Global Experiential Learning Trips have traveled to learn in many locations around the world.
See all of Shenandoah’s Previous Destinations across the globe!
GEL 2018 Destinations
Belgium, France, & Spain | All Majors
Belize | Physical Therapy
Physical Therapy students traveled to the Toledo District of Belize, Central America with faculty member, Dr. Jill Boissonnault, PT, PhD. The students visited elementary schools in the district with Dr. Boissonnault and a representative of the Toledo District Ministry of Education (MOE). The DPT students presented a ‘Disability Awareness’ curriculum to the elementary school students.
Croatia | World Saxophone Congress
The World Saxophone Congress is the largest saxophone convention in the world. It meets every three years in a different world capital. 2018’s host city was Zagreb, Croatia, and the host institution is the Academy of Music at the University of Zagreb. This event was a unique opportunity for wind instrumentalists to experience an intense musical and academic environment while also receiving a valuable world cultural experience.
Cuba | Spanish
England | Theatre
This year, the trip’s focus was on the musicals of the West End. The goal of the trip was to have students to begin thinking about and experiencing the possibilities of musical theatre outside of New York City. Students attended West End musicals and smaller musicals in different venues as well as had workshops with leading industry professionals.
Finland | Education
Over spring break, three faculty members from Shenandoah University’s School of Education & Leadership (SEL) took 19 doctoral, master’s and undergraduate students to Finland to study what is acknowledged as the world’s best educational system for students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
READ MORE ABOUT THE 2018 FINLAND TRIP
France | Faith Seeking Justice Christian Leadership Program
Greece | Performing Arts Leadership & Management
The Summer Arts Leadership Institute brings together American and European students for a 10-day intensive program in international and intercultural issues facing future arts leaders. The Institute was hosted at the American University of Greece in Athens and featured discussions with European cultural leaders, four half-day study tours of Athens and a guided day-long tour of Epidaurus and Mycenae.
Guatemala | Physical Therapy
Guatemala | Music Therapy
The group traveled to Xela, Guatemala to work with the Highland Support Project. This GEL trip was also a service-learning Spiritual Life trip — a partnership between the Conservatory and Spiritual Life. Students learned how to teach and lead music classes for Mayan schools in the mountains by using music therapy techniques to engage in make meaning and purpose in the world, as well as practicing their profession in a multicultural context.
Haiti | Physical Therapy
This non-traditional clinical rotation took place in Jacmel, Haiti. The group treated patients in an in-patient setting and also in a school based setting.
Kenya | Physical Therapy
Morocco | Occupational Therapy
OT students visited Casablanca, Essaouira, Fes, Marrakech, and Rabat.
Rwanda & Uganda | Public Health, Education, & Health Professions
Education, health professions and public health students designed and delivered health education to teachers, who could then utilize this training in their classrooms and interact with primary and secondary school students by facilitating health trainings and a selected service project. This course examined the historical and social underpinning of the granny caretaker role within the context of orphaned and vulnerable children. They conducted qualitative interviews using ethnographic methods with the granny caretakers.
South Korea | Sport Management, Business, & Mass Communication to the Olympics
Shenandoah University, in conjunction with the Korean Olympic Committee, volunteered in the operations and execution of the 2018 Olympic/Paralympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea. Sport Management, Business, and Mass Communications students got to see the Winter Olympics in a unique way that most people will never get to experience and gain valuable knowledge of a major international sporting event. Lessons such as event planning, event management, cultural understanding, marketing, and more were taught to the students through class discussions and this intimate first-hand experience.
SEE MORE OF THE 2018 OLYMPICS TRIP
Switzerland | Nursing & Health Professions
Students traveled to Geneva, Switzerland, to attend the World Health Organization’s (WHO) World Health Assembly (WHA) to learn more about global health policy and explore the diverse cultural regions of Switzerland. Students wrote issues briefs in preparation for the trip, and then, when in Switzerland, saw how policy is discussed and developed in the global landscape.
