Russell Brodie, director of the Study Abroad Program of Saint Augustine’s College, and five students recently returned from spending more than four weeks in China. The five students were:
Princess Goodridge — Senior in Communications from Brooklyn, N.Y.
Raymond Smith — Freshman in Engineering Mathematics from Chicago, Ill.
Maya Parker — Sophomore in Liberal Studies from Waldorf, Md.
LaCara Rogers — Freshman in Business Administration from Charlotte, N.C.
Maddie Jackson — Junior in Business Administration from Richmond, Va.
The students and Brodie were fully submersed in the Chinese culture and traveled with various NC State students and administrators in conjunction with NC State University and the Confucius Institute. St. Aug established its own Confucius Classroom through the Confucius Institute in 2011. The purpose of the Confucius Classroom and Institute is to expose American students to Chinese culture.
“The ultimate goal is basic exposure to language and culture,” Brodie said. “Our students got to connect with Chinese culture, students and locals during this trip.”
While in China, the students studied Mandarin Chinese, tasted authentic Chinese food, learned calligraphy and visited the Great Wall of China.
“I wanted to see growth in the students. This program not only teaches students about other cultures and how to be culturally sensitive but it also teaches them how to cope with adversity and overcome discomfort,” Brodie said. “This program is an investment. Statistics have proven that students who study abroad come back feeling more definitive about what they want to do and usually go on to achieve great things.”
Posted By: Reginald Culpepper
Tuesday, July 3rd 2012 at 5:13PM
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