UGANDA—Ruth Berta wasn’t thinking about Uganda when the Messiah College senior was researching ways to fulfill her social work degree requirements.

Berta studied in Thailand her junior year and was planning to return as a senior to complete her 450-hour senior field placement project. But when that program’s social-work accredited supervisor relocated, Berta’s plans had to evolve quickly. Instead, she spent the last semester of her college career studying social work in BestSemester’s Uganda Studies Program (USP).

One year and one bachelor’s degree later, Berta, who graduated from Messiah College in May 2012, is now rounding out her third academic semester in Uganda and the end of a one-year position as USP’s program assistant.

“USP was hard,” said Berta of her senior semester as a student at USP. “It required a lot of learning about myself, God and social work. I had great interactions with the program faculty and staff. They helped me see social work through new eyes.”

According to USP program director Mark Bartels, the program assistant position is usually advertised to alumni. In Berta’s case, though, program staff approached her about the position in the spring of 2012, while she was still a student in the program.

“Our former social work coordinator was leaving that semester and [current coordinator] Lisa Topka was joining us for the fall 2012 semester,” said Bartels. “We felt that Ruth had the maturity and experience to help throughout that transition.”

As program assistant, Berta’s job is 60 percent student care and 40 percent administrative work. She lives in dorms with USP students and serves as a mentor, helping students navigate the cultural and academic challenges of the program. Topka said Berta is also tapped as a resources in USP’s social work emphasis track since her undergraduate degree is in social work.

According to Topka, Berta’s presence during USP’s faculty shift last summer has proved invaluable during the 2012-2013 school year, helping ensure a smooth transition between social work coordinators. This semester, 10 of 38 USP students are studying in the program’s social work track.

“Ruth helps lead discussions in the junior-level social work seminar, bringing an important perspective based on her experience and recent USP practicum at Hospice Africa,” said Topka. “She also gives insightful feedback to junior and senior social work students, both informally and through the student's weekly journals, which are a valuable tool that helps them process their various practicum experiences.

“This semester, Ruth has been especially helpful with the junior social work students,” continued Topka. She is their practicum site's liaison with USP – helping students with logistics, nurturing relationships with field supervisors, taking part in the evaluation process of students, and problem-solving any challenges that arise.”

According to Berta, the best part of her job is interacting and living with students and hearing their joys and struggles. She cites her return to Uganda as a crucial step in developing and deepening her passion for, and understanding of, social work – a career path that will intensify with her return to the U.S. this summer and goals for grad school soon after.

“Being in Uganda this time around has been eye-opening,” said Berta of her year-long position at USP. “I’ve been able to learn a lot more about the culture and deepen friendships with people that I had just started to know when I left last time. I’m so blessed for the opportunity to be here now, and I’m not looking forward to it ending!”

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About BestSemester: The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities offers 12 off-campus study programs, collectively branded BestSemester®, which expand learning opportunities for students from CCCU campuses and are designated as culture-shaping or culture-crossing programs. Culture-shaping BestSemester programs are: American Studies Program (Washington, D.C.); Contemporary Music Center (Nashville); Los Angeles Film Studies Center (Los Angeles); and Washington Journalism Center (Washington, D.C.). Culture-crossing BestSemester programs are: Australia Studies Centre; China Studies Program; India Studies Program; Latin American Studies Program; Middle East Studies Program; Programmes in Oxford; and Uganda Studies Program. Visit www.bestsemester.com for program details.

About the CCCU:  The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities is a higher education association of 172 intentionally Christ-centered institutions around the world. The 118 member campuses in North America are all fully-accredited, comprehensive colleges and universities with curricula rooted in the arts and sciences. In addition, 54 affiliate campuses from 20 countries are part of the CCCU. The Council’s mission is to advance the cause of Christ-centered higher education and to help our institutions transform lives by faithfully relating scholarship and service to biblical truth. Visit www.cccu.org.

It’s a common scene at BestSemester programs around the world. The semester ends, tearful good-byes are shared between newfound friends, and students head home. The students who aren’t immediately graduating return to campus the next semester full of stories about their BestSemester experience and bursting at the seams to share them with their peers. But how?

For the past five years, BestSemester has offered a platform for program alumni returning to their campuses to share their stories and encourage other students to consider studying abroad or off-campus. The BestSemester Alumni Ambassador Program was created in the fall of 2007 by partnering with 10 program alumni who were returning to their campuses. Since then, the program has grown to include at least 20 students representing BestSemester on their home campus each semester, for a total of 40 alumni involved per year. 

BestSemester Campus Relations Assistant, Meghan Donaghue, recruits and works with the alumni ambassadors. “We are encouraged with the number of qualified applicants each semester; it’s very exciting to see so much enthusiasm from our alumni to share their stories and spread the word back on their campus.”

This fall, Kylie Stevens and Travis Dodd were selected to be co-ambassadors at William Jessup University in Rocklin, Calif. Stevens and Dodd both participated in the Middle East Studies Program during the spring 2012 semester.

“Traveling to the Middle East allowed me to open a new door into a place that was only a mystery to me before,” Stevens shared.  “Being [at MESP] made me see so much in our world that is impacted by others, and I learned how we impact others.”

Alumni Ambassadors are tasked with just one responsibility: host at least one event on campus to share about the types of BestSemester programs that are offered. When Stevens received the notice that BestSemester was looking for ambassadors, she knew it would be a perfect fit. 

