Members of the Niagara College community will enhance their global competencies in two Be World Ready (BWR) International Field Studies (IFS) trips this winter.
The Costa Rica and Portugal itineraries will provide students, faculty, and staff with unique professional and personal development opportunities from February 24 to March 3.
During the BWR IFS trips, students can use their fall, winter or spring break weeks to learn and earn course credit outside the walls of their classrooms. Since last fall, students interested in partaking in a BWR IFS trip must complete the Be World Ready Course, aimed to foster intercultural competencies, global leadership and global employment skills of students, preparing them for the experience abroad.
As trip leaders, faculty and staff support student coordination, logistics, and inquiries while abroad, in addition to being ambassadors for NC. The BWR team provides the leaders with comprehensive training for their roles and responsibilities in supporting student success abroad, which also presents an opportunity for faculty and staff career growth.
These opportunities are funded in part by Global Skills Opportunity, the Government of Canada’s Outbound Student Mobility Pilot Program.
Below is an outline of the Winter 2024 BWR IFS trips and leader insights:
Costa Rica
The Costa Rica – Blue Zone Wellness itinerary includes learning firsthand about health and wellness in a Blue Zone community, which is an area where residents enjoy an extraordinarily long and healthy lifespan. The trip also features visits to the Matambu Indigenous community to learn about the local way of life, and to the Ostional National Wildlife Refuge to experience turtle hatching.
Susan Paone, School of Hospitality and Tourism Professor, and the Michael Bell, Desktop Technology Specialist, were selected as trip leaders and are excited to enjoy a beautiful, warm country with a rich culture such as Costa Rica.
“Experiencing different cultures and perspectives will help me grow personally and professionally,” said Bell, who also highlighted the comprehensive training provided by NC. “The Be World Ready team did an amazing job preparing the leads and students while giving clear expectations and guidelines to keep everyone safe and happy, and to make sure we are comfortable and supported with any situations that may arise while abroad.”
Portugal
The Portugal – Sun, Sea & History itinerary includes learning opportunities with industry experts from the Institute of Communication and Media of Lisbon, the Hotel Association of Portugal, and MedTech companies, among others.
The chance to support students in a life-changing experiential learning endeavour inspired KrishnaKali SenGupta, School of Business and Management Professor, to become a BWR IFS leader.
“I strongly believe that experiential learning becomes meaningful when we can relate theory to practical experiences,” said SenGupta. “This trip will strengthen my teaching strategy by providing numerous case studies, research area suggestions, and simulation exercises. I am confident this trip will surely help me to modify, incorporate and possibly re-orient my teaching techniques leading to a richer learning experience for the students.”
The opportunity to connect meaningfully with students outside of the classroom while exploring a new country also inspired Nicole Jay, School of Food and Wine Sciences Sensory Lab Coordinator, and Gianluca Agostinelli, School of Academic Studies Professor, to get involved with the BWR program.
“I am excited about facilitating opportunities for rewarding, experiential education that will strengthen students’ skills, knowledge, and values,” said Agostinelli. “The IFS journey has introduced me to students and colleagues across multiple programs and departments. I look forward to getting to know and spending time with each of them as we navigate a new educational journey and foster an enriching sense of community abroad. I have much to learn from the participants’ backgrounds and narratives.”
The itinerary also includes visits to relevant tourist and cultural locations, such as the Jeronimos Monastery, a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site.
“Along with the students, we will have firsthand exposure to another culture, thereby widening our perspective on the world and gaining a greater appreciation of our diversity,” said Gillian Shriner Planning, Sustainability & Capital Projects Administrative Coordinator, who is co-leading the trip. “The scope of the trip is wonderfully varied with opportunities to visit heritage sites, share in cultural experiences, and have access to companies and organizations shaping Portugal’s future.”
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 Lead FAQs and keep an eye out on InsideNC to learn about upcoming learning sessions.
