The Center for Global Citizenship
Elizabethtown’s Center for Global Citizenship helps students, faculty and staff develop into global citizens who are informed about the world, have the skills and abilities to cross boundaries, and who work to serve their communities. The Center brings together, under one umbrella, three distinctive facets of the Elizabethtown heritage: a tradition of peacemaking, a commitment to educating for service, and a global outlook on education and citizenship.
The College’s approach to global citizenship is distinctive, owing to our particular mission and heritage. In keeping with the Brethren faith of our founders, Elizabethtown’s mission declares that “the College affirms the values of peace, non-violence, human dignity and social justice and seeks to make those values manifest in the global community,” consistent with our motto to “Educate for Service.”
International Programs
Elizabethtown’s array of international program offerings encourages and facilitates study-abroad experiences for our domestic students and provides a support network for international students who elect to study here. The International Programs Office promotes, supports and coordinates co-curricular events on campus each year, including a week-long International Festival celebrating International Education Week.
Increasing numbers of our domestic students are participating in the semester-long, study-abroad opportunities offered at our partner institutions, which currently include BCA Study Abroad; Nihon University in Tokyo, Japan; Queen’s University International Study Centre at Herstmonceux Castle in the United Kingdom; AustraLearn; and The School for Field Studies. More information on applying to participate in study-abroad programs is found in the Academic Policies chapter of this Catalog.
Also, to make international study more accessible, several Elizabethtown faculty members regularly lead short-term educational experiences to locations around the world. These programs typically provide credits to students who successfully complete all the requirements. In past years, faculty-led, short-term programs have traveled to China, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Ecuador, England, France, Ireland, Japan, Spain, Thailand and Vietnam. Other programs are being developed to take students to Italy, Germany, Mexico and other locations. More information on those programs, for which our students can earn credit, is contained in the Programs and Courses chapter of this Catalog.
BCA Study Abroad
BCA Study Abroad – Elizabethtown College’s longtime partner – provides study-abroad programs at 18 locations worldwide for students, faculty and administrators. Rooted in the values of peace and justice, BCA Study Abroad promotes international understanding, awareness of global citizenship, and academic scholarship through educational exchange. A testimony to its strong ties to Elizabethtown, BCA Study Abroad relocated its headquarters to the College’s campus in July 2002.
Language-Intensive Programs. For students required to pursue a language intensive program, the following locations are foreign language intensive: Philipps University of Marburg in Germany; the University of Barcelona in Spain; the University of San Francisco in Quito, Ecuador; the University of Strasbourg in France; and the University of Veracruz in Xalapa, Mexico. Students participating in these programs must receive intensive language instruction prior to their study-abroad experience.
English-Speaking Programs. Several programs are available where proficiency with a second language is not a requirement. For a current listing of locations, please see www.bcaabroad.com.
Nihon University, Tokyo, Japan
Formalized with the assistance of 1967 Elizabethtown graduate and trustee Kyoko Utsumi Akanoma, the 1999 agreement between Elizabethtown College and Nihon University, Japan’s largest private university, provides exchange opportunities for Elizabethtown’s Japanese majors. Additionally, faculty-led, short-term summer programs are available to all of the College’s majors. More information about Nihon can be found at
www.nihon-u.ac.jp/intldiv/jlsp/jlsp.html.
Each year, a number of qualified students are invited to participate in the Intensive Japanese Language Program (IJLP) during the spring and summer semesters. Students enrolled in the program will undergo intensive Japanese language instruction and will study Japanese culture and history.
Queen’s University’s International Study Centre, Herstmonceux Castle, United Kingdom
Elizabethtown College affiliates with the Queen’s University (Canada) International Study Centre at Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England. The Castle – one of England’s most significant and beautiful brick buildings – was originally constructed during the 1440s. It is located on more than 500 acres of land in the southeast corner of England, only 80 minutes from London.
During programs lasting a summer or one or two semesters, enrolled students are exposed to the European experience while studying in English and earning credits compatible with the Elizabethtown curriculum. Additionally, Elizabeth-town faculty also are able to teach abroad at Herstmonceux. Most courses taught at this location focus on international business, arts and humanities, and European studies and cover such areas as art, commerce, geography, history, politics, law, languages and literature. The programs anchor the academic experience in direct observation and field study. More information can be found at www.queensu.ca/isc.