“Every time someone asked if I recommended studying abroad I responded with an enthusiastic ‘Yes!’”

William Jessup University is currently making efforts to encourage more of their students to study off-campus for a semester, so the university was enthusiastic when approached about having BestSemester Alumni Ambassadors on campus. 

“Kylie and Travis are both excellent students who have a passion to learn, and the BestSemester program was one of the best ways to integrate that passion with a study abroad experience,” said Tina Petersen, William Jessup University registrar. “We who support the BestSemester programs know what an incredible experience it will be. However, Kylie and Travis have been able to express that experience to their peers in a way that I can’t.” 

Stevens and Dodd at William Jessup have already made great strides this semester by hosting an informational table after chapel services on campus each week.

At Mount Vernon Nazarene University in Mount Vernon, Ohio, Bethany Parks is now in her third semester working with the Alumni Ambassador program after studying at the Uganda Studies Program in spring 2011.

“I had an absolutely amazing experience with BestSemester,” Parks shared. “I feel very passionate that students should spend a semester abroad to enrich their knowledge as well as open their eyes to people, cultures, and other opportunities that may never arise again.”

Eastern University student and fall 2011 India Studies Program alumna Natasha Yoder is planning an event this fall to facilitate conversations between BestSemester alumni at Eastern, which is located in St. Davids, Pa., and students who have questions about the BestSemester programs. 

“I chose to apply to be an ambassador because I really enjoyed my semester at ISP and wanted to encourage other students to take the opportunity to study abroad with BestSemester,” Yoder said. “I still get excited when I talk about my time in India, so I am always happy to talk with others about my experience and answer any questions about my time there.”

Andrea Haskins, a spring 2012 India Studies Program alumna, admits that she would have shared her BestSemester experience and urged fellow students at Messiah College in Grantham, Pa., to study abroad no matter what. “I wanted to be an ambassador so I could have access to more resources and be a part of the community of ambassadors.”

At William Jessup, Stevens and Dodd look forward to sharing about BestSemester opportunities at a missions fair later this month. They are planning an event to highlight stories from other BestSemester alumni at William Jessup while showcasing foods from areas like the Middle East and Uganda, where several of the students have studied. 

Petersen, the William Jessup registrar, looks forward to supporting the alumni ambassador campus team this semester. “Having an Alumni Ambassador is the one of the best ways to promote what great opportunities are available to William Jessup students,” she said. 

Student applications for spring 2013 Alumni Ambassador positions will soon be available. If your campus has an interest in working with a student as a BestSemester Alumni Ambassador, please contact Lindsey Podguski, campus relations manager (lpodguski@cccu.org). 

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About BestSemester: The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities offers 12 off-campus study programs, collectively branded BestSemester®, which expand learning opportunities for students from CCCU campuses and are designated as culture-shaping or culture-crossing programs. Culture-shaping BestSemester programs are: American Studies Program (Washington, D.C.); Contemporary Music Center (Nashville); Los Angeles Film Studies Center (Los Angeles); and Washington Journalism Center (Washington, D.C.). Culture-crossing BestSemester programs are: Australia Studies Centre; China Studies Program; India Studies Program; Latin American Studies Program; Middle East Studies Program; Programmes in Oxford; and Uganda Studies Program. Visit www.bestsemester.com for program details.

About the CCCU:  The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities is a higher education association of 172 intentionally Christ-centered institutions around the world. The 118 member campuses in North America are all fully-accredited, comprehensive colleges and universities with curricula rooted in the arts and sciences. In addition, 54 affiliate campuses from 19 countries are part of the CCCU. The Council’s mission is to advance the cause of Christ-centered higher education and to help our institutions transform lives by faithfully relating scholarship and service to biblical truth. Visit www.cccu.org.

Each year, hundreds of students from institutions of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) attend its BestSemester™ study programs around the globe. These students return to their schools energized and excited about the world with expanded knowledge, faith, and understanding. Faculty members can get a taste of what their students encounter and engage in more in-depth conversations about BestSemester’s benefits and experiences by visiting these student programs.

Understanding the value of faculty visits, the Contemporary Music Center (CMC) in Nashville, Tenn., hosted an official faculty tour of its new facilities May 23-27, 2011. This program allowed a dozen faculty members from across the CCCU to become better acquainted with the CMC experience their students encounter and also included a professional development workshop that offered opportunities for participants to build, develop, or expand upon the contemporary music curriculum at their universities. According to Warren Pettit, CMC’s program director, faculty could “build their own tour,” focusing on areas of specific interest to their school or studies. The CMC is planning to hold another faculty tour in May 2012.

After visiting the CMC, Heather Josselyn-Cranson, director of music ministries and associate professor of music at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa, stated she is now better equipped to “help students prepare for this, and we can have more helpful conversations when they get back [to campus].”

The Latin American Studies Program (LASP) will also host a faculty tour May 18-28, 2012. Faculty members who attend the LASP tour will spend part of their time in Costa Rica and the rest in Cuba.

“Our hope is that this trip will be a kind of ‘Mini LASP,’ where participants will not so much observe from a distance what LASP semester participants experience, but rather that faculty might have their own meaning-filled Latin American encounter,” said Anthony Chamberlain, director of the Latin American Studies Program.

