Office of Study Abroad and International Exchange International White House sits at 325 Drane Street next to the McReynolds building. Isabella Morman
Grantham is a town in London that has hosted society’s most outstanding scholars such as Sir Isaac Newton. What if it hosted Austin Peay students as well?
Just outside this historic town lies a Victorian estate that for the past 50 years has been used for study-abroad programs.
Now, Dr. Marissa Chandler, director of global engagement is working effortlessly, finally successfully landing a partnership between Austin Peay and Evansville, resulting in the birth of APSU’s British DEAL.
DEAL standing for ‘Discovery, Exploration, Adventure, and Learning’, which will send Austin Peay students to live in Harlaxton Manor for a week.
Study abroad, however, has been around for quite some time sending students to places all across the world.
As of summer 2023, the following faculty-led trips are:
- Spain
- Argentina
- Costa Rica
- Netherlands & Germany-
- CCSA London
- CCSA Belize
- Quebec
- Poland
- Rome
- Greece
- Scotland
“The whole study abroad comprises these trips and excursions throughout two weeks while the students are there so one week they will be in the English countryside studying at different locations and then one week in London studying at different locations,” said Chandler.
Three classes are offered allowing students to travel to Harlaxton. Students comprising of a world literature class taught by Dr. Mickey Wadia, a global business class taught by Dr. Victoria McCarthy, and a public speaking class taught by Dr. Pamela Gray will have the global opportunity.
“The professors of these courses work with our team that is through the Harlaxton College University of Evansville, working and designing excursions that are going to be part of the curriculum that these professors have created for these courses,” said Chandler.
Students in this program will be expected to write a minimum of two essays, in addition to things such as on-site presentations, quizzes, short answer questions/identification, journals, and more. With some readings being required pre-travel, course specifics will be provided per the instructor’s directions.
“One of the activities that these students will be doing immediately when they get to Harlaxton, they’re going to have lessons on the history of the manor and how the manor was important within British history and literature. Everything that is planned in the itinerary is highly embedded and selected in order to make sure the students get the very best experience and education,” said Chandler.
Part of what makes this program so special is that the first 25 students who sign up will have their airfare covered with rooms separated accordingly or individually- per request for an additional fee.
The deadline for the program is March 1.
Chandlers explains DEAL is for the student who got bit by the travel bug and for those who want to experience learning outside the classroom.
“The whole purpose of studying abroad is for students to be able to in what we call high impact practice or H.I.P and be able to have experiences outside of the traditional classroom. Obviously studying abroad is not going to be in a traditional classroom it’s going to be the world. The world is the classroom and in this case, in the DEAL program, Harlaxton College and London will be the classroom for that.”
Studying abroad however, isn’t just a fun college class. It builds humanistic experiences.
“With study abroad, when students come back, they’re obviously better globally minded, they are going to be more culturally sensitive to others, they are going to be more inclusive, and they’re going to be to embrace diversity. All of those wonderful things we want students to have when they graduate from Austin Peay.”
If you are wanting to experience a world outside what your textbook can reach consider looking into studying abroad. More information about study abroad trips, costs, and more can be found here.
