Three students, one instructor, and an administrator at South Louisiana Community College recently took an international trip of a lifetime.
During June and July, the five traveled to Salzburg, Austria, to attend the Salzburg Global Seminar, an intensive international experience focusing on globalization issues. The trip allowed the group to explore issues of worldwide concern and to view them from a perspective both literally and figuratively outside the borders of the United States.
Adam Broussard, a student studying industrial agriculture mechanics technology at SLCC's Gulf Area campus in Abbeville, was approached by his instructor about going to Austria during the summer. It did not take him long to accept the offer and obtain a passport.
"I was a little hesitant about going at first, but it was mostly nerves. The more I thought about it, I knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime trip," Broussard stated. "I said to myself, ‘Why not?'"
Broussard's trip included several firsts for him. It was his first plane ride and first time out of the country. Although frightened at the sheer speed of the plane's takeoff, Broussard's Southern hospitality helped him to make friends on the plane and relax.
During the 12-day trip, he and two other students, Jackson Jimenez and Leighton Hardy, and administrator Dr. Jennifer Jackson attended lectures, participated in small-group discussions, and worked on projects such as becoming a global citizen and globalization's effects on education.
Broussard was the only technical student in his small group, so he was able to bring that experience with him into the discussions among the other students who were all earning associate's degrees.
Discussing global issues with an open-mind left all of the SLCC participants with a new perspective to bring home.
"The way I view things has completely changed. It's not just thinking about Abbeville or Lafayette ... it's looking at the whole picture. It's not just about my ‘backyard;' it's how things are affected around the world," said Broussard.
For Jimenez, who is studying international relations at SLCC's Lafayette campus, the trip was an extension of topics he is currently exploring in his courses. "The Salzburg Global Seminar was an excellent opportunity to travel abroad and enabled me to experience different cultures. Students were able to freely discuss global issues and collaborated to address international conflicts. The Seminar certainly impressed upon me the importance of thinking and acting like a citizen of the world," he said.
Keith Sherman, Broussard's instructor who encouraged him to attend the global seminar, also traveled to Salzburg for a week in July for a different session. The trip made him realize how fast-paced our lives can be.
"I realized that as an educator, I'm not giving my undivided attention to my students. I decided now to greet my students at the door every morning, and if it takes 5 minutes or even 10 minutes, it doesn't matter. Life is about relationships. We're humans, not robots," he said.
Fresh off the trip, Sherman is excited to continue to put into practice what he has learned from his unforgettable trip. "I want to work with alumni from past global seminars to bring our campus to the next level."
SLCC students, faculty, or staff interested in attending the 2014 Salzburg Global Seminar can contact Mamta Misra at 337-521-9001.