During the month of May, 10 Dyersburg State Community College students and five staff members traveled across the world to take part in international study programs.
The DSCC students and two of the faculty members took part in the Tennessee Consortium for International Studies (TnCIS) Summer Study Abroad Program.
Tracie Langley of Ripley, Natalie Taylor of Yorkville and Kisha Kelly of Troy all studied in India. DSCC vice president Mary Ann Sellars served as one of the program instructors.
While in India, the students visited what is known as the Golden Triangle (Delhi, Agra and Jaipur). Not only did students study on site, but they also visited several historical sites, including the Taj Mahal, the Amber Fort, the Agra Fort and the Jain Temple. In addition, they toured a Hindu temple, Buddhist temple, Lotus temple, mosque and a Sikh kitchen. Students took a rickshaw ride through Old Delhi, rode an elephant up to the Amber Fort and rode in camel-drawn carts in a local village.
The India program also incorporated several service learning projects that centered on working with abandoned, abused and neglected children.
“Travel and study abroad provides students with a unique view of a different culture, a view that is impossible to achieve within the traditional classroom. There is no doubt that our students return with a deeper understanding of others and a new respect for those who are ‘not just like us.’ The greatest thing to witness is the student travel/study experiences that are shared with other students. Without a doubt, these experiences help to enrich the education of all DSCC students,” Dr. Sellars said.
DSCC student Susan Young of Ripley studied Spanish in Peru and Tracy Summar of Ridgley studied art in Italy. While in Spain, Sara Portwood of Munford and Ben Gonzales of Trenton each took a course in Spanish. Stephany Chandler of Martin studied speech in Ghana.
Dr. Erskine Ausbrooks, DSCC professor of psychology, also served as one of the TnCIS instructors. He taught psychology in Greece. Conor Luck of Halls took part in his class.
DSCC Dean of Nursing and Allied Health Faye Sigman and biology instructor Nathan Sonderman each participated in a TnCIS faculty development program in China. They were among the group of 11 who participated in the cultural and educational exchange. While in China, they toured universities and schools, met with students and visited different industries.
In addition, DSCC Presi-dent Karen Bowyer took part in a week-long TnCIS Educational Leadership seminar held in Brussels, Belgium, and Paris that focused on mission, governance, finance and accountability in higher education. Dr. Bowyer, University of Tennessee at Knoxville Chancellor Jimmy Cheek, Pellissippi State Community College President Allen Edwards, Lincoln Memorial University President James Dawson and University of Tennessee at Knoxville Dean of the College of Education, Health and Human Services Robert Rider served as of the panelists for a discussion on leadership challenges.
Several of the Dyersburg State students were awarded scholarships to defray costs.
The faculty and staff participated in DSCC’s Got Talent, a talent show held to benefit the TnCIS DSCC students participating in the International Studies Program, a spokesman said.