In March 2011, John Beaney, chair of the modern languages department, and Faith Minnich, assistant director of international programs, from Messiah College in Grantham, Pa., visited the China Studies Program (CSP) during its cultural excursion to Xi’an. Visiting CSP provided Beaney and Minnich an opportunity to get a sense of the program, meet some of the staff, and visit with participating Messiah students.
 
“Our visit to the China Studies Program was a wonderful opportunity to see firsthand the exceptional work the CSP staff are doing with students during their semester in China,” stated Minnich. “While joining them on their visit to the Terracotta Warriors, we watched students engage in the incredible history of China. While sitting in class with them at Xi’an International Studies University, we observed the unique interaction that occurs when students learn about a culture while living in that culture. While walking the bustling streets of Xi’an with students, we witnessed the maturity and self-awareness that come from being outside their comfort zones, yet in a safe and vibrant learning environment.”

As Minnich reflected, “Our brief visit to the China Studies Program reminded us of the transformative power of study abroad and of the quality opportunities that exist from outstanding partners like BestSemester.”

Faculty members who are able to visit a student program get an unrivaled perspective of what their students experience and leave with a fresh understanding of the importance of encouraging their students to attend and how to interact with them upon their return. Although Jeff Miller, assistant director of the Spencer Centre for Global Engagement at Taylor University in Upland, Ind., had spent time in Uganda previously with Samaritan’s Purse, he returned to visit the Uganda Studies Program (USP) this past February, connecting with the USP staff and learning more about their program.

“It was wonderful to reunite with the people and culture that I came to love,” said Miller. “Professionally, the opportunity to be able to connect personally with Mark Bartels and the staff of the Uganda Studies Program was invaluable. It is of the utmost importance to me to know who is involved in making the decisions regarding our students’ safety abroad.”

“The familiarization with the program, the courses taught, and the specifics on housing and student development are essential for my role as an advisor and allows me to see first-hand how the Uganda Studies Program aligns with the mission and vision of Taylor University,” stated Miller.

If you would like more information about opportunities for campus faculty and staff to visit BestSemester programs this academic year, please go to www.bestsemester.com/studytours.

In Their Own Words

My semester with the Australia Studies Centre opened my eyes to my identity as a global citizen committed to justice. Until I was immersed in another culture, I was blind to the fact that some of my beliefs were American, rather than universal. I was forced to re-examine my perceptions of truth, my identity, my place in the world. I moved from a vague understanding that I could learn from other cultures to a deep respect for the knowledge bestowed upon me by my Aboriginal teachers and Australian friends. They taught me to look at the world in a new way and showed me truths that had previously been hidden. My classmates and I came to Australia with a dormant passion. The ASC program shook us awake. It sent us back to the States on fire and ready to DO something about poverty, foreign policy, environmental destruction, whatever issue had grabbed hold of our souls.  We are no longer passive citizens. We are zealously seeking to “act justly and love mercy and walk humbly with God” (Micah 6:8).

—Carissa Fish, Messiah College (PA) senior and BestSemester Australia Studies Centre student Spring 2010

I remember the first time I walked through the main quad in one of Oxford’s most beautiful colleges and timidly knocked on my professor’s door for my first tutorial on the crusades.   At the time, I was a terrified visiting student from a small liberal arts college in Tennessee who up until the previous semester had been a journalism major and had never actually taken a course in medieval history.  My semester abroad profoundly shaped me in three ways.  First, I gained a new perspective on learning as I was introduced to the rigors Oxford’s tutorial system—one that was vastly different, extremely difficult, and ultimately rewarding.  Second, I gained a greater appreciation for my home institution and felt equipped and motivated to take advantage of all that my university had to offer.  And finally, I developed a deeper interest in my discipline, one which has brought me back to Oxford as a graduate student to pursue my love of medieval history where that love began. 

—William Murrell, Lipscomb University (TN) graduate, BestSemester Scholars’ Semester in Oxford student  Spring 2008, and current master’s degree student at the University of Oxford

In Their Own Words

In my capacity as a college professor and administrator, I have been helping college students study abroad and international students study here in the US since 1985.  Including my own children, who are now young adults, I have facilitated study abroad for more than 500 American students and more than 100 international students studying in the US.  I know from extensive personal experience that exposure to other cultures and languages is one of the most valuable educational experiences possible.  In my estimation, a semester abroad is equivalent to two years in the classroom.  I have also served on CCCU's Student Academic Programs Commission since 2005.  It has been a joy to visit the CCCU international programs, to assess their effectiveness, to advise and encourage them, and then to report back to the CCCU home campuses.  I can recommend every one of the CCCU programs enthusiastically and without reservation.
 
—Bob Herron, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College and the Graduate School at Trinity International University (IL), CCCU SAPC member

The advantage to study abroad is that you gain a deeper understanding of yourself, a clearer understanding of your culture, and a broader understanding of God. We imagine ourselves to have particular qualities: patience, for example. However, the reality is that we have shaped our surroundings and schedules in such a way that we exclude (as much as we can) the likelihood that we will encounter situations that are likely to make us impatient. Thrust into a new culture, we are forced to deal with a barrage of system shocks that soon show us how patient we really are.

