Niagara College saw its largest number of Be World Ready students, staff and faculty traveling abroad during a single break week this fall 2019 – 155 students and 12 staff – with five trips being offered to five unique destinations.
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Amsterdam, Netherlands: School of Community Services
“It was with great anticipation that we traveled to Amsterdam and we were certainly not disappointed,” said NC student Donna Couture in her second year of the Social Service Worker program.
For the second fall in a row, NC students were able to connect with the themes of youth, aging, social care and mental health in the Netherlands. Students learned from the many innovative techniques being used for treatment in the Netherlands, including the Snoezelen Room where students learned about the use of multi-sensory environments. This trip also included a visit to the Anne Frank House and a great new addition of Humanits Deventer, an impressive and innovative multi-generational living community.
“There is so much culture, history and innovative developments in the world of care for seniors, student housing, and multi-sensory environments,” said Couture. “I loved learning about the willingness of the people in the Netherlands, particularly from those at Humanitas Deventer; how their knowledge can help make another person happy is nothing short of inspiring. Lastly the faculty and students of Niagara College made the trip a wonderful experience that I will remember for years to come.”
First day of training -Disney’s YES program -Hospitality for international audiences.
NC students immerse in Experiential Learning. @niagaracollege @BeWorldReady pic.twitter.com/X24G5C2Xyb— Osvaldo Avila (@Chef_Oz_Avila) September 29, 2019
Florida, U.S.A: School of Hospitality, Tourism and Sport
“Traveling with BWR was a new experience for me and allowed me to see behind the scenes of how Disney World is run,” said fourth year Honours Bachelor of Business Administration – Hospitality student, Minglu Sun.
Since 2014, over 100 students have participated in the highly sought-after BWR International Field Study (IFS) trip to Disney. This year’s trip once again drew students to learn from industry professionals about teamwork, hospitality, leadership style, and experience Disney’s culture of excellence through daily workshops.
“The trip was well organized, and it is so much easier to go with the college,” explained Sun. “BWR gave valuable information and tips before we left…including the training sessions which I could not do on my own. I was also able to meet other hospitality students from different programs who were also interested in Disney World. This inspires me to believe continuous development can be done not just in the hospitality world, but also in my career and personal life.”
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Germany – School of Technology
From physics and chemistry to cars and consumer products, Germany is a world leader in innovation, engineering, IT and manufacturing. This IFS was the first of its kind in the School of Technology, offering NC students the chance to experience why Germany is known as a powerhouse of research and innovation.
“I now see the world through different eyes,” said third year Mechanical Engineering Technology Co-op student Perresha Sweeting. “Being from a small country like The Bahamas, there are very few industrial and manufacturing companies. Studying engineering, this IFS trip allowed me to connect more things taught in class to the real world of how mechanics truly functions in world-class factories like BMW and Porsche.”
Tours of Mercedes Benz, Airbus, BMW, Porsche and other iconic landmarks in Germany were just some of the many activities students participated in. Another notable highlight on the trip was a visit to Feldheim – the first city in the world to be powered entirely by renewable energy.
“This experience gave me a push; it challenged me to be more determined in my work ethics, so I would be able to attain jobs like those I have seen on display,” said Sweeting. “Going into my last semester, I am confident that everything that was taught and will be taught will rear its head in my future endeavors.”
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New York City, U.S.A – Open College Wide
NC students across various schools of study traveled to New York City. Students had the chance to become culturally engaged by visiting iconic locations such as Times Square, the Empire State Building and Chelsea Market, and explored some of the many world-renowned museums NYC has to offer, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Third year Graphic design student, Alaina Eldridge highlighted that, although she gained numerous skills through the experience that will be beneficial in both her personal and professional life, there were two main lessons that resonated with her.
“In experiencing the vast array of culture New York City has, I was able to gain a better understanding of how cultures can come together and interact while still being true to their history,” said Eldridge. “This experience taught me how I can relate and learn from other cultures while still being true to myself but also growing and shifting my understanding. Secondly, when we were on a tour of graffiti in Brooklyn, I was able to see how a person’s background and life experiences affect the subjects and materials they use to create art. This made me realize how everything in a person’s life is connected and the effects of one aspect of it can bleed over into their whole life. I have learned that you can’t truly understand someone until you know about all aspects of their lives.”
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Chicago, U.S.A – Open College Wide
“I saw and experienced a new culture, their famous food, and I also learned about the history of Chicago,” said second year general Business student Keval Prajapati who is originally from India.
NC’s IFS trip to Chicago showcased many architectural wonders and culinary delights. NC students visited ionic locations such as the Art Institute Chicago, Millennium Park, “The Bean,” Field Museum, Navy Pier and the 360 Chicago Observation Deck and took in some Chicago culinary and theater delights with a Chicago Food Tour and a dinner show the infamous Tommy Guns Garage.
For more information on upcoming IFS trips and the Be World Ready program, visit beworldready.ca.
