situation in South Africa,” she says. It also helped her to appreciate the dif- ferences between the local culture and her own. “You have to really humble yourself and totally act and be there to serve what their needs are,” she says. Hanna Munin, a senior advocacy and


social change major, also found herself thinking differently about her own identity and worldview after participat- ing in the service learning program in Cape Town. During her time there, Munin volunteered at a foster home twice a week. Though she enjoyed taking engaged


learning classes at Loyola, Munin says her study abroad experience gave her a new perspective. “To fully do a program somewhere else opens you up to creating connections between your culture and someone else’s,” she says. “And that was a really cool experience.” Ceaira Walker chose a different


continent for her service learning ex- perience. The senior philosophy major worked at the Carmelite Clinic in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where she shad- owed doctors and physical therapists as part of her semester. Because most doctors and patients


spoke only Vietnamese, Walker learned to find other ways to communicate. She says the experience helped her listen more fully to others and develop a stronger sense of empathy. “I think empathy tends to be omit-


ted from our daily busy lives because we’re all focused on one goal and forget to listen and understand each other because we’re so busy,” she says. “So for me, working at the clinic was extremely eye-opening because in the midst of all this chaos, somehow we all found time for each other and time to really connect with patients.” Loyola study abroad advisor Annie


Reagan says that the University is proud of its service learning programs because they provide cultural aware- ness and promote global advocacy. “It really helps students understand their world and their local community a little bit more by comparing it to the world around them and their experiences abroad,” Reagan says. “That is at the heart of Jesuit education.” L


Reykjavik, capital of Iceland STUDY ABROAD


C A classroom across the sea


lasses with Loyola faculty are not just taught on the Chicagoland campuses. A growing number of faculty- led study abroad courses are being offered all over the map, giving students a chance to take classes far


beyond the shores of Lake Michigan. Faculty-led programs in Iceland, Panama, and Cuba are among the latest offerings from the Office of Interna- tional Programs, joining a a list of nearly 20 such programs in other countries. The new courses are centered on community


engagement, with activities encouraging students to take their knowledge from notebook to action. “Students really enjoy the opportunity to bond with the faculty and dive deep into the curriculum in a hands-on way,” says Kelly Heath, associate director of Loyola’s study abroad programs. Each course is tailored to explore a specific


issue pertinent to the region and highlights the expertise of the faculty who lead them. In Reyk- javik, Iceland, for example, students interested in exploring environmental issues can spend their summer studying climate change or sustainabil- ity management. Both classes will spend time in Iceland’s famous Solheimar eco-village and visit museums, national parks, and geothermal power


plants. Students also plant native tree species to ensure their trip is carbon neutral. In Panama City, Panama, School of Education


faculty Lara Smetana and Sarah Cohen offer a class on teaching writing and science in elementary schools. The nine-day course allows students to dive into the techniques of teaching in various school and non-school contexts, while also visiting local sites like the Smithsonian’s Barro Colorado Island ecological research center to help students understand the science and engineering elements of the Next Generation Science Standards. With the recent change in travel restrictions


to Cuba, a course on Cuban politics and society is now offered by political science professor Peter Sanchez in Havana. In this class, students spend two weeks learning about the rich cultural tradi- tions and the quest for social justice on the tropical island once called the Paris of the Caribbean. Participants get a firsthand look at the country’s rapidly changing political system, work with local school administrators, and visit the Viñales Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in western Cuba. The programs have thus far been a hit. “There is


a high level of support from faculty and students on the trip,” says Heath. “Even though these pro- grams are short, the students engage so deeply with their destination that many of them return to Chicago wanting to go back.” —Neha Simon (’17)


WINTER 2017 25


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