International Experiences Archives

Posted on November 30, 2015November 30, 2015 by kleinsm1 — Leave a comment

Grovers Abroad: Q&A with Raquel Fereshetian

Raquel Fereshetian is a junior communication studies major with a minor in business. She is currently spending a semester abroad in Florence Italy at the international institute Lorenzo de’Medici. After graduation Raquel hopes to enter into a marketing or design job in the fashion industry.

Why were you interested in studying abroad?

I decided to study abroad because I wanted to step out into the world and experience and see life in a new way. I was also encouraged by many upperclassman and family members.

What did the process look like in regards to finding your program?

There were many different options in finding a school and program abroad. The GCC international office of education put me in contact with upperclassman who had previously studied abroad to help guide me and share their own experiences. I really valued the inside advice that they provided which allowed me to finally choose Florence and my institute, LdM.

What does your program look like in Florence, classes and living situation?

I attend Lorenzo de’ Medici, an Italian international institute located in different places all around the heart of the city of Florence. I am taking classes including Visual Communications (Graphic Design), Sociology of Consumerism, Intercultural Communications, Anthropology of Fashion, and of course, Italian. I especially appreciate the very highly educated Italian native teachers and the insight they provide on their respective topics. I directly enrolled into the institute so, although I am not directly included in a program, I enjoy getting to know those who are through my classes and the many activities (museum visits, tours, and wine tastings) that the school provides. I am even involved in a free ceramics club! I live in an apartment in the city with three roommates, a walk from the main center. I absolutely love my authentic Italian apartment, and although I have a lot of new responsibilities, it is wonderful to be able to feel accomplished living on my own.

Could you generally describe what your experience has been like so far?

I experienced very little culture shock as I find I am able to adapt quickly, however, the stress of life abroad is very hard to get used to. There is something new to experience or to see every day which can sometimes be overwhelming. I, however, have found that the growing experience that study abroad provides is completely worth all of the difficulties. My time in Florence has been faster than I could ever imagine, and I have found myself soaking up the last few wonderful moments I will have in this city that has become my home.

What are some of your favorite places or experiences you’ve had while studying abroad?

I had the wonderful privilege of traveling all around Europe during my time here in Florence, including Belgium, Italy, Hungary, France, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, and Slovenia. Out of the nine countries I have been able to explore, I have grown to especially love Italy. I found that taking time to immerse myself into the Italian culture has allowed me to even more appreciate my home here. I absolutely loved having authentic Italian experiences and learning the inner workings of life here. In Italy, a bigger country than I ever realized before, I was able to travel to small and large cities, beaches, lakes, and islands. My favorite moments included times when I could converse and befriends locals.

Would you recommend students consider studying abroad, and how important do you think it is to a college experience?

YES. Studying abroad is a once in a lifetime opportunity where you can learn and grow immensely. The weeks before leaving for Italy I kept asking myself why I chose to part from everything that was familiar to me: friends, family, my school, and my country and live in a completely unfamiliar place. I was challenged by someone close to me that the Christian walk is not about being dependent on the securities of life but instead stepping out of that comfort. In addition to this challenge, I would say that studying abroad has been a key time for me to reflect on my life and future desires.

You can follow Raquel’s journey on her blog here (http://becomingflorentine.com/)

Posted on November 26, 2015December 6, 2015 by Anna Scofield — Leave a comment

Passions & Pathways: Career Spotlight on Abby Genzink

A liberal arts education at Grove City College allows you to explore your interests with both breadth and depth. In this series, you will meet GCC students who are discovering their passions, pursuing their interests, and customizing their education as they pursue their desired careers.

Coming into college, Abby Genzink (’16) knew that she wanted to pursue a career in international development. Her passion for faith and relationships led her to become interested in community and international development.

Specifically, Abby’s passion for international development grew out of her heart for restoring human dignity and respect.

“I love watching people be dignified and watching people be respected and there are so many places around the world where that is not happening,” she explains.

Abby finds joy in connecting people with others who are unlike them and she describes this process as building bridges.