When we have lived in only one country, we look at the things that we and those around us both think and do as “life.” When we live in a different country, we see (immediately and over time) the differences in the way people in that country look at things; we see which values take precedence over others (such as group harmony over self-fulfillment).  Eventually, we have a vantage point for seeing more clearly our own culture as a reflection of the things we value more highly. The shock for Christians is to see the extent that our culture supersedes the Bible in shaping how we think and act.

Our culture affects the way we perceive God. We “see” those aspects of God’s character that resonate with things in our culture, and we often overlook aspects—even though they may be clearly spelled out in the Bible—that, for whatever reason, do not resonate with our culture. As we learn how people in another culture perceive differently the character, attributes, and workings of God, this broadens our perceptions and ultimately affects how we live.

—Jay Lundelius, Director of the CCCU’s BestSemester China Studies Program

The power of the BestSemester programs is their potential to serve as laboratories for CCCU students exploring the power of ideas in a diverse and international setting.  In the few years that I have been involved in international education, I am amazed at how much the study abroad experience changes lives. As campuses send more students abroad, the richness of the experience enlarges the conversation about professions and ideas back on the home campus. To be relevant in the future, campuses will need to find ways to enlarge the international experiences of the students. In turn, this contributes to the educational goals of the school. The powerful educational experience that the student has, starting with the home campus classroom experience, combined with the study abroad experience, builds a student into the type of graduate that each institution strives to produce. As an alum, the student will add to the value of the degree, and manifest the mission and vision of the institution.

—Brock Schroeder , Vice President for Enrollment Management at Malone University (OH), CCCU SAPC member

How can you make informed judgments about yourself, your society and your culture if all you know is your own small piece of the world?  Rudyard Kipling, a great traveler, once said, “What knows he of England, who only England knows?”

While any international travel might broaden your horizon a bit and potentially increase the ability to know yourself, it is not truly effective if you go only as a sightseer, who gains at best a romantic view of a place, dipping in and out of the culture and taking in the “postcard sites.”  A sightseer acquires some fun photos but lacks vision and misses the real picture.   It is only if you can commit to being something more than a tourist, making the effort to engage with the culture as a participant, that you are being properly equipped to understand that culture and contribute more fully to your own. (After all, if you can romanticize someone else’s homeland, how can you not but romanticize your own?) 

Students who come to Oxford as part of the Scholars Semester in Oxford or the Oxford Summer Programme become part of Oxford University’s academic community, discovering a rich set of resources, which contributes to their own development and to others.  They experience a broader world that they can use to evaluate better their own place within it, and in the process reveal new aspects of themselves, new options to develop, and new ways of seeing. 
International education: a form of vision that helps expose both our personal and cultural blind spots. Be warned, though, vision can be challenging!

—Stan Rosenberg , Director of the CCCU’s BestSemester Scholarship & Christianity in Oxford (offering two programs, the Scholars’ Semester in Oxford and the Oxford Summer Programme)

• The Scholars’ Semester in Oxford announced new tutorial options for students, bringing total tutorial offerings to more than 300.
• Beginning this fall, the Los Angeles Film Studies Center is offering a new “Professional Acting for the Camera” elective.
• The Contemporary Music Center has relocated from Martha’s Vineyard to Nashville.
• Latin American Studies Program director Anthony Chamberlain is beginning his 21st year of service as director of LASP.
• This semester is the final semester for the Russian Studies Program, which was created in 1994.

The fall enrollment breakdown is as follows:

• American Studies Program: 32
• Australia Studies Centre: 33
• China Studies Program: 14
• Contemporary Music Center: 31
• Latin American Studies Program: 34
• Los Angeles Film Studies Center: 45
• Middle East Studies Program: 31
• Russian Studies Program: 15
• Scholars’ Semester in Oxford: 62
• Uganda Studies Program: 32
• Washington Journalism Center: 11

The regular application deadline for spring 2011 participation in BestSemester programs is October 1, 2010. Visit www.bestsemester.com for more information.

The 12 semester- or summer-long student programs offered by the CCCU are categorized as either culture-shaping programs or culture-crossing programs. Culture-shaping programs are: American Studies Program (Washington, D.C.); Contemporary Music Center (Nashville, Tenn.); Los Angeles Film Studies Center (L.A., Calif.); and Washington Journalism Center (Washington, D.C.). Included in the culture-crossing programs are: Australia Studies Centre; China Studies Program; Latin American Studies Program; Middle East Studies Program; Programmes in Oxford; Russian Studies Program; and Uganda Studies Program. All programs undergo regular site visit evaluations by the Student Academic Programs Commission (SAPC).

The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities is a higher education association of 185 intentionally Christ-centered institutions around the world. There are now 110 member campuses in North America and all are fully-accredited, comprehensive colleges and universities with curricula rooted in the arts and sciences. In addition, 75 affiliate campuses from 24 countries are part of the CCCU. The Council’s mission is to advance the cause of Christ-centered higher education and to help its institutions transform lives by faithfully relating scholarship and service to biblical truth.