GEL 2017 Destinations
Belize | Nursing & Public Health
Nursing and Public Health students designed and delivered nutrition and exercise lessons for Mayan schoolchildren in 2017. They also participated in cultural immersion through presentations, workshops and discussions related to healthcare, disease prevention, sustainable agriculture, Belizean culture and traditional healing. They completed a hands-on service project of particular need for a low-resource community in Belize.
Brazil | Nursing
Nursing majors traveled with the school of nursing and the office of spiritual life to Brazil. Students spent a week on the Amazon River providing basic medical care to under resourced communities. The group traveled via boat down the Amazon river providing basic medical care to under-resourced communities. This trip was not only about providing care but also about building bridges between cultures and communities, students had the opportunity to engage individuals, practice their profession, and experience diversity in a service-oriented experience.
England | Theatre
Senior theatre majors traveled to London to be immersed in the rich culture of London and all its theatrical heritage. Activities included 8-10 theatrical performances; visits to historical landmarks such as Hampton Court, St. Paul’s, Westminster, and many more. They went on backstage tours and attended workshops at major theatres. They also took day trips to Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon.
Greece | Dance
Students interested in exploring dance in an international setting traveled to Athens, Greece. They explored some of the major sites in Athens, as well as took dance classes by artists/teachers Ana Sanchez-Colbert and Marielys Burgos. They participated in site-specific performances around the city of Athens. They also traveled to the island of Ikaria (in there Greek Isles) to take part in week-long contact improvisation workshop led by SU faculty member, Maurice Fraga.
Greece | Arts Management
The Summer Arts Leadership Institute brought together American and European students for a 10-day intensive program in international and intercultural issues facing future arts leaders. The Institute was hosted at the American University of Greece in Athens and featured discussions with European cultural leaders, four half-day study tours of Athens, a guided day-long tour of Epidaurus and Mycenae, attendance at four evening performances in Athens, and even a leadership day at the beach.
Haiti | Nursing, Graduate Health Professions
Students in the health professions experienced the unique healthcare needs of the Haitian population being served by the Community Coalition for Haiti Clinic in Jacmel, Haiti. The interdisciplinary team of students and faculty, including Nursing, OT, PA, and Pharmacy as well as Nurse Midwifery traveled and worked in the clinic in interdisciplinary teams that participated in running three surgical suits, a recovery room, a primary care clinic, pharmacy and rehabilitative care as well as public health outreach.
Haiti | Physical Therapy
This non-traditional clinical rotation took place in Jacmel, Haiti. Our group will treated patients in an in-patient setting and also in a school based setting. Visits to rural homes and schools took place. Community Coalition for Haiti is the host organization and the group will be exposed to serial casting, equipment fabrication, and Inter professional interactions with nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and teachers.
Japan | Music Therapy
Music Therapy students attended the 15th World Congress of Music Therapy conference in Tsukuba, Japan. Tsukuba is located in the northern Kanto region of Japan. The group completed cultural excursions and experiences that focused on the arts, historical, and geographical points of interest. The group participated in both the student portion and regular proceedings of the music therapy conference. Each student focused on one clinical population to learn about at the conference.
New Zealand | Sport Management
Students explored sports management and marketing in New Zealand. Sport management as a discipline continues to grow in Oceania, including New Zealand, across a broad spectrum of sports. The Sport Management Association of Australia and New Zealand is a leader in international scholarship around sport and is considered one of the premier sport organizations in the world. New Zealand has a wide array of sports, from rugby to outdoor/adventure sports, that are unparalleled in the rest of the world.
Nicaragua | Occupational Therapy, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, & Physician Assistant Studies
This was the 11th annual medical mission trip to Leon, Nicaragua. The inter-professional team consisting of community physicians, physician assistants, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and pharmacy faculty, as well as students, embarked on a trip to provide medical care to those in need. The emphasis of the trip was General Medicine, Women’s Health, and Oral Health.
Scotland | All Majors
Students of all majors interested in environmental and cultural studies traveled to Scotland. They visited a variety of locations in Scotland. They examined Scottish Culture (particularly the Highlands) and Climate Change in Scotland and united the two topics through environmental experiential examples. They researching peat bogs and discussed their cultural use as a fuel source and how that fuel impacts the modern environment and climate change.