AustraLearn: Study in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific
Elizabethtown College also affiliates with AustraLearn, a U.S.-based study-abroad provider that prides itself on cultural integration and offers high-quality, unique experiences in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. Now in its 19th year of service to students, AustraLearn offers short-term experiences in January and the summer, as well as semester and year-long opportunities that include renowned orientations and excursions. Elizabethtown students may choose to study at one of more than 20 locations in Australia and New Zealand. Each of these institutions – which routinely cater to the needs of international students – provides an exceptional program that is strategically located near cultural and scenic centers. As all universities are English-speaking, these international experiences are accessible to all Elizabethtown students. AustraLearn also provides volunteer and internship opportunities. More information can be found at www.australearn.org/.
The School for Field Studies (SFS)
The School for Field Studies – another of Elizabethtown’s partners in international study – provides dynamic, hands-on experiences for students at five field stations located throughout the world. Utilizing an interdisciplinary approach, SFS engages students in high-quality field research and academic study at research stations in Australia (Rainforest Studies), Costa Rica (Sustainable Development Studies), Kenya (Wildlife Management Studies), Mexico (Coastal Studies), and Turks and Caicos Islands (Marine Resource Management Studies). Students from all disciplines are encouraged to apply, especially those majoring in biology, environmental science, pre-medicine and pre-forestry. More information can be found at www.fieldstudies.org/.
KCP International, Tokyo, Japan
Elizabethtown students, who major or minor in Japanese, may attend KCP International Japanese Language School. KCP International is located in the Shinjuku section of Tokyo where the business, entertainment and shopping centers are concentrated. One of the largest and most highly recognized language institutes in Japan, KCP International has been granted Gakko Hojin status, a rigorous evaluation and accreditation process recognized worldwide. Founded in 1983, KCP is recognized as a leader in Japanese language education. KCP student scores on the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (Nihongo Nouryoku Shiken) are testimony to the high quality of language instruction at KCP. Most students enrolled in KCP’s advanced classes are able to pass the most difficult level of Japanese language proficiency. Elizabethtown students may participate in semester, summer and extended semester programs. More information can be found at http://www.etown-japan.com/.
International Education Programs (IEP)
One of Elizabethtown College’s newest affiliate partners is IEP – International Education Programs. This program provider receives its accreditation from and is headquartered at Jacksonville University. This is a study-abroad and volunteer program open to all majors and minors at Elizabethtown. Students will be able to take advantage of immersive study in a variety of settings, as well as volunteer, service-learning and internship programs offered in more than 20 countries and more than 30 diverse locations throughout Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania. Semester programs are offered in Belize, Peru, South Africa and Thailand. Short-term and summer programs are available in all locations. More information can be found at http://www.iepabroad.org/.
Northumbria University, United Kingdom
Elizabethtown College students now have a third study-abroad location in the United Kingdom. Northumbria University, located in Newcastle upon Tyne, is a large metropolitan university first established as a polytechnic in 1969 and inaugurated as a university in 1992. Northumbria consistently receives high ratings in both teaching and research, and attracts hundreds of international students from around the world. Elizabethtown College students are housed on campus in a hall of residence and can walk easily to classes, the city centre and the waterfront. Courses are available in all subject areas and students participate in a weekly “Colloquium in British Culture,” which includes excursions to places of interest such as Hadrian’s Wall, the Lake District and Durham Cathedral. Newcastle, located three hours north of London by train, is a millennial city with cutting edge entertainment and amenities. One of the United Kingdom’s most popular university cities, Newcastle features an international airport and a ferry service to the continent. More information can be found at http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/.
Other Approved Programs
Many Elizabethtown College students choose to study abroad through approved, non-affiliated programs, such as the Institute for the International Education of Students (IES), Cultural Experiences Abroad (CEA), International Studies Abroad (ISA), the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS), Semester at Sea, Temple University and many others. Students who choose this option for semester programs remain registered at Elizabethtown, but pay the program provider directly. Institutional aid does not travel with the student, but federal and sometimes state aid does. Some students choose to take part in summer programs or work, volunteer, internship and service-learning opportunities overseas as well.
