. “We work hard to keep the program fees low and we’ve had conversations with students and administration about it being a burden, but when you compare it to other universities with similar experiences we find it to be cheaper because Bluffton is committed to this.”
Not only will the cross-cultural experience open students up to a new culture, but can help with their future careers as well as establish a better resume, Suderman said.
“Students’ transcripts show your cross-cultural experience,” said Suderman. “And when you have that on your resume, employers look at it and I think they will see a student that went outside of the box, who is willing to try things and be creative, connect to various types of people and open to new ways of doing things.”
For students unable to participate in an experience, two semesters of a language is also offered to fulfill the requirement.
“I think that by experiencing a new culture, you get to experience a new lifestyle that can impact you for the rest of your life,” said Riley Larcom, junior Accounting and Business major.