Spain | MBA & International Business
The course included lectures, meetings with distinguished professors, meetings with senior corporate executives, field trips to business organizations and cultural sites, classroom discussions, and assignments. General and specific discussions led by authorities in their fields enabled students to better understand different business and economic views, values, and customs.
Switzerland | Graduate Health Professions
Students traveled to Geneva, Switzerland, to attend the World Health Organization’s (WHO) World Health Assembly (WHA) to learn more about global health policy and explore the diverse cultural regions of Switzerland. Students wrote issues briefs in preparation for the trip, and then, when in Switzerland, saw how policy is discussed and developed in the global landscape.
GEL 2016 Destinations
Austria | Vocal Performance
Christmas in Mozart’s Backyard was a course designed especially for members of Cantus Singers in 2016. In addition to performing in historical spaces, students investigated the life and works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart through the lens of his early childhood years, the formative years, and researched how his religious beliefs influenced his compositional style. Students experienced the social and cultural aspects of Mozart’s life in Salzburg.
Brazil | International Business & Entrepreneurship
England | Theatre
Senior theatre majors traveled to London to be immersed in the rich culture of London and all its theatrical heritage. Activities included 8-10 theatrical performances; visits to historical landmarks such as Hampton Court, St. Paul’s, Westminster, and many more. They went on backstage tours and attended workshops at major theatres. They also took day trips to Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon.
Fiji | Psychology
Those who journeyed to Fiji used their trip to study happiness in a place often called the happiest on earth. Psychology students traveled to Figi with Scott King | sking4@su.edu in 2016.
“Happiness is a growing field of study in psychology and one that Shenandoah hasn’t had in our psychology curriculum, so I built a course around the study of happiness, and if/why Fiji is indeed the happiest place on Earth,” said Associate Professor of Psychology Scott King, Ph.D.
Shenandoah students spent time with both students at Fiji National University and people living in small village on Kioa Island. “My most memorable part of the trip was the moment I learned why they were so happy,” said Lora-Maria Koytcheva ’19. “I spoke with various families, and people throughout Fiji, and they all equally expressed their love for their country. Studying their answers, I discovered that it is because these people are content with their lives and what they have. Being there really showed me that these people are happy with what they have, are surrounded by family, and are very close with their religion. They are not so much worried about competing with others. Especially in the villages, families wake up every day smiling and surrounded by love – you can really feel the happiness in the atmosphere wherever you are in Fiji! They go about their daily tasks, but they do it on Fiji time – so it will get done whenever it gets done! No rush, no deadlines to meet… no stress.”
A perspective on history, an understanding of special education in another nation, an intimate view of global health policymaking and an immersion in a renowned culture of happiness more than half a world away – not bad for a little more than a week of travel and some stateside preparation.
Lora-Maria Koytcheva | Psychology, ’19
My most memorable part of the GEL trip to Fiji titled “Fiji: The Happiest Place on Earth?” was the moment I learned why the people were so happy. I spoke with various families, and people throughout Fiji, and they all equally expressed their love for their country. Studying their answers, I discovered that it is because these people are content with their lives and what they have. Being there really showed me that these people are happy with what they have, are surrounded by family, and are very close with their religion. They are not so much worried about competing with others. Especially in the villages, families wake up every day smiling and surrounded by love – you can really feel the happiness in the atmosphere wherever you are in Fiji! They go about their daily tasks, but they do it on Fiji time – so it will get done whenever it gets done! No rush, no deadlines to meet… no stress.”
Guatemala | Music Therapy
Nicaragua | Occupational Therapy, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, & Physician Assistant Studies
This was the 10th annual medical mission trip to Leon, Nicaragua. The inter-professional team consisting of community physicians, physician assistants, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and pharmacy faculty, as well as students, embarked on a trip to provide medical care to those in need. The emphasis of the trip was General Medicine, Women’s Health, and Oral Health.