• American Studies Program:  46
• Australia Studies Centre: 62
• China Studies Program: 34
• Contemporary Music Center: 53
• Latin American Studies Program: 74
• Los Angeles Film Studies Center: 107
• Middle East Studies Program: 62
• Russian Studies Program: 24
• Scholars Semester in Oxford:  115
• Uganda Studies Program: 67
• Washington Journalism Center: 24

“As we conclude another semester we continue to be thankful for God’s abiding care and blessings,” says CCCU Vice President for Student Programs Ken Bussema. “Students and staff have traveled thousands of miles, engaged in hundreds of challenging conversations and encountered new friend from every corner of the globe. Once again, we are grateful and humbled when we hear returning students say ‘this semester has made me feel more alive in my heart, head and spirit than I knew was possible’ (written on an evaluation form for the Latin American Studies Program).”

The application deadline for spring 2011 programs is October 1, 2010. Visit www.bestsemester.com for more information.

The 12 semester- or summer-long student programs offered by the CCCU are categorized as either culture-shaping programs or culture-crossing programs. Culture-shaping programs are: American Studies Program (Washington, D.C.); Contemporary Music Center (Nashville, Tenn.); Los Angeles Film Studies Center (L.A., Calif.); and Washington Journalism Center (Washington, D.C.). Included in the culture-crossing programs are: Australia Studies Centre; China Studies Program; Latin American Studies Program; Middle East Studies Program; Programmes in Oxford; Russian Studies Program; and Uganda Studies Program. All programs undergo regular site visit evaluations by the Student Academic Programs Commission (SAPC).

The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities is a higher education association of 184 intentionally Christ-centered institutions around the world. There are now 109 member campuses in North America and all are fully-accredited, comprehensive colleges and universities with curricula rooted in the arts and sciences. In addition, 75 affiliate campuses from 24 countries are part of the CCCU. The Council’s mission is to advance the cause of Christ-centered higher education and to help its institutions transform lives by faithfully relating scholarship and service to biblical truth.

Uganda Christian University (UCU) and Uganda Studies Program (USP) employee Adeline Kamwasir has been awarded an international Christian leader award by Wheaton College’s Billy Graham Center Scholarship Program. The full-tuition and partial living expenses scholarship will bring Kamwasir to Wheaton in August 2010 for the master’s program in Christian formation and ministry, with a concentration in student development.

“As a dedicated leader in the Uganda Studies Program at Uganda Christian University, Adeline exemplifies the scholarly service and commitment that the Billy Graham Center Scholarship Program seeks to support with its endowed loan/scholarships,” said Diane Garvin, the scholarship program’s coordinator.

Upon completion of her studies in December 2011, Kamwasir will return to UCU and USP for at least three years. “I’ve wanted to do training in Christian ministry since I was 15,” she said. “That desire has been strengthened over time, with a growing focus on ministry to college young adults. My own undergraduate years were formative in many ways, with the presence of some key mentors who continue to positively impact my life. I, too, would like to add to the richness of the university years for students.”

Because Kamwasir will take courses directly related to her work with USP students, Mark Bartels, director of USP, said USP will benefit when she returns. “In addition [to theoretical training], her experience on a CCCU campus will give her invaluable insight into the undergraduate experience of USP students, allowing her to understand the experiences they bring to Uganda and better connect that background with their experiences in Uganda.”

The 12 semester- or summer-long student programs offered by the CCCU are categorized as either culture-shaping programs or culture-crossing programs. Culture-shaping programs are: American Studies Program (Washington, D.C.); Contemporary Music Center (Nashville, Tenn.); Los Angeles Film Studies Center (L.A., Calif.); and Washington Journalism Center (Washington, D.C.). Included in the culture-crossing programs are: Australia Studies Centre; China Studies Program; Latin American Studies Program; Middle East Studies Program; Programmes in Oxford; Russian Studies Program; and Uganda Studies Program. All programs undergo regular site visit evaluations by the Student Academic Programs Commission (SAPC).

The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities is a higher education association of 184 intentionally Christ-centered institutions around the world. There are now 109 member campuses in North America and all are fully-accredited, comprehensive colleges and universities with curricula rooted in the arts and sciences. In addition, 75 affiliate campuses from 24 countries are part of the CCCU. The Council’s mission is to advance the cause of Christ-centered higher education and to help its institutions transform lives by faithfully relating scholarship and service to biblical truth.

"With the redesigned site, we are able to better serve our members and serve students in helping them make an informed decision about coming to one of the BestSemester programs," said Vice President for Student Programs Ken Bussema. "We are thankful for all the hard work that went into the development of this site and welcome your feedback."

The new look and design of the homepage will allow visitors to search for programs in one of four ways:

• Program name
• Location
• Topic of interest
• Student's major

In addition, sections dedicated to parents and campuses provide key information to each audience. Visitors to specific programs will find some of the same structure as before but with a new look and functionality for categories such as: Overview, Academics, Faculty & Staff, Student Life, Admissions, and News & Updates. 

MyBestSemester is the login area for students who wish to receive more information or to start the application process. Once they have received a log-in and password, students can update their address information, request a copy of the BestSemester magazine, or return to the site to complete the application process. The application and reference systems and the campus contact portal have not changed and will continue to look and function as they did on the old Web site.

The deadlines for applying to the BestSemester programs for the 2009/2010 academic year are:

Oxford Summer Programme, March 1

Fall semester, April 1 (February 2 Early Admission)

Spring Semester, October 1 (May 1 Early Admission)

For more information, contact the Office of Student Programs at 202-546-8713 or visit www.bestsemester.com.