“I’m so passionate about development and bringing dignity to people, especially in regards to providing for themselves and their families, and along with that, teaching people how we can partner with people who are in poverty in ways that we aren’t, because we also have issues that they can teach us,” she explains.

As she considered her interests and options, Abby decided to pursue a double major in English and Communication Studies in order to gain an interdisciplinary approach to international development.

“I’ve always loved literature, but I also loved how literature could help me to understand culture in a different way,” she says.

In addition to learning in her English classes, Abby’s communication classes have given her the opportunity to learn more about international development through various projects.

“For my Research Methods project, I did a study on how conflict affects poverty. I feel like I learned so much from that. I feel like I’ve gotten, in my own way, a focus in international development through my comm major. Communication has given me the skills but it has also given me freedom to learn more about development through a communication lens,” she says.

Several experiences outside of class have also encouraged Abby’s interest in community and international development. During her sophomore year, Abby had a service learning internship with Olde Town Grove City, where she learned more about issues in community development. This past summer, Abby was able to experience international development through a service trip to Armenia with the Red Box Missions program at GCC.

In Armenia, Abby partnered with the United Methodist Committee on Relief, where she visited several of their programs and partnerships. She visited many places such as a farm, a refugee center, and a school, and Abby wrote stories about each for the organization’s website.

For the second half of her trip, Abby worked on a variety of projects for a small nonprofit in the city of Ejmiatsin which teaches classes for Armenian children about government, justice, their rights as citizens, and practical skills for trade. Abby explains that teaching children is an important aspect of development. “Part of what they say about development is that you need to teach children from the very start so that they are equipped to have minds that are creative and problem solve and understand that they deserve to be respected,” she says.

As a result of her wide variety of learning experiences at Grove City College, Abby has found a niche for herself in communications within the field of international development.

“The more that I’ve learned about myself, the more I’ve learned that I want to do communications within that field….in international development, you need doctors, you need economists, and you need people doing communications and I feel like that is where I fit in,” she says.

Reflecting on her experiences so far, Abby recognizes the importance of taking initiative when it comes to pursuing your passions.

“If I had it in my head that I was looking for the opportunities, I always found them…My professors were really good about partnering with me and helping me find the things that would be geared toward what I wanted to do and would prepare me for my future.”

Posted on November 16, 2015November 30, 2015 by Anna Scofield — Leave a comment

Grovers Abroad: Q&A with Allison Hafner

Allison Hafner (‘17), a psychology major at Grove City College, is currently spending a semester abroad at University College Cork in Ireland. Through the GCC Office of International Education and the University Studies Abroad Consortium, Allison is broadening her education across the pond.

1. Why did you decide to study abroad in Ireland?

Ireland was one of those places I had always wanted to visit. I never thought I’d get the opportunity, so when it started to seem like study abroad was an option, it was one of the first I looked into. Everything started to come together and Cork seemed like the best fit.

2. What was the process that you went through to find a study abroad program?

To be honest, I did very little to find the program. I went to the Office of International Education and asked for information about studying abroad. I didn’t think I’d be able afford it and I was mostly looking at estimated costs. They gave me a couple of books that contained programs and the universities they worked with. USAC [University Studies Abroad Consortium] included a program in Ireland that offered major courses I needed so I ran with it.

3. What classes are you taking this semester?

I’m taking 3 major required courses: Therapies, Biological Basis of Behavior, and Cognitive Psychology. Being a foreign student, I also get the opportunity to take cultural classes not available to Irish students. I’m in an introductory Irish history course and an Irish folklore course.

4. What would you consider to be the best parts of living at Cork this semester?

The most obvious answer to that would be to simply see Ireland. The country is stunning. Learning about its history while getting to see the landscapes and castles is so surreal. However, some of the best memories I’ll be taking from this semester are the interactions I’ve had while here. I was welcomed into a church and, even if for a season, made some wonderful friends. Traveling is fun, but sharing the experiences is such a joy.

DSC_0437edit — Allison on the coast in Derrynane, Ireland.