Academic Curricula
In addition to these study-abroad opportunities, the Center oversees inter-disciplinary academic minors in International Studies and Asian Studies. Information regarding these programs can be found in the Interdisciplinary Programs chapter of this Catalog.
International Student Services
Elizabethtown College welcomes students each year from more than 25 countries who choose to study at Elizabethtown either as exchange students for a semester or year, or who pursue full degree programs. The International Programs Office provides assistance and advice for these students and sponsors international co-curricular programs on campus. The Coordinator of International Students serves the international student community by providing orientation programs for new students, advising students about immigration and visa issues, and providing guidance about U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and Department of State regulations. The Coordinator also advises students about employment, taxes and extracurricular programming.
Civic Engagement and Service-Learning
Civic engagement is an important quality of an Elizabethtown education, one that we consider essential to a comprehensive college experience. The Center for Global Citizenship intentionally creates civic engagement experiences to provide our students with opportunities to more fully explore the meaning of our motto “Educate for Service” in today’s increasingly global society.
Service opportunities abound at Elizabethtown College. These programs include annual campus-wide events, such as Into the Streets and Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service; Community Service Work Study; ongoing service-learning academic and volunteer placements; and the frequent and focused efforts of our student clubs, service organizations and Student-Directed Learning Communities.
Although our service begins at home, it certainly doesn’t stop here. Individually and collectively, members of our community are reaching far beyond our campus boundaries to help those in need. Students, faculty and staff take part in trips to Mississippi, Florida, Native American lands, and other areas in partnership with relief and development agencies. Service-learning is increasingly being integrated into international travel opportunities in places as far away as Ecuador, Mexico, Vietnam and South Africa. A partnership has been developed with International Education Partnerships (IEP) promoting global experiences by engaging students and faculty in study, internship and volunteer programs that will expose them to other countries, cultures, languages and people. And, under the leadership of the Center for Global Citizenship, the entire College community joins together to serve when catastrophic natural events devastate regions worldwide.
Service-learning also is being integrated into our classrooms through faculty-directed projects, urban service-learning experiences, and fieldwork. Elizabeth-town College is a member of Campus Compact, a national coalition of nearly 1,200 colleges dedicated to promoting community service, civic engagement and service-learning in higher education. The College also is an AmeriCorps campus, offering opportunities for students to serve as Scholars in Service to Pennsylvania. For three consecutive years, Elizabethtown has been selected for the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, recognizing the efforts our College community makes in building a national culture of service and civic engagement.
All of these efforts are the result of our belief that we have an obligation to use our knowledge to aid those in need, whether they live right around the corner or halfway around the world. And, through these experiences, our students also benefit, because their understanding of the global community is broadened and their knowledge of their chosen discipline is enhanced.
Peacemaking
Over the century since members of the Church of the Brethren founded Elizabethtown, our understanding of the College’s peace legacy has evolved within the context of world events and the shifting views of our community. Although much has changed about the College, today’s Elizabethtown continues to affirm the values of peace, non-violence, human dignity and social justice, and seeks to make those values manifest in the global community. One way the Center does so is by offering a Peace and Conflict Studies minor, which is discussed in the Interdisciplinary Programs chapter of this Catalog.
Also reflective of that mission, the Center for Global Citizenship includes peacemaking as one of its three areas of focus. As a result of efforts by our faculty leaders in this area, Elizabethtown is creating opportunities to build the community of moral discourse necessary to allow our students to learn about, and discuss issues related to, the College’s moral values. This discussion grows into action that creates peace, affirms human dignity, and works for social justice in Elizabethtown and the wider world.
Every year, the Center organizes a variety of trips, activities, lectures and events to enable students to more fully explore the practice of and their commitment to peace. Since spring 2007, the Center has hosted the annual Ware Lecture on Peacemaking, a program that brings world-class speakers to campus to engage students, faculty and staff on issues of global peace and justice.
