Global Studies Program at Sewickley Academy Gives Students a World View

As the world continues its transformation into a global economy, it is especially important that those who are going to lead this country in the 21st century have a solid understanding of other cultures, as well as their own place in the world. And while much of this information can be found within books, there is no substitute for actually immersing oneself in another culture to truly understand how cities, countries and even individuals are all interconnected.

At Sewickley Academy, students are well on their way to developing this world view. “We see it as part of our mission at Sewickley Academy to educate global citizens; to challenge students to look beyond themselves and their immediate environments to develop an awareness of their place within a global context,” explained Head of School Kolia O’Connor. “We want students to develop an understanding and appreciation of cultures, languages and histories that are different than our own, and to operate with increased comfort across international boundaries. These intercultural competencies are very important in a world that is increasingly interconnected.”

One way in which students are introduced to other cultures is through the school’s Global Studies program. Starting in the Lower School, students create relationships with students in other countries through webcam technology and a pen pals program. In the Middle School, students have the opportunity to participate in trips and exchanges with other countries, and to take part in Challenge 20/20, a web-based program that pairs schools in the U.S. with schools in other countries for the opportunity to discuss global issues.

In the Senior School, the Global Studies program is specialized to meet each student’s area of interest, and includes a four-week travel component. “Students can choose to specialize in an academic, artistic or cultural discipline,” explained Neal Holmes, director of Diversity and Global Education. “For example, a student can choose to study how West African politics differ from South African politics, or compare the stock market in France to that of the U.S. Once we’ve determined what a student’s interests are, we put together a travel itinerary that provides them opportunities to explore these interests.”

Students have previously traveled to Belize to study marine biology and to Ecuador to help refurbish a school. Other destinations have included China, Japan, Costa Rica, France, Spain, London, Switzerland, Germany, Fiji and Romania. Unlike a vacation, students who travel attend classes, focus on the particular language of the host country and participate in service learning. Students also keep an electronic or written journal of their experiences, and when they return, they share these experiences with the larger school body and the Global Studies committee.

“The service learning portion of the trip is important because it encourages students to be curious and to try new things and to work in an interactive peer group setting,” said Holmes. “It helps them to learn to accept challenges, even knowing that sometimes they may not succeed.

“It also enables students to realize that the scope of learning is so much broader than what they ever thought it could be,” he added. “The possibilities are limitless.”

According to O’Connor, students who travel and immerse themselves in other cultures are transformed by the experience in a number of ways. “Ultimately, several things happen,” he explained. “First, they learn to be sensitive to the nuances of language, cultures, customs and habits, which are often quite subtle.

“Second, they develop an understanding of the history, background and geography of various parts of the world and a general understanding of how people and groups interact,” he continued. “When students learn about the historical conflicts in the Middle East, for example, it gives them a better understanding of how those conflicts continue to influence global politics today.”

The last component, and perhaps the most important, is the personal growth that students undergo as visitors in other countries. “Particularly in schools like ours where kids are very successful, it’s a change for students to find themselves as strangers in a strange land—where they are not as successful because they are not native speakers of the language, and they do not have a support system around them,” said O’Connor. “By walking a mile in another person’s shoes, they gain a more empathetic view of the world, which results in more successful engagements with other people.”

In order to make this opportunity available to all students, Sewickley Academy works with students’ families to make the trips affordable. “When you talk about travel, the first thing that people think about is cost,” said Holmes. “We work to find ways to offset the costs so that any student who wants to travel to another country has that opportunity.” In addition to offering four $5,000 scholarships to underwrite the cost of travel, the school is also raising money through its capital campaign to fund the travel portion of the Global Studies program.

“We believe that we have an obligation to our students to leave them exceptionally well prepared for the challenges and opportunities that await them after they leave our doors,” said O’Connor. “By providing them with an understanding of the world, foreign languages and cross-cultural competencies and skills, we are enabling them to be successful in the future.”

For more information on Sewickley Academy, visit www.sewickley.org.