The 12 semester- or summer-long student programs offered by the CCCU are categorized as either culture-shaping programs or culture-crossing programs. Culture-shaping programs are: American Studies Program (Washington, D.C.); Contemporary Music Center (Martha's Vineyard, Mass.); Los Angeles Film Studies Center (L.A., Calif.); and Washington Journalism Center (Washington, D.C.). Included in the culture-crossing programs are: Australia Studies Centre; China Studies Program; Latin American Studies Program; Middle East Studies Program; Programmes in Oxford; Russian Studies Program; and Uganda Studies Program. All programs undergo regular site visit evaluations by the Student Academic Programs Commission (SAPC).

The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities is a higher education association of 180 intentionally Christ-centered institutions around the world. There are now 110 member campuses in North America and all are fully-accredited, comprehensive colleges and universities with curricula rooted in the arts and sciences. In addition, 70 affiliate campuses from 24 countries are part of the CCCU. The Council's mission is to advance the cause of Christ-centered higher education and to help its institutions transform lives by faithfully relating scholarship and service to biblical truth.

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• HIV/AIDS in Uganda today
• Reconciliation and forgiveness in post-genocide Rwanda
• Missions in an evangelized country
• Christian liberal arts in the African context

2008 Photo Contest Winners

Grand Prize - $500

"Painting Radcliffe" by Scotland Huber (Gordon College)
Scholars' Semester in Oxford, Fall 2007 & Spring 2008

3 Runners Up - $200

"Red Square Album Cover" by Daniel Chin (Westmont College)
Russian Studies Program, Fall 2007

"Ayeesh Delivery in Garbage City" by Joel Moore (George Fox University)
Middle East Studies Program, Fall 2007

"The Joy of Cooking" by Dan Veale (Cornerstone University)
Uganda Studies Program, Spring 2007

Winning photos may now be viewed at www.bestsemester.com/2008photocontestwinners. 

Leading the Uganda Studies Program in Mukono, Uganda, are Mark Bartels and Cindy Toms Smedley. Bartels completed his bachelors and masters degrees at Wheaton College (IL) in five years. Prior to becoming director of the Uganda Studies Program, he was a high school teacher in Sylmar, Calif., and worked at Honey Rock Camp in Three Lakes, Wis. Toms Smedley is a graduate of Messiah College (PA) and Boston University and was formerly on faculty with Eastern Mennonite University (VA). She is also currently voluntarily consulting with Child Voice International to determine an educational pathway for post-conflict women in the Gulu (Northern Uganda) IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camps.

Where and what were you doing prior to moving to Uganda?

BARTELS: My wife and I lived in Pasadena, Calif., and taught at a Lutheran high school. Abby taught English and literature and I taught government, economics, religion and coached soccer.

TOMS SMEDLEY: Prior to moving to Uganda, my husband Michael and I lived for a short time in China. He works with Hope International (a Christian microfinance/economic development NGO) and I worked at Peking University (Beijing University) preparing Chinese university students to study abroad at Oxford-Brooks University. 

What compelled you to pick up and move to the other side of the world?

BARTELS: Because Abby's parents were at Uganda Christian University, we had a family connection. [Abby's father Stephen Noll is the university's vice chancellor- the American equivalent of president.] In addition, we had an interest in living and working overseas. We weren't actively looking at the time, but when this opportunity came we felt it was the next step for us.

TOMS SMEDLEY: I first experienced the CCCU as a participant in the New Faculty Workshop, which had a significant impact on my teaching at Eastern Mennonite University. Consequently, I gained great respect for the mission of the CCCU and the ways in which they serve Christian higher education.  As our time in China came to a close, we looked to a CCCU program abroad in which to serve.  Living in Uganda offers both Michael and I a unique opportunity to serve in our fields - he continues to work in economic development with Hope International and I am able to work with students in a rich learning context.

What is your vision and passion for the Uganda Studies Program and its students?

BARTELS: Our vision for USP students is that they would gain a deeper and stronger faith by interacting with people of a different culture. In Uganda that means dealing with issues from which Americans tend to be insulated: poverty, corruption, injustice, AIDS. The answers that North American evangelicals formulate for these issues prove insufficient and often detrimental when confronted with the realities in East Africa. But many Ugandans themselves know the best ways to approach these issues. Americans can participate in living out the realities of the Kingdom of God (fruit of the spirit, justice for the oppressed, healing for the sick, etc.) in Uganda by following the lead of faithful Ugandans who know much more than we do about Uganda, the problems, and, often, the Kingdom of God.

TOMS SMEDLEY: The Uganda Studies Program seeks to serve the university community and the local community by assuming the stance of a learner.  It is easy to adopt a narrow view of physical poverty when approaching a developing country, however, Uganda possesses great spiritual and social richness.  The focus our discussions and learning together is how to fully embrace and understand this contrast.  Our goal is walk beside students as they gain better understanding of the global church and our brothers and sisters in Uganda.

One of your goals is to demonstrate that Americans can work alongside the Ugandans but that we are not the experts about their country and their issues- the Ugandans are. Why is that important to you? What is the significance?

BARTELS: I think I touched on this above, but the bottom line is that it is much easier (for me as well) to bring an implicit or explicit attitude of American superiority to Africa than it is to bring the humility of Christ. Of course, the former is much less conducive to Kingdom work and values than the latter.

