ISA Custom Programs collaborated with U.S. partner institutions to run over 125 faculty-led programs this spring and summer in a variety of academic fields. Here are several recent programs that demonstrate how studying abroad brings academics to life through real-world international experiences. Get inspired and start a conversation with ISA today!
University of Nebraska, Lincoln – Sports Marketing in Brazil
Students from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln (UNL) traveled to Florianópolis for three weeks to explore the Brazilian sports marketing industry. Students met with professionals who presented strategies used to service the needs of consumers in the athletics industry. UNL students partnered with Challenge Brasil, a company that organizes triathlon races, and presented a project summarizing ways to achieve the company’s business goals through sports marketing.
In addition, the group had an amazing opportunity to travel to Rio de Janeiro to experience the excitement surrounding the upcoming 2016 Summer Olympic Games and visited with the Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. As a compliment to the group’s academic focus on sports marketing, students enjoyed the rich culture of Brazil through Portuguese language classes, dance lessons, a Capoeira workshop, and surf lessons on the beautiful Florianópolis beaches.
Wingate University – Origins of Psychology in Vienna & Prague
One of the best ways to understand a field of study is to experience it as its founding members did. Following suit, this psychology program immersed students within the birthplaces of a few specific aspects of psychology while engaging them in the historical and cultural heritage of modern-day Europe. In Vienna, ISA arranged visits of the Sigmund Freud Museum and the Federal Pathological Anatomical Museum housed in the oldest mental hospital in Europe. In Prague, students enjoyed visits at the Prague Castle, Jewish Town, and National Gallery. At the end of the program, students participated in a scavenger hunt around Prague’s historic Old Town and an interactive mental challenge game simulation. These unique activities challenged students’ ability to engage in systematic empiricism and critical thinking to solve logically based puzzles and break codes.
For more reasons why you should base your faculty-led program in Prague, check out our recent post, “ISA Sites to Consider for Your Faculty-Led Program: Prague, Czech Republic.”
Wright State University – Arabic Culture in Amman
This short term program introduced beginning Arabic students to the Jordanian culture and dialect. In Amman, the group learned how to cook a traditional Middle Eastern meal, conversed with locals in conversation groups, and navigated the Jara outdoor summer market. Besides exploring their ISA host city of Amman, students also traveled to the ancient city of Petra and experienced Jordanian culture first-hand in the historical city of Salt, where they learned how to make a traditional dessert and attended a Jordanian wedding. The students also had the chance to share a little bit of their own culture with Jordanian students through short presentations at the University of Jordan for a fantastic cross-cultural experience.
Fitchburg State University – Game Design in Tokyo
This was a week-long spring break program that held a unique focus on Game Design. Students began the program in Tokyo, and ended their time abroad in Kyoto for several days. During their stay they participated in a total of five academic visits with local companies that specialized in subjects such as manga and gaming technology. Along with cultural activities such as the robot show in Tokyo and a traditional Japanese dance performance in Kyoto, students also participated in a manga workshop and Akihabara Otaku Culture tour.