Poland | Special Education
GEL-Poland was a special topics course that addressed the social and cultural factors that influence or determine the ways people with disabilities are regarded within society in 2016. Students explored the political, economic reforms and sociocultural contexts that promote the global inclusion of persons with disabilities, but in particular, aspects of Polish society.
Amanda Kicker | Biology & Secondary Education, ’18
GEL Poland was the best experience of my life! The trip’s focus was on learning about about how special education services are delivered in Poland now that the country has signed on to the U.N.’s Convention on the Rights for Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Dr. Painter made sure that each of the attendees learned something about their specific field whether it be nursing or history related,” Kicker said. I recently changed my major and this trip made me sure of my decision to study education. Not only did we travel to three different schools working towards inclusion, but we traveled to Krakow to Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camps. The history in a book or in a movie is nothing compared to walking where those prisoners walked.”
Spain | MBA & International Business
The course included lectures, meetings with distinguished professors, meetings with senior corporate executives, field trips to business organizations and cultural sites, classroom discussions, and assignments. General and specific discussions led by authorities in their fields enabled students to better understand different business and economic views, values, and customs.
Switzerland | Nursing
Students traveled to Geneva, Switzerland, to attend the World Health Organization’s (WHO) World Health Assembly (WHA) to learn more about global health policy and explore the diverse cultural regions of Switzerland. Students wrote issues briefs in preparation for the trip, and then, when in Switzerland, saw how policy is discussed and developed in the global landscape.
Judith Pascarella | Physician Assistant Studies, ’17
GEL Switzerland represented a course change for me in my life and career, and I found attending the World Health Assembly (WHA) 69 particularly humbling. I learned a great deal about how global health leaders interact and the processes that govern change. I had so many meaningful experiences in this trip that allowed me to not only network with global health leaders, but also those individuals on the forefront who are making the changes discussed at the highest levels on the international stage. At the conclusion of the trip, the strongest take-away for me was that education, preventative health, secure systems, government support, and funding are the keys to success in global health initiatives. It is essential to be proactive rather than reactive. As the message spreads, the hope is that public health will become a natural part of daily governance rather than an afterthought. It felt like a lot of progress was made this year, and it was an unforgettable honor to be invited to attend history in the making.”
GEL 2015
Belize | Nursing & Public Health
Nursing and Public Health students designed and delivered nutrition and exercise lessons for Mayan schoolchildren in 2017. They also participated in cultural immersion through presentations, workshops and discussions related to healthcare, disease prevention, sustainable agriculture, Belizean culture and traditional healing. They completed a hands-on service project of particular need for a low-resource community in Belize.
Brazil | International Business & Entrepreneurship
Brazil | Nursing
Nursing majors traveled with the school of nursing and the office of spiritual life to Brazil. Students spent a week on the Amazon River providing basic medical care to under resourced communities. The group traveled via boat down the Amazon river providing basic medical care to under-resourced communities. This trip was not only about providing care but also about building bridges between cultures and communities, students had the opportunity to engage individuals, practice their profession, and experience diversity in a service-oriented experience.
England | Theatre
Senior theatre majors traveled to London to be immersed in the rich culture of London and all its theatrical heritage. Activities included 8-10 theatrical performances; visits to historical landmarks such as Hampton Court, St. Paul’s, Westminster, and many more. They went on backstage tours and attended workshops at major theatres. They also took day trips to Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon.
Nicaragua | Occupational Therapy
Poland | Special Education
GEL-Poland was a special topics course that addressed the social and cultural factors that influence or determine the ways people with disabilities are regarded within society in 2016. Students explored the political, economic reforms and sociocultural contexts that promote the global inclusion of persons with disabilities, but in particular, aspects of Polish society.
Spain | MBA & International Business
The course included lectures, meetings with distinguished professors, meetings with senior corporate executives, field trips to business organizations and cultural sites, classroom discussions, and assignments. General and specific discussions led by authorities in their fields enabled students to better understand different business and economic views, values, and customs.
Switzerland | Nursing
Students traveled to Geneva, Switzerland, to attend the World Health Organization’s (WHO) World Health Assembly (WHA) to learn more about global health policy and explore the diverse cultural regions of Switzerland. Students wrote issues briefs in preparation for the trip, and then, when in Switzerland, saw how policy is discussed and developed in the global landscape.
