Study Abroad, Service Learning, Alumni Enrichment Awards, and Fulbright

UDaily, Nov. 21, 2008----The University of Delaware is named among the top 20 doctoral research institutions and among the top three public institutions in that category in terms of undergraduate participation in study abroad.
In its latest report on international education exchange, Open Doors 2008, the Institute of International Education (IIE) also ranks UD among the top four doctoral research institutions nationwide for short-term study abroad programs.
About 42 percent of UD students will have participated in at least one study abroad program before they graduate, said Lesa Griffiths, director of the Center for International Studies and associate provost for international programs.

My first study abroad experience with UD was during the summer of 1993, when I was an apprentice for Profesora Amalia Veitia in Spain. Amalia taught me everything she knew about creating and directing study abroad programs, and I quickly realized how beneficial they are for language students in particular. I also noticed how being a program director creates special bonds with your students, as you share so many amazing experiences together.

Three years later, in January of 1996, I directed my first program with Amalia. We took a large group of students to Costa Rica, a very popular destination with UD students. I directed four more programs there, in 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001.

In 2002, I recruited Spanish students and joined the Plant & Soil Science Program in Ecuador & the Galápagos Islands.

In 2003, I went back to Spain, while working on a new FLLT program in Ecuador. By 2004 we had the program established, and ten of the students that were with me in Spain joined me in Ecuador. I continued in Ecuador & the Galápagos in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Sometime 2005, I began to learn about the service learning pedagogy. We began to experiment with projects on campus, such as having our Spanish students teach English classes to our Hispanic community in Newark. But when service learning merged with study abroad in the 2005 program in Ecuador, I could not believe the results. Not only were students learning more (Spanish, civic engagement, etc.), but the teacher-student bond was stronger. I continued to employ service learning in the Ecuador programs.

During the fall semester of 2007, I was teaching an Honors Spanish class that included a service learning component. I was also preparing to direct the study abroad program in Chile. Two students, Rina Binder-Macleod and Connie Saltzman, were accepted to the program, which included a small service learning project. Upon return to Delaware after the Chile program, many of the Chile program students joined service learning projects on campus. For example, Monica Trobagis joined Rina and Connie at my EFL class. We often met at my house to plan lessons, etc. One day in March when we were all together the mail arrived, and I found out I had been awarded a Fulbright grant to work in Panamá. I wondered if this, too, could bring more learning opportunities to my students...

Rina, Connie, Monica and I continued to talk about my Fulbright grant proposal and the possibility of their collaboration. In September, we consulted Sue Serra, UD Office of Service Learning, and she suggested we apply for Alumni Enrichment Grants.

On 6 Oct 2008, the UD Alumni Association Board of Directors informed us that we won the Alumni Enrichment Awards, that will support my Fulbright grant work here in Panamá. Rina, Connie and Monica will spend winter session 2008 as my Teaching Assistants here, working at my host university, Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá. We will also be collaborating with Fundación ProEd on the "Abriendo Horizantes" Program, sponsored by the US Department of State.

Amazing how things all come together...