WINTER 2010 EDITION

CAPA SPOTLIGHT: FIRST COHORT PARTICIPATES IN LONDON SERVICE LEARNING COURSE

This past fall the CAPA London Center launched a new service learning course called  The Social Dynamics of London: Contemporary Issues through Service Learning (GST / SOC 303) . Open to students on the CAPA London Program each fall and spring, this course provides students an opportunity to look at urban issues in London while serving in the community. Dr. Anthony Gristwood, the lecturer for the course, discusses the idea behind the course and the success of its first semester.

This new and innovative course offered at CAPA London Centre, The Social Dynamics of London, features a community-based service learning experience. It is an exciting, interdisciplinary course that offers students a unique opportunity to engage in a meaningful way with the communities and cultures which they encounter during their stay in London and to make a real contribution to them.

On Martin Luther King Day, January 19th 2009, Barack Obama launched his “Renew America Together” initiative to encourage people to participate in a “new spirit of community service” through involvement with community projects across the nation.  As part of this goal, he pledged that all college students should perform 100 hours of public service a year.  In this spirit, GST/SOC 303 is a course designed to foster study abroad students’ civic engagement with the complex social fabric and urban inequalities of London today and to develop their understanding of these issues as active global citizens.  Students hone the skills associated with active citizenship – communication, enquiry and critical thinking – through active exploration of the society, politics and culture of a global city. Students participate in the everyday life of a city which is shaped in different ways by its connections with the wider world: a cosmopolitan city of migrants; a command centre of the global economy; a city riddled with the social contradictions of its success.

The semester-long course is made up of 3 hours of class time per week plus 10-15 hours of community placement a week. CAPA students get to encounter and engage with diverse social, cultural and political issues in the context of their service placements, combining this rich experience in the field with a significant academic framework.  The course includes student-led inquiry and presentations, class seminars, lectures, field visits and extended reflection through an innovative online journal and discussion forum.

GST/SOC 303 brings together CAPA London and our community partners across the city to give our students a unique perspective on the global city and the chance to interact with Londoners in everyday life and work.  For example, some of our Fall 2009 cohort worked with St Hilda’s East, a community centre located close to Brick Lane in London’s East End, which provides an impressive range of services to the largely Bangladeshi and Muslim community of the area.  Others have been involved with challenging youth work in Camden, a dynamic and cosmopolitan neighborhood in North London. Our aim is that this experience is both enriching and transformative for our volunteers as well as truly valuable to the communities with which they are involved.  Not only are our students, as active citizens, engaged in community service every week, but as part of their activities they also undertake specifically tailored research projects based in the community, for example demographic research or oral histories, which benefit them in the future.

This unique course interests a wide range of students majoring in the the Arts, Humanities and Political and Social Sciences, as well as others who want to understand more fully the complex culture which they have chosen to enter by enrolling at CAPA London.

One of our recent students, Jenn Derwin (University of Massachusetts Amherst), writes about her experience on the course and what it has meant to her:

Gandhi once said “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” Many students in their twenties have strong opinions regarding the differences they want to make within their lifetime.  At 21 it is easy to say that by 41 I will have travelled, explored, and accomplished my immediate goals; however, discussing those things is only half the battle.  Before my service placement at St. Hilda’s I knew nothing of Bengali culture and was exposed to limited information about the Muslim religion.  I considered myself a liberal with an open mind, but my views were skewed and shadowed “by a day that will live in infamy”, September 11, 2001.  Because my family is from New York and I grew up an hour from Manhattan this tragedy left a particularly deep scar. During the months that followed, Muslim people, especially men, suffered many abuses as they were blamed for that day.  Now that I am eight years older and was given the opportunity to immerse myself in Muslim culture in London I regret the opinions I used to have.  I feel very lucky that I was able to learn first-hand the generosity and compassion the Muslim religion encourages. Although it was daunting at first, this placement has helped me grow and see the world in an entirely new light.  With each session I gained new perspective on typical Muslim practices, women’s roles, and what their holidays represent.  Gandhi was correct: YOU must be the change you wish to see in the world.  If you don’t open your mind to new opinions, practices and ways of life how can you expect others to?  So thank you, members of the Women’s Group, Bondhon Group and the staff at St. Hilda’s East: you have taught me more than I could ever begin to thank you for and more than I could ever expect to learn from any typical internship

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CAPA BUZZ

CAPA's President Welcomes Dr. Michael Woolf to the Organization
Dear Colleagues,

I am delighted to announce Dr. Michael Woolf’s appoint as Deputy President for Strategic Development. Mike will be taking on a new role as special advisor for CAPA’s strategic development as we examine ways to build a more diverse range of programs and destinations and create opportunities to increase our institutional partnerships in the USA.