GEL 2014
Austria | Music Therapy
England | Theatre
Senior theatre majors traveled to London to be immersed in the rich culture of London and all its theatrical heritage. Activities included 8-10 theatrical performances; visits to historical landmarks such as Hampton Court, St. Paul’s, Westminster, and many more. They went on backstage tours and attended workshops at major theatres. They also took day trips to Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon.
France | MBA & International Business
Poland | Special Education
GEL-Poland was a special topics course that addressed the social and cultural factors that influence or determine the ways people with disabilities are regarded within society in 2016. Students explored the political, economic reforms and sociocultural contexts that promote the global inclusion of persons with disabilities, but in particular, aspects of Polish society.
GEL 2013
Austria | Music Therapy
Belize | Nursing & Public Health
Nursing and Public Health students designed and delivered nutrition and exercise lessons for Mayan schoolchildren in 2017. They also participated in cultural immersion through presentations, workshops and discussions related to healthcare, disease prevention, sustainable agriculture, Belizean culture and traditional healing. They completed a hands-on service project of particular need for a low-resource community in Belize.
Brazil | Nursing
Nursing majors traveled with the school of nursing and the office of spiritual life to Brazil. Students spent a week on the Amazon River providing basic medical care to under resourced communities. The group traveled via boat down the Amazon river providing basic medical care to under-resourced communities. This trip was not only about providing care but also about building bridges between cultures and communities, students had the opportunity to engage individuals, practice their profession, and experience diversity in a service-oriented experience.
England | Theatre
Senior theatre majors traveled to London to be immersed in the rich culture of London and all its theatrical heritage. Activities included 8-10 theatrical performances; visits to historical landmarks such as Hampton Court, St. Paul’s, Westminster, and many more. They went on backstage tours and attended workshops at major theatres. They also took day trips to Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon.
England | Business
Business student traveled to England to study in a two-week program on Emerging Global Economic Leadership at St. Peter’s College, Oxford University. The program consisted of lectures by Oxford scholars, a trip to the birthplace of the industrial revolution, an excursion to a Jaguar manufacturing plant, an information meeting at the London offices of Deloitte as well as Barclays, a visit to Stratford upon Avon to see MacBeth at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, and a weekend of sight-seeing in London. Students were in residence at one of the most historical campuses of Oxford – Magdalen College – and took formal meals at the high table.
France | MBA & International Business
Guatemala | Nursing
Ireland | Nursing
Peru | Outdoor Leadership & Education
Poland | Special Education
GEL-Poland was a special topics course that addressed the social and cultural factors that influence or determine the ways people with disabilities are regarded within society in 2016. Students explored the political, economic reforms and sociocultural contexts that promote the global inclusion of persons with disabilities, but in particular, aspects of Polish society.
Russia | Mass Communications
Spain | MBA & International Business
The course included lectures, meetings with distinguished professors, meetings with senior corporate executives, field trips to business organizations and cultural sites, classroom discussions, and assignments. General and specific discussions led by authorities in their fields enabled students to better understand different business and economic views, values, and customs.
GEL 2012
Belize | International Business
Cuba | Spanish
England | Theatre
Senior theatre majors traveled to London to be immersed in the rich culture of London and all its theatrical heritage. Activities included 8-10 theatrical performances; visits to historical landmarks such as Hampton Court, St. Paul’s, Westminster, and many more. They went on backstage tours and attended workshops at major theatres. They also took day trips to Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon.
Japan | Music Therapy
Israel | Health Professions
Spain | MBA & International Business
The course included lectures, meetings with distinguished professors, meetings with senior corporate executives, field trips to business organizations and cultural sites, classroom discussions, and assignments. General and specific discussions led by authorities in their fields enabled students to better understand different business and economic views, values, and customs.
