Search | Menu Kenya program marks a personal journey for faculty leaders
As an undergraduate, Dr. Jeff Galligan, Madison College’s TRIO Program Director noticed posters for study abroad programs, but he never saw anyone like himself represented. This summer, it was a full-circle moment for him when he had the opportunity to lead a group of eight Madison College students, many of whom were first-generation or underrepresented in study abroad, on a program to Kenya.
The Kenya program was the college’s first study abroad opportunity to Africa and is part of Madison College’s African Initiative. It was funded in part by a U.S. Department of State IDEAS Grant which focusses on bringing study abroad opportunities to students traditionally underserved by these initiatives
Developing cultural competency
“It’s critical for the college to have recognized the importance of providing these opportunities to students who might never have considered study abroad,” said Milcah Ochieng, ESL instructor and program faculty member. “It opened their minds and was a pivotal experience, especially in a global community like the one that we have right now.”
The importance of international education and immersing students in other cultures was underscored, not only by Ochieng and Galligan but by Stephanie Belmas, Director of the Center for International Education (CIE) at Madison College.
“Now that we are even more globally interconnected, it's incredibly important that our students learn how to engage with others from different backgrounds and cultures. Adaptability and navigating unfamiliarity are skills beneficial throughout our lives from schooling to careers and simply living in a global community,” Belmas said. “It's important that we help students develop their global competencies as well as gain a sense of cultural humility. These opportunities help students intentionally engage with other places, people and cultures and gain a broader world perspective.
The Kenya experience
During the two-week program, students and faculty had a full schedule working with Kenyans on environmental initiatives, spending time with Kenyan families in their homes learning about and engaging with the culture, and experiencing local colleges and different partner educational institutions in Kenya. While in Kenya, students even got to see the annual great wildebeest migration.
The students, many of whom had not traveled outside the United States, went through an extensive preparation and orientation program through CIE. According to Tammy Gibbs, CIE Manager, the orientation included sessions about what to expect while traveling, Swahili lessons, Kenyan culture discussions, meetings with mentors who had previously participated in study abroad programs and even presentations from counseling staff on understanding homesickness and identity issues that come up when in a different culture.
Exploration and learning
For Ochieng, the experience was a homecoming as she is originally from Kenya, and it fulfilled a lifelong desire to engage in such an initiative.
“The program captured the essence of exploration, learning, and personal growth for all participants. Students experienced not only the beautiful Kenyan landscapes and wildlife, but more importantly, the diversity of culture and the warmth of the Kenyan people,” she said. “In a visit to a host family, it was heartwarming to see students actively participating in Kenyan food prep, cooking, dining, sharing stories, and even learning Kenyan dance moves.”
Galligan noted that there are 42 different ethnicities in Kenya.
“Some Kenyans we met didn't have a lot of material wealth but in general, they were very warm, generous and courteous to us and are doing a lot of really cool, innovative things,” he said. “Many times, I think we see the stereotypes of certain places and think we know the culture. But unless we are directly engaged, we miss the real dynamic things about a culture or a people and it was impressive to see a lot of the amazing things that the Kenyans are doing.”
The students journaled about their experiences and took photographs. Images taken by students and Galligan will be featured in the October "Reflections from Kenya" exhibit at Madison College Gallery at Truax.
For more information on Madison College Study Abroad Programs.
Read students’ perspectives in the Clarion
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