4. How has your experience living in another country supplemented your education as a Grove City student?

For me, it gave me a chance to be more independent. I was very much on my own, and while challenging at times, it gave me a chance to see where I’m at. My entire grade rests on my finals, which forces me to study and do the reading without anything to hold me accountable during the semester. It was also a good opportunity for me to be intentional with my faith. University College Cork has the nickname “the godless campus.” It’s a very secular school (which is a very different atmosphere from Grove City). If I wanted to grow, I had to make the time and invest.

6. If you were talking to a prospective student thinking about studying abroad, why would you recommend studying abroad through Grove City College?

Studying abroad is unique; you won’t be able to replicate it later on in life. One of the things about Grove City’s study abroad office that I am so thankful for is their flexibility and patience. They are very good at helping find a program, answering questions, and working through difficulties as they arise.

To learn more about the study abroad opportunities provided by Grove City College, visit the Office of International Education.

Posted on October 30, 2015December 2, 2015 by Sarah Stites — Leave a comment

Guten tag, Germany!

Ever since visiting Germany in middle school, Steve Thomas (’16) knew he wanted to return someday. The country and its culture had captured his heart, so, starting in seventh grade, he began to learn the language.

Although he did not initially think about studying abroad, the accounting and finance major began to contemplate the idea once he got to Grove City. After investigating his options, he decided to spend his fall semester of junior year at Freie Universität, a high-ranking university founded at the beginning of the Cold War by anti-communist students and academics in West Berlin. Thomas had chosen a destination with a history of conflict, but also one of resurgence. Berlin is now a top European destination, and Thomas found the people to be very open to discussing their city’s troubled past.

Even with a very solid background in the German language, Thomas was still challenged by the speed at which the natives spoke. However, immersion, combined with the upper level German classes he took at Freie Uni, only helped him to further hone his skills.

In addition to German, Thomas took courses in Europe & the Global Economy and European Business Cultures. In the latter class, he was able to visit several German firms and discuss with executives such issues as their corporate response to globalization. This provided great real world experience that he was able to apply to business courses back home at Grove City.

One of the downsides of Thomas’ university experience was the lack of diversity in the student abroad program, many of whom were American. However, Thomas was able to connect with Europeans through other means, such as attending a German-speaking church. This was initially difficult to find, as Berliners are a people who focus more on the logical and less on the spiritual aspects of life. This, in combination with East Berlin’s history of repressive communism, has made the city spiritually dormant. However, when Thomas did finally find a body of believers, he was touched by the realization that the Truth transcends geography and culture.

Over the four months of his semester abroad, the avid traveler was able to visit fourteen European countries, journeying as far north as Norway and east as Turkey. When asked about his favorite destination, Thomas, who was born in Glasgow, had a hard time deciding whether Scotland or Norway topped the list.

In the former country, he had been able to reconnect with his roots, even having tea and shortbread with the minister who baptized him as a baby. Yet, in Norway, the Colorado native found a culture with an easier way of life, centered amidst a backdrop of gorgeous fjords and mountains. This was especially welcome to him after feeling somewhat stifled by the city life of Berlin.

Although Thomas was glad to return to his family and the wide and wild space of Colorado, he struggled to find people with whom to share the stories of his international experience. Additionally, after focusing for four months on his German language skills, he sometimes found difficulty expressing himself in English. However, despite the small challenges, the experience was life-changing. Thomas learned so much about himself, his faith and others. To students contemplating whether to study abroad, he advises: “Do it! You’ll find that the world is a smaller and friendlier place than you’d imagine. There’s an inexhaustible supply of cultural treasures and experiences out there waiting to widen your understanding of humanity.”

Following graduation, Thomas will begin a career at the Denver branch of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). Because the corporation is global, it is not unusual for employees to be transferred for stints to PwC branches abroad. With Thomas’ skills in German, the likelihood is high that he’ll make it back to Europe yet again someday.

To learn more about Grove City’s study abroad program, visit here.

Posted on October 26, 2015December 8, 2015 by Emily Rothbard — Leave a comment

2 Cups Creativity, 1 Cup Opportunity, and a Hearty Pinch of Determination

Good chefs follow recipes. Great chefs create their own.

