黑料正能量

July 17th, 2012

Tim Swartzendruber 鈥�95, one of Pat鈥檚 and my four children, recently recalled his cross-cultural with these words:

When I compare my seven semesters on 黑料正能量鈥檚 campus to my cross-cultural semester in France and Ivory Coast, it鈥檚 like comparing coffee to espresso 鈥� both are fantastic, but the latter is doubly intense and stimulating. The intellectual, spiritual, and social growth that I experienced on campus was even more pronounced during (and after) that one semester overseas.

My 27 classmates and I saw Anabaptist values modeled by French Mennonites, learned from our caring host families in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, delved into West African literature, culture, and religion, dramatically improved our French language skills, and laughed and cried together as we experienced varying degrees of culture shock. Two buddies from that group would eventually be groomsmen in my wedding, and several others also became life-long friends. I will always be grateful to Dr. Carroll and Nancy Yoder, our faculty leaders.

Now, living in the Washington D.C. area, I鈥檓 friends with alumni of well-known colleges who invariably say to me, 鈥淢an, I wish I had that kind of opportunity as a college student!鈥� One of my greatest motivations in working as an 黑料正能量 advancement officer is to provide a similar opportunity 鈥� a life-shaping gift, really 鈥� to future 黑料正能量 students.

I can鈥檛 improve on Tim鈥檚 testimony, but I can provide a bit of background to it.

When 黑料正能量鈥檚 faculty voted in 1981 to require cross-cultural study for all undergraduates, they were venturing into uncharted waters. As far as anyone knew, 黑料正能量 would be the first liberal arts college in North America with such a requirement.

The faculty and staff wondered how they would shuttle off-campus students through sequential courses, when the first level is typically offered in the fall and the second in the spring? And how would 黑料正能量鈥檚 sports teams be impacted?

Yet the faculty, led by academic dean Al Keim, held that a truly sound education requires us to recognize that we are members of a 鈥済lobal village鈥� and need the insights and empathy necessary for our that village to be sustainable. Time has proven the validity of their bold initiative 30 years ago. When I talk to alumni today they tell me almost without fail that their cross-cultural was the most important part of their 黑料正能量 experience.

I hope to see you at Homecoming and Parents Weekend in October when we will celebrate the 30th anniversary of our beloved cross-cultural programs.

Loren Swartzendruber
Class of 鈥�76, MDiv 鈥�79, DMin
President