TOMS SMEDLEY: Last week, we held a ‘tea time' where students came together to discuss the difficult issues of globalization and development. Essentially, this is a weekly time set aside for students to gain better understanding of concepts covered in classes and on experiential trips. This discussion group and learning time may sound no different than one that would take place on a US campus. However, mingled in with our American students were Ugandan Honors College students. 

As different ideas and implications of specific development came into conversations, our students were no longer talking about an absent group of people in a distant land. They were discussing real life implications for students sitting right next to them. They were able to listen intently as Doreen (Ugandan Honours Student) told of the very real impact of certain development agencies in her home village.  The insight that our students gained from their Ugandan peers changed the way they viewed their role in Uganda.  One student remarked that too many decisions about Uganda are made in the absence of the people whom the policies affect. The tea time discussion aided our students in understanding how to encourage and support their Ugandan friends as they go about work in their own land.

What can American students who come study in Mukono for a semester learn from the people of Uganda they come in contact with?

BARTELS: They will learn that, by comparison, they have lived an extremely comfortable, safe and insulated life. But they will also learn that human nature is universal. Ugandans respond to life in much the same way Americans do. Many are selfish, greedy, and manipulative. And many others are selfless, generous and sacrificial.

How would you like USP students to change and grow by the time they return to the States?

BARTELS: We would like them to have a real and growing faith in Jesus that they maintain in spite of the harsh realities of life.

TOMS SMEDLEY: Our goal is that students gain a better understanding of God and themselves by knowing more about the global church and the faith of Ugandans.  Additionally, we want students to fully embrace vocation as the place where their ‘deep gladness meets the worlds deep needs' (Buechner paraphrase).

What benefit is there for Ugandan and American students to mix as they do at UCU through the Uganda Studies Program?

BARTELS: We learn about our personalities (and how they affect our actions) by being in contact with people who have different personalities than we do. We learn about our culture (and how it affects our actions) by being in contact with people who have different cultures than we do. Obviously, getting to know individuals of another culture generally serves to break down stereotypes and prejudices. Meeting talented, intellectual and faithful Ugandans helps American students let go of the stereotypes of Africans as helpless, uneducated and unchristian that are so often perpetuated by the media.

Specifically, what do you see taking place when USP students take part in home stays?

BARTELS: They learn much about Ugandan culture, sure, but they also learn that valuing another culture is not about words or money but about actions and presence. Participation in another person's life is the truest way to communicate value.

TOMS SMEDLEY: We see American students being adopted in Ugandan culture of hospitality. Students return with a deep appreciation for the unique aspects of Ugandan culture. They often experience a Ugandan wedding or introduction ceremony, a family funeral, being adopted into family rituals and house chores, and many times they are given a Uganda name to signify acceptance into a particular community and tribe.

How have you changed personally and spiritually since making Uganda your home?

BARTELS: You'd probably be better of asking my family and close friends this question. I read Scripture differently, I understand human nature differently, I view God differently. Any one of those could be its own essay.

TOMS SMEDLEY: My husband and I have grown to better understand the true role of community. My western view of community might have been limited to a narrow interpretation of the close friends, bible study, or church members.  In Uganda, the community of believers is a broad body that seeps into every form of life for support and fulfillment.  The concept is reflected in cultural traditions and daily interaction. For example, child rearing is seen as responsibility of the whole community.  I was surprised to hear Ugandans tell the mothers in the community, "Webale kukuza baana baffe."  This translated literally means, "thank you for raising our children." The connotation of such a statement is that the mother is serving the whole community as she cares for her son or daughter. Each person in the community has a role to serve, and motherhood is celebrated as nurturing a member of the community.  Additionally, people are not limited to caring for their own children, but help to raise any child in the community. This has revolutionized the way that we understand the many parts of the body of Christ. 

Jerry Herbert is on the board and affiliated with the Center for Public Justice and usually teaches a seminar with them during their summer Civitas Leadership Program. He's also linked with the Mustard Seed Foundation and teaches a one week seminar called the Harvey Fellows Program (www.msfdn.org).  Also as a longtime member and elder at the Washington Community Fellowship church, he helped launch The Capitol Hill Crisis Pregnancy Center, just a few blocks away from the ASP campus. These are just a few examples of how Herbert puts his faith into action in his community, which is also the goal for students of the American Studies Program.

Kimberly Spragg, Australia Studies Centre at Wesley Institute, Drummoyne, Australia

Having grown up in Ecuador as an MK, and having studied abroad in college, Kimberly Spragg developed a passion to see God work among students. After a stint working at Harvard University, she served as the off-campus study coordinator at Taylor University in Upland, Ind. She moved to the CCCU, working her way up to Student Programs Director. In 2005, she took over the ASC program, and has since been pushing students to process their world, their art form and their individual roles as global citizens in the light of their Christianity.

Jay Lundelius, China Studies Program, Xiamen, China
Dr. Jay Lundelius brought eleven years of experience living, working and studying in different parts of Asia when he took over as Director of the China Studies Program in fall 1999.  His avid interest in China was shaped through teaching in Canton from 1984-86, as well as his marriage to a citizen of mainland China. Dr. Lundelius has an M.A. in ESL and a Ph.D. in Second Language Acquisition. His experience in linguistics and cross-cultural communication continued during his years as a professor for three years in Japan, and then for five years in Hong Kong.  He applies his knowledge by teaching students in the China Studies Program about the parallels in learning a language and learning a culture.  Since Dr. Lundelius and his family have lived in three distinctly different Asian cultures, he is able to highlight similarities and differences among Asian cultures with his students at CSP. He has been published in the Yale Asia-Pacific Review, The Business Communication Quarterly, and The Journal of the Chinese Language Teachers Association.