Initially Mike will be involved with developing our curriculum offerings in existing current CAPA centers, assisting our Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Sarah McKenzie with the expansion of CAPA’s individual enrollment programs in London, Sydney and Florence, as well as establishing expanded curricula in the remaining CAPA destinations.

Mike will also assist with the continued development of CAPA’s program models as we look for ways to create academic concentrations which blend courses, internships and service learning into focused tracks speaking directly to specific academic departments and their students. These exciting initiatives will enrich both our faculty led customized programs and our independent enrolment options.

Mike will play a key role in the development of new learning abroad destinations for CAPA, which will serve the CAPA mission and strategic direction, as well as increase the diversity of our program offerings, curricula and experiential learning programs.

As Deputy President for Strategic Development, Mike will also work with our Institutional Relations and Program Development team to introduce our programs and various models to the field of learning abroad.

Mike has been working in the field of learning abroad for many years and is recognized as a leader in innovative program development and curriculum. He has held leadership roles in many international education organizations, among them FIE, CIEE and Syracuse University. He has written widely on international education and cultural studies. Mike serves on a number of advisory boards and is a member of the Board of Directors of The Forum on Education Abroad.

As an academic, Mike focused on American Studies and taught in the universities of Padova and Venice, Italy. After a period as a writer at the BBC, Mike joined CIEE as the London Director with the task of developing international exchanges across Europe and between the UK - USA and Asia. He then moved into mainstream education abroad with Syracuse University before returning to CIEE as the Regional Director for Anglophone programs. In that role, he helped develop CIEE's activities in Africa, India, Australia, the UK and Ireland.

As the President of CAPA International Education, I am very pleased that Mike will be joining us to assist in achieving our mission to offer accessible, unique and engaging learning abroad programs. Please join me in welcoming Mike to the CAPA community. We are delighted to have him on board and look forward to his thoughtful contribution to our work.

John J.Christian
President / CEO

CAPA Hosts First Affiliate Site Visit
CAPA hosted our first Affiliate Partner Institution Site Visit to the new London Study Center in October. In addition to intensive sessions at the center pertaining to academics, internships, service learning and health and safety, the nine participants navigated London to visit student housing and internship placements. Highlights of the workshop included meeting with students and a lovely evening spent with CAPA’s local adjunct faculty. Attendees were also treated to some cultural activities that students experience on the My Education Calendar, including cream tea and a walking tour of Sloane Square with Dr. Sarah McKenzie, CAPA’s Chief Academic Officer.  

The Florence International Program Development Workshop / Affiliate Site Visit Extension directly followed the London visit so that participants could maximize their time in Europe and enjoy both locations. The workshop schedule and sessions were similar to the experience in London. The participants also visited the British Institute Library, to which all CAPA students and faculty are provided membership while in Florence.

Both visits were a great success and we hope our other Affiliates and future partners will be able to join us on other opportunities overseas.

For more information about upcoming International Program Development Workshops, please contact your Program Development Consultant or visit http://www.capa.org/resources/workshops.  

CAPA Ambassador Visits London Study Center

CAPA International Education welcomed Student Ambassador Benna Cheung from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst to the new London Study Center in November. Benna participated in our pilot Student Ambassador Program during the 2008-2009 academic year and completed more tasks than any other ambassador. Besides receiving a study stipend, she also earned a plane ticket to London and accommodation for five nights.

As part of her visit to London, she visited the new CAPA London Study Center, visiting the center staff and speaking in classes about the Ambassador Program. Benna remarked, “It was great to see the new center and to meet all the staff again.”

The Student Ambassador Program has expanded in its second year, and we will be welcoming a second Ambassador to London next fall. To read more about the Ambassador Program, please click here.

If you have a student who returned from a CAPA study abroad program in Fall 2009 and want to recommend him or her to be a CAPA Ambassador, please email Brian Waterson.  

