From Study Abroad to Global Studies: Reconstructing International Education for a Globalized World

In the spring of 1962, I was finishing my freshman year at a university that had no overseas study programs. Fortunately, I was a member of the choir that toured Europe that summer, a remarkable experience highlighted by singing in East Berlin behind the newly erected wall. Two years later, the choir toured East Asia, another peak experience for me. In addition to sight-seeing and singing, usually in churches or at military bases, both tours included home stays, instruction in local culture, drinking, and ambassadorial events, also sponsored primarily by church or military. Those experiences were formative in developing my personal orientation to the world, evoking an enduring interest in other cultures and a deep commitment to peaceful understanding among peoples. Since then, study abroad has become a substantial enterprise as educators embraced the idea that learning about other cultures is a critical component of becoming an educated person, succeeding at work, and serving as an effective citizen (Bok, 2006). Many students report that study abroad has been