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Georgia Southern University Digital Commons@Georgia Southern Compass Armstrong News & Featured Publications Compass Fall 2004 Armstrong State University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/armstrong- compass Recommended Citation Armstrong State University, "Compass" (2004). Compass. 4. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/armstrong-compass/4 This magazine is brought to you for free and open access by the Armstrong News & Featured Publications at Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. It has been accepted for inclusion in Compass by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. For more information, please contact [email protected]. c mpass fall 2004 TheThe WorldWorld ofof InternationalInternational EducationEducation SeeSee storystory onon pagepage 3.3. INSIDE 4 Hola, Equador 8 Remembering Bob 14 International Garden emerging A quarterly publication of Armstrong Atlantic State University Profile in Leadership James Anderson airline tickets, it didn’t In 1999, Anderson and interim cost Armstrong any- AASU president Frank Butler flew to thing,” Anderson recalls Argentina to meet the Chase Founda- proudly. tion president, Duncan Chase. Within hours of their first meeting, the men The trips started small had mapped out an exchange for the and grew continually. next summer involving a visit by In 1989 Anderson AASU jazz musicians to work with organized jazz concerts students and musicians in the Prov- on’t cry for Jim Anderson. in Colombia with fellow AASU ince of Cordoba. He plays the piano and clarinet. musician Randall Reese and two D He’s a music educator. And, well-known Savannahians, Ben In 2001 Anderson succeeded Adams through a series of serendipitous Tucker and Teddy Adams. The next as special assistant to the vice presi- meetings, he practically commutes year, he returned to Colombia with dent for international education. to Argentina. 14 musicians. “Those experiences Anderson credits Adams for his opened doors,” Anderson said. support in providing funds for his With a doctorate in music education early travels and with building a from the University of Texas-Austin, At this time, the few international strong foundation upon which to the Missourian was just a few years out contacts the college had were prima- expand the program. of college when he became director of rily through London trips arranged by bands at Louisiana College. He the late Roger Warlick, former head of He started his new job by taking a couldn’t know when he took a group the Department of History. personal study abroad trip. He and his of students on a three-week tour of wife, Carol, spent a month in Europe that he was foreshadowing a When the Republic of Georgia Cordoba, Argentina, living with radical change in his career. invited the City of Savannah to Chase and his wife, Susan, immersing discuss cultural exchanges, Anderson themselves in the Spanish language. In 1985 he came to Armstrong State took part in the Tbilisi talks that led College as head of the art and music to a sister city relationship between With an introduction from Chase, department. Under his leadership, Savannah and the Georgian seacoast the Andersons spent a few days with theater was added in 1998. city of Batumi. The arrangement a family in the small town of Marcos brought 15 European students to Juarez. Anderson recalls, “On a cold Then he met Lucho Pacini, a Colom- Armstrong for a summer arts camp. summer Sunday in July, I visited bian living in Hilton Head. Pacini the community band building. became a mentor, teaching Anderson By now, Anderson was working with The musicians eyed me suspiciously, how to set up cultural exchanges, plan Joseph Adams, his predecessor in the until one mentioned he would like to complex itineraries, cultivate con- Office of International Education, to have the sheet music for Pomp and tacts, and raise money. In the late actively seek out and develop new Circumstance.” ’80s, Anderson arranged five ex- opportunities for students. The mid- continued on page 15 changes in two-and-a-half years. ’90s saw a flurry of trips building on “With grants and free and reduced his earlier contacts in Argentina. Profile in Leadership seeks members of the Armstrong Atlantic community who have demonstrated effective leadership skills, broadly defined. Those recognized must be knowledgeable, thoughtful, and will have demonstrated the ability to put leadership values into practice. Compass especially seeks to identify unsung heroes among AASU students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, and supporters who have made a positive difference in the community. To nominate someone, contact Leary Bell, vice president for external affairs, at [email protected] or mail your nomination to: AASU Leadership Initiative, Office of External Affairs, Armstrong Atlantic State University, 11935 Abercorn Street, Savannah, GA 31419. 