Issue 369: 2 / 7 / 2011

The International Studies Department at Southwest held an orientation on January 28 for more than 75 students who will study abroad in four countries this year. The number of students studying abroad this year has more than quadrupled the first group of 12 students who studied in South Africa and Mexico during the summer of 2008.

Center of Emphasis Director Jeremy Burnett brought a new twist to the orientation this year – conducting a food demonstration on dining etiquette for travel abroad. Students were asked to sample a variety of foods such as pickled asparagus, cheeses from around the world, and Italian meats. Also, during the orientation, International Education Program Office Supervisor Kristina McDaniel and Coordinator Felicia Hankins gave the students travel tips and information on luggage weight and fees, airplane etiquette, and cultural differences. To keep students on the right track, Student Activities Director Nikita Ashford gave her usual "make Southwest proud” pep talk, along with general behavior guidelines.

The Southwest short-term faculty lead program destinations include:

Destination	Classes	Instructors
London, England	Oral Communication	Evelyn Little
	Theater Appreciation	Levi Frazier
Denmark	Nursing Management	Mary Vines
China	Intro to Biology II	Joyce Johnson
Netherlands	Survey of World Civilization II	Mary Pratt
	World Geographic Regions	Judy Hatmaker
* Senegal	Introduction to Education	Ladonna Young

As always during the summer, Southwest will be participating in Tennessee Consortium for International Studies (TnCIS) programs to Greece, India, Peru, and Spain. Southwest is in its third year of membership with the TnCIS, comprising colleges and universities devoted to making international education and cultural understanding a central goal of higher education throughout the state.

* Pending:  Fall 2011 trip to Senegal with Dr. Ladonna Young’s Introduction to Education class.