In the above photo, Benna Cheung is with Kieran Kinahan, Assistant Resident Director, in the entryway of the London Study Center.

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CENTER UPDATES

Highlights from the London Internship Team
The autumn semester got off to an exciting start for our policital science majors, who were given the opportunity to attend their respective Political Party’s Annual Conference, all expenses paid, in Manchester, Brighton or Blackpool. This was the last major conference that each party will hold prior to the next election, which is to be called in 2010. From senior Members of Parliament and corporate executives to party supporters and British interns, it provided a wonderful chance to network and gain a good understanding of the British political system and the country’s main concerns. Each intern who attended had an amazing experience.

There are many success stories from the past semester, but we will profile two interns who wanted to share their experiences.

Matt Showman, an Art History and Architecture major from the University of Pittsburgh, was placed at the Dulwich Picture Gallery. Matt came to London with a significant amount of experience in museums and galleries.  “However, my experience in the Development Department was unlike anything that I had ever done.”  His role combined Public Relations, Human Rescources, Finance, Fundraising and Curatorial duties. He regularly attended exhibition and gallery openings and was introduced to several art professionals. Matt remarked that the workload never seemed monotonous and there was never a dull moment.

The Dulwich Picture Gallery, the first public art gallery founded in the UK in 1811, will be hosting an Andy Warhol Exhibition in the near future, and Matt will be returning to assist with this.  He will bring his experience of having worked at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, along with invaluable skills that he has developed during his time in London.

Rachel Keranen, an English major at the University of Minnesota, requested a placement in print media.  Nothing could have prepared her for the experience that she had writing articles for London Business Matters, the monthly magazine that goes out to members at the London Chamber of Commerce.  Rachel attended events, conducted interviews and did online research before writing the articles.

“Some of the best times I have had in the UK are as a result of my internship. I have stayed in two five-star hotels with friends to have dinner, check out the room and sample the breakfast.  I attended the 2009 Gymnastics World Championships and sat in the press box – the best seats in the House.  I also visited iconic buildings including a reception I attended at the top of the Gherkin.  My articles were the front cover stories of the magazine, and my photos appeared as the magazine’s cover photo. Finally, I made friends with some of the younger staff at the Chamber, enhancing my experience of British culture.”  

On a final note, the Internships Team visited numerous new sites this semester and the answer to what makes a good intern was the same from all. It came down to three words:  Personality, Enthusiasm, Initiative. 

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MY EDUCATION

New and Exciting My Education Events in Florence
The CAPA Florence staff continue to find new and exciting events to add to their My Education calendar. Here are some of the highlights from the fall semester.

Soccer Night Wednesday, November 4th, was a great day for A.C. Fiorentina, the Florence soccer team in the famed European Champions’ League.  It was also a great day for our students on the CAPA Florence Program, who had the chance to experience one of the most popular Italian rites: la partita (the soccer match).

Laura and Guido from the CAPA Florence Center took the group to the stadium despite the pouring rain.  After a delicious panino, the group enjoyed an exciting game between the local Fiorentina and the Hungarian team Debreceni at the Artemio Franchi Stadium. Purple scarves and hats helped our students to play the role of the perfect Fiorentina fan, and if it wasn’t for some weird “Italenglish” cheers, nobody would have realized that the group was American!

Some of our seat-neighbors were actually very honored and happy to have such a sparkling group of fan for their beloved team. It was a very exciting game, Fiorentina scored 5 times and a couple of them were spectacular! Debreceni suffered a bad defeat and the CAPA students had the chance to fully join the general joy.

Corri la Vita – Charity Marathon Four students, Emma Pacheco (Riverside City College), Stephanie Gomez (Rider University), Meghan Joyce (University of Minnesota) and Mackenzie Hulzebos (University of Minnesota), worked as volunteers at “Corri la Vita”, the biggest annual charity marathon which takes place in Florence in the fight against the breast cancer. The four girls gave an important contribution to the final refreshment.

Tuscan Ceramic Painting Class A small group of students attended a Ceramic paining class in Florence. Under the supervision and guidance of the Master Enzo, they painted their own piece of Renaissance-style maiolica, learning the technique and history of Florentine Pottery. A beautiful and unique gift for their friends, family, and host moms!