2 THE WORLD OF International Education According to James Anderson, Bentley has taken three AASU- special assistant to the vice sponsored trips with Michael Hall, an president for international associate professor of history. In 2002, studies, participation during it was to Peru where the group visited the academic year was up the fabled Inca archeological site of 32 percent. One hundred Machu Picchu. In 2003, he returned eighteen AASU students to South America for two-and-a-half attended university-sponsored weeks in Ecuador. Three weeks during summer programs in 11 the summer of 2004 were spent in nations in Europe, Central Brazil. and South America, and the Caribbean. Others studied in In most instances financial help may 10 University System of be available. Some colleges provide Georgia (USG) programs in institutional aid. The Georgia HOPE Europe, Central and South scholarship can be used for course America, Asia, and Australia. credit hours, but not for the cost of transportation and other travel- Some students stay in one city related expenses. living in a hotel, college dormitory, or with a host “While they may be in class four to family. Others, like the five hours a day,” Anderson explained, tudents climb the pyramids of Ecuador group (see page four), may “the rest of the time is spent soaking Mexico. A resident of Shanghai explore a nation from end to end by up the culture. They are learning S displays her calligraphy skills at airplane, bus, boat, and train. about the economy, food, transporta- a campus festival. Teachers visit a tion system, and history.” world-class game preserve in South The time spent abroad also varies. Africa. A student spends his weekends Most programs last two to three exploring the Australian Outback. On weeks, some as long as five or six Community abroad the wind-swept slopes of Ecuador’s weeks. Some are only eight or nine Study Abroad adventures are open to tallest volcano, a Savannah media days long. everyone. Participants have included executive completes an arduous climb. a gardener, school teachers, a dog Derek Bentley, an AASU history sitter, university staff members, and These are all voyagers in the world of major, has made five trips abroad over even a judge. To get involved, one international education at Armstrong the past three summers. In 2002 and must formally enroll in the course, Atlantic. 2003, he spent two weeks studying attend all the required classes, and Spanish in Cuernevaca, Mexico. The finish all of the assignments that may Study abroad first year he stayed in a dormitory, but include completing a reading list, in 2003, he lived in total language book reports, or keeping a journal. Most students participating in the immersion with a Mexican family. Study Abroad program spend two or Derek said the experience of continued on page 10 three weeks during the summer living with a non-English exploring the world. They may study speaking family really helped Spanish in Spain, history in Greece, him polish his skills. education in Belize, nursing in Guyana, art in Ireland, computers in the Czech Republic, or any number of other options. Front cover: (From top to bottom) Education majors Stacy Haskell, Kim Kirby, and Debra Puckett climb the Mayan Temple in Lamanai, Belize. Above: Art major Kim Massey enjoys a pensive moment at the land’s end in Ireland. At right: Stacy Haskell, an early childhood education major, teaches a weeklong practicum at St. Mary’s Anglican School in Belize City, Belize. 3 a Study Abroad Odyssey he dinghy closed the mile gap attempt to preserve a small part of rocks—and steeply upward through through the choppy water Ecuador’s slowly vanishing natural high bunch grass and jutting rocks. In T between the cruise ship and history heritage. the cold thin air, at an altitude in the volcanic island in less than 20 excess of 11,000 feet, the hike was minutes. The welcoming committee The lodge is a rustic affair powered by challenging for the group that had left to Isla Isabella included a scampering a constantly running truck. What it Savannah’s muggy sea level two days crew of bright orange Sally lightfoot lacks in amenities, it more than makes before. crabs, a flightless cormorant drying its up for in charm and its dramatic stubby wings in the early morning sun, setting. The rewards, however, were great. and several lethargic sea lions lolling Wild horses grazed among the trees. on the stone path. The essentially undeveloped property The rugged trail took them beside a proved to be a little more “Indiana lovely waterfall. From above the This was the second day of cruising Jones” than some in the group had timberline, they could look across the the Galapagos Islands for 27 Arm- bargained for. Unimproved trails led green valley below and watch the strong Atlantic students and their through the paper trees, across narrow setting sun glinting in shades of rose professor, Michael Hall. Divided into streams on rough log bridges— and gold off the Andean peaks two groups, they made a dry landing sometimes, on just loose logs and beyond.