Niagara College staff and faculty have unique professional and personal development experiences as Be World Ready (BWR) International Field Studies (IFS) trip leaders while supporting students in strengthening their global citizenship.
This spring, IFS trip leaders will facilitate life-changing learning opportunities for students in four countries during the break week: Scotland, Georgia, Italy, and Germany.
In addition to being ambassadors for Niagara College, the leaders assist and support student coordination, logistics, and inquiries while abroad. The BWR team provides them with fulsome training for their roles and responsibilities in supporting student success abroad, which also presents an opportunity for faculty and staff career growth.
A passion for both helping students and diverse cultures motivates faculty and staff to apply to lead BWR IFS trips. The trips occur during NC’s fall, winter, and spring break weeks.
Below is an outline of the Spring 2023 BWR IFS trips and the leaders’ expectations for each trip.
Scotland
The Kilt-y as Charged trip (April 22 to April 30) begins in Edinburgh, exploring historic castles, enjoying traditional meals, and hearing ghost stories. The journey will then continue into the Highlands and Glasgow.
“I am excited to co-lead this IFS trip, which will be a fantastic cultural immersion opportunity for students,” said Michelle Carile, Executive Assistant to NC President. “I cannot wait to see our students interact with NCL (New College Lanarkshire) students who previously visited NC in the summer of 2022 – it will be an exciting, reciprocal experience that they can share.”
For Chef Mitchell Lamb, Professor at the School of Food & Wine Sciences, learning outside a classroom will be a life-changing opportunity for students.
“Through travel, we transcend classroom boundaries, and the learning opportunity has no limits,” said Lamb. “Travel is also is the ultimate form of professional development, and I look forward to lecturing at NCL and having the opportunity to reflect and share my experience with global colleagues.”
Georgia
The Cradle of Wine itinerary (April 22 to May 7) will allow NC students and trip leaders to discover the place with the earliest evidence of winemaking (5900 BC) and the longest winemaking tradition in the world. The Republic of Georgia is also home to four United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites.
“Many of the winemaking traditions and technologies remain preserved through centuries of invasions and occupations in tiny cellars in mountain villages,” said Gavin Robertson, Professor at the School of Food & Wine Sciences. “At the same time, modern universities are conducting cutting-edge research in grapevine genetics and climate change resilience, and forward-thinking winemakers are making wines for the global stage. It is an incredible opportunity to learn more and help students gain experiences that will help them develop their careers and lives.”
Maija Saari, Associate Dean, Culinary, Tourism & Beverage Studies, cannot wait to experience being a BWR IFS trip leader.
“We are so fortunate to have the BWR team focused on creating unique and enriching experiences for students and staff,” said Saari. “The level of care and organization is beneficial to leads and very reassuring to students about to embark on something new and different.”
Italy
The Italy – That’s Amore itinerary (April 23 to May 2) includes Milan, Florence, Rome, and Vatican City. One activity involves joining NC’s academic partners at Università Cattolica for educational sessions at their campuses in Brescia and Piacenza. The trip also includes visits to some of Italy’s historical and cultural landmarks, the Ferrari Museum, and food and wine experiences.
The trip leaders for this journey are Kelsey Hendrick, Administrative Assistant for the School of English Language Associate Dean, Peter Rod, School of Food & Wine Sciences Professor, and Jaclyn Harriman, Science Lab Technologist.
Rod, who has been to Italy five times, knows the experience will support his professional growth and student development.
“While the trip will not focus exclusively on the business of beverage and food, there will certainly be elements of this within the trip as there is always so much to smell, taste, and experience” said Rod. As faculty, it is also important to connect with students outside the classroom and support them in getting the most out of this unique experience.”
“It is such a great opportunity to engage with students and help facilitate their experiential learning,” said Harriman. “I am excited to explore the academic environment abroad, attending gastronomy and viticultural lectures. The BWR team has provided a collaborative and seamless process, supported by an open communication network with organizers and participants.”
Germany
The Hallo Deutschland trip (April 23 to May 2) starts in Munich, where NC students and leaders will visit the Neuschwanstein Castle. They will also taste beers at the oldest monastery brewery in the world and pay respect to history by visiting the Dachau Concentration Camp. Additionally, the group will journey to Berlin and Hamburg.
For Victor North, Brew Student Liaison for the School of Food & Wine Sciences, the trip will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“I taught History of Brewing and Beer for many years, so I am thrilled to be visiting German breweries in person,” said North. “I am most excited about Aecht Schlenkerla in Bamberg, a historic and world-famous brewer of Rauchbier. It inspired me to create my own smoked beer, which won gold in the Ontario Brewing Awards for Rauchbier in 2016, and I cannot wait to try the original, fresh from the source.”
Professor in the Photonics Program, Cristina Simionescu was inspired to join the trip as a leader due to the technology-related destinations in its itinerary.
“Learning more about renewable energies in Feldheim, a village 100% powered by renewable energies, will open our minds to a larger world of possibilities,” said Simionescu. “On a personal note, I never had the opportunity to visit Germany, a country I heard so much about as a child in Romania, admired for its ability to rebuild.”
The opportunity is also invaluable for Charles Kopun, Associate Dean of the School of Media Studies.
“To connect personally with people around the world is to gain new perspectives in how people live, their history, and their culture,” said Kopun. “This helps us better understand both others and ourselves. It makes us better global citizens.”
The Global Education (May 4 to May 14) itinerary will take NC students through Frankfurt, Osnabrück, and Bremerhaven. One of the trip’s highlights will be attending educational sessions at one of NC’s academic partners, the University of Applied Sciences Osnabrück. The sessions will broaden students’ knowledge of global business through diverse perspectives shared by professors from various countries.
“I had the privilege of working and learning alongside the BWR team for many years, and it was through stories about the life-changing experiences provided to staff and students that I became inspired to be a trip leader,” said Becky Sciliberto, Compliance & Reporting Project Manager, Global Campus Operations. “The BWR team has truly thought of everything, from customized trip resources and automated newsletters, to the ICent App and trip logistics.”
“Most of my professional life has been in North America, so going to a new place, experiencing a different culture, and meeting new people are what I’m most excited for,” said other trip leader, Brian Law, faculty at the School of Business & Management Studies. “Exposure to different viewpoints will help me grow professionally, learning new ways to engage with students.”
For more information about BWR, visit: www.beworldready.ca/
To learn more about what being a BWR lead on an International Field Study entails, review the Staff FAQs and keep an eye out on InsideNC to learn about upcoming learning sessions.