When it comes to finding your calling, there’s not always a recipe for success. As 2002 alumna Anna Watson Carl can attest, sometimes you have to start from scratch. Though she now enjoys a successful career in food and journalism, it’s been quite a journey for Carl—one full of excitement, uncertainty, and a few tossed crepes.

As her passport will reveal, Carl’s world has certainly gotten bigger since graduating from the Grove. Still, she was glad to return to her alma mater to kick off this year’s Communication Pathways speaker series hosted by the Department of Communication & Visual Arts. As Carl whet the appetite of every foodie and aspiring creative professional in the room, her story proved to be one worth sharing.

AWC edited 2 — Photo courtesy of Nate Poekert

Before she could even spell crème brûlée, Carl learned to see cooking as a “way of life.” Back in the seventies, her mother bought a yellow table that became the hub of family life in the Watson household, where little Anna developed a homegrown appreciation for good food, conversation, and hospitality. At the ripe young age of ten, she tried her hand at chefery, whipping up an impressive four-course Valentine’s Day dinner for her parents that “birthed a lifelong passion for dinner parties.” This culinary curiosity didn’t come to full boil, however, until her college years.

When she joined the Grover fold in the late ’90s, Carl’s knack for writing led her to enroll as an English major. But when junior year rolled around, this southern-bred belle’s wanderlust whisked her away to France where she “fell head over heels in love with food.” While abroad, Carl’s eyes were opened to a vivid world of new flavors, fresh ingredients, and rich food culture in which “each meal was treated as an occasion to be relished—never rushed.” She also gained independence and an ability to thrive in uncertainty, both of which would come in handy down the road.

AWC edited 1 — Photo courtesy of Nate Poekert

After returning to the Grove with a kindled passion for food, Carl picked up a French major and Communication Studies minor with hopes of pursuing some sort of creative career that combined cooking and writing. Through an independent study with Professor Betsy Craig, Carl took advantage of the opportunity to explore cuisine as woven through the cultures of Belize, France, and Portugal. She also started a restaurant review column in The Collegian and leveraged her work to land food writing jobs right out of college. The next few years brought a smorgasbord of formative experiences, from working in restaurant kitchens to starting her own catering company, writing restaurant reviews, editing cookbooks, hosting dinner parties, and eventually moving back to France to earn her Grande Diplome Culinaire in professional culinary studies.

Though a self-proclaimed Francophile with a weak immunity to the travel bug, Carl eventually “put down roots” in New York City, where she’s been soaking up the metropolitan excitement since 2007. After starting her blog The Yellow Table in 2011 as a platform to share recipes, inspire gatherings, and nourish stomach and soul, Carl set out to write a cookbook. But as a “medium-size blogger” without an established following, did she stand a chance? Maybe not in the opinion of the agents and publishers she first called up. But that didn’t stop Carl.

In a leap of faith, she began developing content with a small team of designers and wrote a blog series called “The Cookbook Diaries” to document the publication process and garner support. After daringly deciding to self-publish, she launch a Kickstarter campaign to raise $50,000 for the first print run. Knowing this “would require some unconventional tactics,” Carl set out on a month-long road trip, partnering with Whole Foods Market, Volkswagen, and GoPro to throw dinner parties in the homes of fellow bloggers and designers in eight cities across the country, from Raleigh to Seattle. When she reached the finish line, Carl surpassed her $50,000 goal by close to $16,000. Stunned but grateful, she realized afresh that seeking the impossible can be a worthwhile endeavor. “All you need is some creativity and elbow grease—and the courage to begin.”

Since publishing The Yellow Table cookbook in 2014, Carl has continued to let her creative juices flow, generating recipes for Delish and sharing her insight on hospitality through her latest project, The Yellow Table Supper Club. Now living in Brooklyn with her husband Brandon, two cats, and a baby on the way, Carl hopes to keep making memories around the Yellow Table as she inspires others to do the same.