Tanzania | Nursing
GEL 2011
Belize | International Business
England | Business
Business student traveled to England to study in a two-week program on Emerging Global Economic Leadership at St. Peter’s College, Oxford University. The program consisted of lectures by Oxford scholars, a trip to the birthplace of the industrial revolution, an excursion to a Jaguar manufacturing plant, an information meeting at the London offices of Deloitte as well as Barclays, a visit to Stratford upon Avon to see MacBeth at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, and a weekend of sight-seeing in London. Students were in residence at one of the most historical campuses of Oxford – Magdalen College – and took formal meals at the high table.
England | Dance
Panama | Business
Spain | Dance
Taiwan | Occupational Therapy
GEL 2010
Argentina | Spanish
Spanish students traveled to Rosario, Argentina’s third largest city, to participate in UCEL’s Spanish Language and Cultural Immersion Program. The three-week program was unique opportunity to earn three Spanish language credits while immersing oneself in Argentine culture. Living with a host family, attending classes and joining in many activities in Rosario, each participant made new friends and adapted to the local lifestyle while improving Spanish language skills and fulfilling academic course requirements.
England | Business
Business student traveled to England to study in a two-week program on Emerging Global Economic Leadership at St. Peter’s College, Oxford University. The program consisted of lectures by Oxford scholars, a trip to the birthplace of the industrial revolution, an excursion to a Jaguar manufacturing plant, an information meeting at the London offices of Deloitte as well as Barclays, a visit to Stratford upon Avon to see MacBeth at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, and a weekend of sight-seeing in London. Students were in residence at one of the most historical campuses of Oxford – Magdalen College – and took formal meals at the high table.
India | Business
Macedonia | Dance
Taiwan | Physician Assistant Studies
Thailand | Nursing
GEL 2009
Argentina | Spanish
Spanish students traveled to Rosario, Argentina’s third largest city, to participate in UCEL’s Spanish Language and Cultural Immersion Program. The three-week program was unique opportunity to earn three Spanish language credits while immersing oneself in Argentine culture. Living with a host family, attending classes and joining in many activities in Rosario, each participant made new friends and adapted to the local lifestyle while improving Spanish language skills and fulfilling academic course requirements.
Australia | Business & Arts Management
China | Business
England | Business
Business student traveled to England to study in a two-week program on Emerging Global Economic Leadership at St. Peter’s College, Oxford University. The program consisted of lectures by Oxford scholars, a trip to the birthplace of the industrial revolution, an excursion to a Jaguar manufacturing plant, an information meeting at the London offices of Deloitte as well as Barclays, a visit to Stratford upon Avon to see MacBeth at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, and a weekend of sight-seeing in London. Students were in residence at one of the most historical campuses of Oxford – Magdalen College – and took formal meals at the high table.
Spain | Dance
Taiwan | Occupational Therapy
GEL 2007
Argentina | Spanish
Spanish students traveled to Rosario, Argentina’s third largest city, to participate in UCEL’s Spanish Language and Cultural Immersion Program. The three-week program was unique opportunity to earn three Spanish language credits while immersing oneself in Argentine culture. Living with a host family, attending classes and joining in many activities in Rosario, each participant made new friends and adapted to the local lifestyle while improving Spanish language skills and fulfilling academic course requirements.
China | MBA
Ireland | Dance
Italy | Business
Spain | Dance
Thailand | Nursing
GEL 2006
Argentina | Spanish
Spanish students traveled to Rosario, Argentina’s third largest city, to participate in UCEL’s Spanish Language and Cultural Immersion Program. The three-week program was unique opportunity to earn three Spanish language credits while immersing oneself in Argentine culture. Living with a host family, attending classes and joining in many activities in Rosario, each participant made new friends and adapted to the local lifestyle while improving Spanish language skills and fulfilling academic course requirements.
Argentina | Business
China | MBA
England | Nursing & Graduate Health Professions
Ireland | Nursing & Graduate Health Professions
Poland | Special Education
GEL-Poland was a special topics course that addressed the social and cultural factors that influence or determine the ways people with disabilities are regarded within society in 2016. Students explored the political, economic reforms and sociocultural contexts that promote the global inclusion of persons with disabilities, but in particular, aspects of Polish society.