Aboriginal Dance Performance at the Sydney Opera House
This past semester the students on the CAPA Sydney Program were treated with the opportunity to see “Fire – A Retrospective,” at the Sydney Opera House. The show featured a compilation of performances by the Bangarra Dance Theatre from the last twenty years. Kika Piazza, from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, remarked that the performance “was a mind-blowing one, as it played with lighting, tempo, space and props.” She also noted that it was great for students to experience a performance at the famous Sydney Opera House.

The Bangarra Dance Theatre, established in 1989, is Australia’s premier indigenous dance company. Bangarra celebrates the Aboriginal culture, both historic and contemporary, through the medium of dance. They travel around the world to spread their energy and share their inspiration, which is based in local and traditional Aboriginal communities in Australia.

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DIRECT FROM STUDENTS

A Day at the Beach – Bronte Beach BBQ, by Mollie McDowell (Ohlone College)
The Fall Semester Student Council planned a barbeque for all CAPA students on a Saturday at Bronte Beach. People have heard of Bondi and Manly beaches, but Bronte is frequented by local Sydneysiders and doesn't have the crowds of tourists like its famous neighbors. The day was warm and beautiful at the beach that sits in a cove and boasts massive turquoise waves. We brought food to share and sat around the picnic table talking about the festivals we had been to and Aussies we had encountered. Later, we barbequed the snags (sausages) and onions in the park that sits adjacent to the sand and sat down to our feast. 

Zara, the International Program Services Coordinator, surprised us with an eight-liter box of promotional Ben and Jerry's ice cream that she had magically managed to obtain. Our faces lit up at seeing this little treat from home since the brand is mostly unheard of in Australia. The scene was uninhibited consumption of the melting ice cream and we scooped ourselves multiple helpings as the cream drizzled down our sugar cones and hands.

The beaches of Sydney often have beautiful saltwater baths that are situated next to the waves. We went to the baths at Bronte following the ice cream and walked around the cement edge where the waves crash over and into the pool and dove in for a wonderful swim.

Following their relaxing afternoon at the beach we were lucky enough to experience the Sculptures by the Sea exhibition. Each spring, Sydney hosts this outdoor cultural community art exhibition along the coastal walk from Bondi to Tamarama. Over a hundred sculptures of all kinds of materials and sizes are visible with the backdrop of the vast, blue Southern Pacific Ocean and its sky complementing the pieces. One of the pieces was simply two big ceramic eyes set into the cliffside looking back at the sculpture viewers. A rusted metal horse stood proudly overlooking the sea, while little shoes made of sand made their way down a hillside. My personal favorite was "dandelion" by William Eastlake, a giant contraption of wood and white cloth that swung gently in the wind. Sitting beneath it in the sand was very soothing and the way the white sails contrasted with the wood and blue skies made me feel as if I was on a ship to Peter Pan's Never Never Land.

After a long day spent eating snags and ice cream under the warm Australian sun and a beautiful coastal walk, we finally rested our weary feet on the Triple 3 bus that carried us home.

Interning in Sydney by Kelsey Sopel (Michigan State University)
During my Fall 2009 semester in Sydney I interned at Isobar Australia. Isobar is one of five members of the Aegis Media family which includes Apollo Marketing, Carat, iProspect, and Safecom. Isobar has 3,700 staff in 39 countries around the world. They are a full service digital agency that specializes on anything from integrated campaign development to website creation and redesign to social media monitoring and teaching. The department I worked in does all of the social media monitoring for Isobar clients. This means they set up an account listing all of the keywords of a company, run the report, filter through the results and create a presentation that explains what people are saying about the brand on the Internet.

During my time here I have prepared social monitoring reports for high profile companies such as the Sydney Opera House, Bayer, Luxottica, IAG, HSBC and KFC. This is the company’s first step in getting in on the social media action; they need to know what other people are saying about the brand. After doing some monitoring, Isobar can offer suggestions in areas that need improvement and help brainstorm suggestions on what social media avenue(s) would offer the best results.  Companies can also sign contracts to have quarterly or monthly monitoring done. This ensures that they are constantly up-to-date on what’s being said about the brand and also provides consumer feedback. Most Isobar’s are well-known brands that spend millions each year on advertising, and knowing what the consumers think and say is of great value to them.

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