“Cooking is deeply important to me, but it’s community that I crave,” says Carl. It’s no wonder, then, that Grove City was the right choice. Though a cosmopolite at heart, Carl is thankful to have been a part of Grove City’s unique community, affirming that it was “a wonderful, wonderful place to grow in my faith and develop key friendships” with people of “real depth and sincerity” before taking on the real world full throttle.

For current Grovers who have yet to do so, Carl’s advice was encouraging: “You don’t need to have your whole future planned … Instead, try out different things to see what you like (and don’t like), ask questions, work hard, build relationships, find mentors, travel, and don’t be afraid to take risks.” Even if a dream seems too grand, Carl says, “sometimes when you stick with it long enough, doors will end up opening.”

Posted on October 19, 2015December 6, 2015 by Sarah Stites — Leave a comment

From Afghanistan to the Grove: How a Little Piece of Shrapnel Changed Everything

Every year, Grove City students travel abroad to study in Europe, Asia or South America, but who are the people who make Grove City their destination? In this series, we’ll introduce you to GCC’s international students and their amazing stories.

If you didn’t know Najib Afghan well, you’d think him just like any other Grove City student. He dresses well, studies hard and participates in lots of extra-curricular activities. However, Najib’s story is anything but mundane—in fact, it’s an exceptional example of how God works through the worst circumstances to bestow the greatest blessings.

Born and raised in the Helmand province of war-torn Afghanistan, Najib is the son of illiterate parents. When he was fifteen, he and his younger brother Hamid were cycling down the streets of their hometown of Lashkar Gah, when a rocket hit the road. The shrapnel killed Hamid instantly, while Najib sustained severe damage to his left eye. A British journalist named Jerome Starkey saw the explosion and came to Najib’s aid, beginning a lifelong friendship that would open up worlds of opportunity for the Afghani youth.

Starkey worked with Najib to locate a surgeon who could remove the 2mm piece of metal that was lodged in the boy’s eye. However, no one in Afghanistan was able to do so. After two weeks, sponsored by an American charity, Najib found himself en route to North Carolina. There, a skilled ophthalmologist named Dr. Nasrollah Samiy successfully removed the shrapnel, although Najib sadly remains blind in that eye.

Najib recollects his first feelings about the United States. “During my first visit to America to Charlotte, NC in 2009 I was amazed how modern this country was and I was inspired by the US colleges and the standard of education in this country. So ever since was looking for ways to come US again to get a degree, a medical degree is what I wanted to do then. Luckily, about two years later, in 2011 I was offered three years full scholarship at Stowe one of the top private boarding school in England.”

While studying at Stowe, Najib met GCC economics professor Dr. Mark Hendrickson, who was visiting the boarding school. “I was looking for US colleges with a rigorous academic environment that challenged me but also place I could get academic and financial support,” Najib recollects. After talking with Dr. Hendrickson, the Afghani student researched Grove City College and found that it had “great academic excellence” and a “very supportive community.” So, he applied, and was accepted. Currently studying accounting, Najib is thriving and enjoying his professors and classes. Looking toward the future, he hopes to be an entrepreneur.

Despite being a devout Muslim, Najib appreciates Grove City’s Christian environment. He even likes the shoe-in-the-door rule and the campus drinking policy. “You cannot find any more responsible, safer, nicer, and supportive college with rigorous academics than Grove City College,” he says.

However, Najib has still found the adjustment somewhat hard. “It has been difficult to make a friend here that do not want convert you,” he reflects. “I have my own faith and I feel strongly about it.” Even still, he believes that Christianity and Islam have a lot in common, citing the prophets that both faiths share, devotion to one God and doing good deeds. “As the only Afghan and Muslim up until last semester, I hope I have played my part to break down any barrier that might exist between us.”

When asked to name his favorite American food, Najib answers: “Macaroni and cheese. I love them. Great source of carbs for Ultra-marathon training which I did 38 mil on August in Pittsfield, MA to raise fund for FreeToRun charity.” Is there anything this guy doesn’t do?

Keep up the good work, Najib. We’re so glad you chose Grove City College.