Warren Pettit and Tom Willet, Contemporary Music Center, Martha's Vineyard, Mass.

Pettit created a music industry program that fostered the development of the band Jars of Clay. Scratch Track is another nationally recognized touring band that calls the Contemporary Music Center home. Willett brings a wealth of music industry experience to the program, having served as musician, agent, manager, executive producer, marketing executive and label head for more than 20 years. 

Anthony Chamberlain, Latin American Studies Program, San Jose, Costa Rica.

Chamberlain and Ken Bussema, CCCU vice president for students programs, attended the IAPCHE International Conference in Granada, Nicaragua, Nov. 14-19, 2006, and together presented a poster presentation focused on ways to facilitate cross-cultural learning. IAPCHE is the International Association for the Promotion of Christian Higher Education.

Rebecca Ver Straten-McSparran, Los Angeles Film Studies Center, L.A., Calif.

Ver Straten-McSparran recently contributed a chapter to a book about film and theology being published by Baker Books. She has become a major sponsor and leader for the City of Angels Film Festival, a retrospective film festival which takes place each year at the Director's Guild of America. Ver Straten-McSparran is now the director of the festival after six years of serving on its executive committee. She is on the board of Reel Spirituality and was recently on the revision team for the second edition of the book of the same name.  Ver Straten-McSparran was elected to and is co-chair of the Arts and Recreation Committee of the Mid City WEST Council.

David Holt, Middle East Studies Program, Cairo Egypt.

Holt endeavors to build relationships between MESP Students and young people throughout the Middle East-Muslim, Christian, and Jewish. Meetings with local experts, political and religious leaders, diplomats, and plain folks on the street all contribute to an engaging atmosphere of public diplomacy at a more personal level. In the midst of a region in crisis, the MESP program seeks to foster mutual understanding and respect by being a listening presence among the program's mainly Muslim neighbors and friends.

Stan Rosenberg, Programmes in Oxford, England.

Rosenberg has been made a faculty member of Wycliffe Hall and Oxford University's Theology Faculty.  (Wycliffe Hall is one of the 46 colleges and halls of Oxford University.)  This status also makes him a member of Congregation, Oxford University's highest decision-making body which consists of about 3,500 of the most senior academic, museum, library and administrative members of the university. Congregation approves all major policies related to the university. During Rosenberg's sabbatical last spring, he researched and wrote and should soon be published in a few scholarly journals. His area of interest is St. Augustine.

Harley Wagler, Russian Studies Program, Nizhni Novgorod, Russia.

Wagler has given advice to different political leaders throughout Russia and other former-Soviet countries. He regularly presents papers at the International Pushkin festival and he's considered an expert on Pushkin by Russians and others.  "Harley's so culturally adept, even Russians sometimes forget he's not a Russian," says Amber Palmer, assistant director of student programs.

Mark Bartels, Uganda Studies Program, Mukono, Uganda

Bartels completed his bachelors and masters degrees at Wheaton College (IL) in five years. Prior to becoming director of the Uganda Studies Program, he was a high school teacher in Sylmar, Calif., and worked at Honey Rock Camp in Three Lakes, Wis. During his time at Honey Rock, he: developed and implemented curriculum for extended wilderness trips for high school, college and graduate students; designed and coordinated group retreats; and studied and researched camp management and administration. At USP, he developed and taught the seminar course, ‘Faith & Action in the Ugandan Context'; coordinated core and elective courses; and facilitates educational travel and other experiential education.

Terry Mattingly, Washington Journalism Center, Washington, D.C.

Mattingly's weekly column for the Scripps Howard News Service, "On Religion" has just been expanded to reach approximately 900 daily newspapers across the U.S. Other duties of this program director and working journalist include directing the GetReligion.org project on religion and the news as well as writing occasional columns for the ethics and diversity program at the Poynter Journalism Institute. He is the author of the book Pop Goes Religion: Faith in Popular Culture.

The 12 semester- or summer-long student programs offered by the CCCU are categorized as either culture-shaping programs or culture-crossing programs. Culture-shaping programs are: American Studies Program (Washington, D.C.); Contemporary Music Center (Martha's Vineyard, Mass.); Los Angeles Film Studies Center (L.A., Calif.); and Washington Journalism Center (Washington, D.C.). Included in the culture-crossing programs are: Australia Studies Centre; China Studies Program; Latin American Studies Program; Middle East Studies Program; Programmes in Oxford; Russian Studies Program; and Uganda Studies Program. All programs undergo regular site visit evaluations by the Student Academic Programs Commission (SAPC).

The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities is a higher education association of 180 intentionally Christ-centered institutions around the world. There are now 105 member campuses in North America and all are fully-accredited, comprehensive colleges and universities with curricula rooted in the arts and sciences. In addition, 75 affiliate campuses from 24 countries are part of the CCCU. The Council's mission is to advance the cause of Christ-centered higher education and to help its institutions transform lives by faithfully relating scholarship and service to biblical truth.