Winter 2005 - Keuka College

hrough alumni and student
profiles and other articles, Keuka
magazine has done an excellent job
of backing up the College’s claim
that it is the national leader in experiential,
hands-on learning.
In this issue, we discover that
our role as the national leader has a
growing international dimension.
This is primarily due to an expanding
program in China (no American
college or university has more
enrolled students in China than we
do), annual Field Periods around the
globe, study abroad opportunities,
and a number of alumni living and
working in foreign countries.
Our increased presence abroad
fits right into our mission. As you
know, experiential education is the
core educational philosophy of our
college.
Therefore,
in
keeping
with this
belief, we
know that
in order
to really
learn
about
other cultures,languages
and
nations,
you must
experience
them
first-
hand. Our new and expanded international
programs ensure that a larger
portion of our student body have
the opportunity to do this.
P RESIDENT’ S M ESSAGE
INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE FITS WITH MISSION
T
Edith Estey ’33 was
committed to placing
students in Field
Periods across Europe.
By Joseph G. Burke
Today’s college graduates must
have an understanding of economic
and cultural systems that exist in
today’s world. American society is
becoming increasingly diverse in
terms of ethnicity, race, language,
nationality, religion, and sexual orientation.
Therefore, to be
successful in any business
or occupation, the Keuka
graduate must have an
understanding of these
diverse groups, as well as
the relational skills to work
and live in our highly
diverse society.
Our recent expansion in
international programs is a
return to the days of the late Edith
Estey ’33, the affable Keuka administrator
who created the Field Period
program in 1942. She was committed
to placing students in Field
Periods across Europe via the Keuka
World Emphasis Sequence (KWES)
program. KWES was implemented
“to provide students with the opportunity
for… first-hand experience
with the international scene and…
direct acquaintance with people of
diverse social and cultural background.”
As you will read in this issue,
our international education program
has broadened to include other parts
of the world besides Europe. This is
in keeping with the expansion of the
U.S. economy to other parts of the
globe. For instance, our annual foreign
trade statistics demonstrate the
growing importance of Asia and the
Pacific Rim. This is one of the key
reasons we are putting such an
emphasis on China.
Most Chinese students do not
work or complete internships during
their college careers. Consequently,
they are not as competitive for
employment opportunities at international
companies that operate in
China and across Asia. That is an
important reason why China is so
interested in Keuka College and the
emphasis we place on experiential
education. In fact, you will learn in
this issue that Chinese students pursuing
Keuka degrees are now conducting
Field Periods.
Fifty-one Keuka Park students
conducted Field Periods
in eight foreign countries in
January. Reflecting the
College’s commitment to
international study, some
received financial assistance
to help defray travel costs.
Senior Amanda Auriemma
and junior Kate Thomas-
Moody received Judith Oliver
Brown Memorial Awards to help
fund their culturally oriented Field
Periods. Auriemma was part of the
Group Field Period to Italy led by
Professor of History Sander
Diamond. It was the 29th such trip
directed by Diamond, and many
have been to foreign countries.
Thomas-Moody worked with the
Southhampton Saints Football Club
in England.
Three students received Spiritual
Exploration Field Period scholarships:
juniors Gina DeLeo and
Jessica Flood served as teacher’s
assistants at the International
Christian School in San Jose, Costa
Rica, while freshman Steven
Mitchell worked at the Hope for
India orphanage in Chillakallu,
India.
These students will inspire other
Keuka matriculates to study abroad
in much the same fashion that Anne
Janovsky Devitt ’52 (the first Keuka
student to travel overseas with support
from the Norton Memorial
Fund) did in 1951.
These multiple international educational
activities only serve to
enhance our role as the national
leader in experiential, hands-on
learning.