NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 108 Spartanburg, SC 580 East Main Street Spartanburg, South Carolina 29302 www.converse.edu Five talented, engaging Converse students have launched blogs about their lives – in the classroom, around campus, and beyond. Check out what they have to say at www.converse.edu/blog! Global Connections Lydia Anthony ,09 converse.edu/blog Sarah Walters ,08 ,09 Alyson Kielar Katelyn Ridenour ,10 Christine Wells ,09 GLOBAL CONNECTIONS 2 From the President ________________________________________________________ 3 International Awareness at Converse ________________________________________________________ 4 Global Connections ________________________________________________________ 6 Life Lessons from Uganda ________________________________________________________ 7 Culture Shock: A Nepalese in America ________________________________________________________ 8 Shedding My Westerner’s Lens: A Lifelong Quest for Understanding PAGE 4 ________________________________________________________ 10 Bringing a World of Experience to the Converse Classroom CONVERSE NEWS ________________________________________________________ 11 Life in Germany ________________________________________________________ 12 Today’s College Education: Expanding Perspectives through Study/Travel ________________________________________________________ 13 Doing Business with Central America ________________________________________________________ 14 From Ethiopia to America: Gaining A Better Understanding of My Place in the World ________________________________________________________ 15 Converse News PAGE 15 ________________________________________________________ 20 Alumnae News ________________________________________________________ Editor TRAVEL WITH CONVERSE Beth Farmer Lancaster ’96 22 Award Winners Senior Writer ________________________________________________________ Eric Lawson 24 Alumnae Board Slate Art Director ________________________________________________________ John Pryor 28 Life Events Production Assistant ________________________________________________________ Donna P. Gardner 33 Class Notes Alumnae News ________________________________________________________ Jane Marion Wilson ’04 Associate Editor – Alumnae Bobbie Daniel ’71 Club Events Elizabeth G. Simons PAGE 21 The Converse Bulletin is published by the Office of Communications, ALUMNAE EVENTS Converse College, 580 East Main Street, Spartanburg, SC 29302, (864) 596-9704. Converse College does not discriminate in admissions or A Thousand employment on the basis of race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin, age, sexual orientation, religion or disability. Converse admits only women to undergraduate programs ThanksRecognizing alumnae Gala and and services in accordance with its historical mission. friends who give $1,000 or more Wednesday, April 25, 2007 Spring 2007, Volume 119, No. 1 Copyright© 2007 by Converse College PAGE 28 International Awareness at Converse by Dr. Jeri Debois King, Anne Morrison Chapman Distinguished Professor of Modern Languages and Director of International Studies When Dexter Edgar Converse wrote in homogeneous. I saw few international the founder’s ideal, “the well-being of any students, minority students, and even country depends much upon the culture of fewer students with physical challenges. her women,” he didn’t mention international I couldn’t help thinking that our awareness. Nonetheless, I’m sure that if he homogeneity isolated us. The assumptions were alive today, Dexter Edgar Converse that we make when we interact exclusively would emphatically endorse our efforts to with people like ourselves keep us from increase international awareness for Converse achieving our potential. students. I believe that international awareness requires two ingredients: immersion in the The best way to add an international target culture and foreign language study. One component to one’s course of study Hannah Eisengrein ’08 awaits the Pope at St. Peter’s Square is not a cultured person without an awareness is to study abroad for a semester or of other cultures, and students cannot achieve a year. Study abroad is no longer cultural competence without acquiring some reserved for foreign language majors; foreign language proficiency. it is recommended for all majors and makes them stand out in the hiring In 1971, when I arrived at Converse, we process. Converse is fortunate to have had study abroad programs in place to send had the support of the Anne Morrison (From left) Valerie Dowling ’07, Brittany Jones ’07, Kate McCormick ’07 and Stacy Thrall ’07 at the foreign language majors to spend a year in Chapman Endowment, which sponsors Colosseum in Rome Avignon, France and Madrid, Spain. Jeffrey international activities at Converse. Willis had recently established the first faculty Last year, the Chapman Scholars Stacy Thrall ’07 gives a little help to the T ower of Pisa escorted London Term during the fall semester. Endowment awarded $38,000 to From the President Elisabeth Epting had just established the first students for study abroad, enabling Winter Term study/travel program to France, many who otherwise would not have With the 2005 publication of The World proud history. Energized by the prospects in our future, we have begun escorting more than 20 students through France been able to benefit from Converse’s travel In addition to semester-long programs, there is Flat by Pultizer Prize winning author to imagine the shape of things to come. The questions that frame our for four weeks. Although this was innovative opportunities. I believe that the Chapman are a multitude of additional study/travel Tom Friedman, the global community has conversations are intrinsically linked to the global environment of the at the time, I felt that our student body was endowment has transformed the culture of opportunities. This January Term, faculty led experienced a collective awakening regarding twenty-first century. What is Converse’s unique position in encouraging our College. student groups to Greece, Rome, France, Italy the shrinking of our world, the increasing global understanding and cultural exchange? How will we support and and Mexico. importance of cross-cultural communication, maximize the educational goals of our students? How might we leverage and the need to establish a new world order our strengths to assure a broad, inclusive vision for the College? How Beyond travel, a great way to increase one’s that emphasizes global connections and will the challenges and changes in our society impact our curriculum international awareness is to befriend one of collaborations. Internationalism and the value and culture? Responding collectively to these questions and many others Converse’s approximately 50 international of participating in a world community has long been a priority for is vital to our continued success. Developing a strategy that situates students. These young women hail from Latin Spartanburg. The city is home to 82 multinational corporations. My Converse within an ever-changing global community will ensure that the America, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia, Nepal and China. Spartanburg foundation cultivated an early interest in experiencing College moves boldly into the new millennium. I have been impressed with their involvement the world at large and coupled with my discovery of art history in in campus activities. Last spring, I walked college propelled me to travel to such foreign places as continental We are well on our way. The adventures chronicled within, from places with the International Student Organization Africa and Guatemala. This background also encouraged my far and wide, are impressive stories that illustrate that the best part of during the American Cancer Society Relay international pursuit of knowledge and training, transporting any journey is the learning along the way. With advances in technologies for Life. The students organized a team and me from Exeter, New Hampshire and Cambridge, Massachusetts and modern travel, satellite communications and higher education, the raised a substantial sum for this good cause. to London, Los Angeles, New York, Charleston and now back to world around us has never been more accessible. Through initiatives that Also last spring, Swarupa Bohara of Nepal and Spartanburg. encourage cultural exchange; that inspire international partnerships and her fellow officers of the International Student that embrace global paradigm shifts, Converse is an increasingly active Organization organized an international dance The Converse community readily embraces globalization and offers citizen of the world community. party. They invited students from other area a true manifestation of the concept “think globally, act locally.” The colleges as well as Converse, and international stories within this issue reflect the compelling call at Converse to and traditional students alike danced well into chart new courses in international waters and connect with others the night. When I left the dance, I kept thinking around the globe. Written by students, faculty and alumnae, the that Converse is a better place because of our following pages speak to the limitless opportunities afforded through international students. Knowing them enriches a Converse education. Landing at Converse is precisely what has Elisabeth A. Fleming the culture of the Converse community and launched the lives and careers of our contributing authors. President educates us all. As I write this message, Converse is embarking on a strategic Dr.