Center for Global Studies

 Drew Miller ('14)

This summer, Drew Miller ('14) will be working on two farms in the French Alps through the Worldwide Organization of Organic Farms.

In exchange for his work, his employers will provide food, shelter and an immersion in French language and culture. During his time there, Drew hopes to find joy in the simplicity of farming while improving his French. He plans on spending time in nearby Annecy, known as the “Venice of the Alps,” while also traveling throughout the region.

If you wish to follow his mumblings and tumblings, you can read his blog, “Bildungsroman”.

Dana Bowers ('12), Amy Peterson ('12), Shawnte Stoecker ('12), & Brandon Porter ('12) - in Costa Rica

This article in the Crescent shares George Fox University student's experience with semester off-campus study programs.

In order to participate in one of the off-campus study programs, students must complete a lengthy and thurough application process.  Each student must be accepted to both the George Fox and individual programs.  The GFU Center for Global Studies facilitates this process and works to support students from application to reentry. 

To read the full article click here. 

February 2012 Crescent article looks at Serve trips to Swaziland in May and Romania in June.

Serve trips offer students an opportunity to engage and learn about cultures other than their own.  This is the second year that May Serve will be traveling to Swaziland to serve alongside families and workers, and the first year that June Serve will travel to Romania and Moldova.  June Serve is being led by the Center for Global Studies director Clint Baldwin and will work alongside Word Made Flesh in partnership with past in-residence practitioners David and Lenuta Chronic.

To read the full article click here.

Isaac Berg, Student '12

Isaac Berg - Senior
Elementary Education Major, Spanish Minor

After graduation Isaac is planning on spending a year abroad with the World Race program, an 11-month missionary trip around the world in 11 countries. While participating in this program he will live out of a backpack with a small group and serve throughout Africa, Europe, Asia, and Central America.

Isaac's desires were strengthened to pursue cultural immersion and relational ministry at George Fox University through his semester study abroad experience in Ecuador, juniors abroad in Thailand/Cambodia, student teaching, leading YoungLife, and two years of Residence Life as a Residence Assistant (RA) and Assistant Area Coordinator (AAC).

While Isaac pursues opportunities abroad he hopes to leave his comfort zone, be further transformed, and have the opportunity to serve “the least of these” all over the world.

To read Isaac's World Race blog click here.

Alexis Christopherson, Student '13

Published February 15, 2012 George Fox Crescent staff Alexis Christopherson interviews Center for Global Studies director, Clint Baldwin, on the topic of, "Is George Fox Falsely Advertising About Study Abroad?"

As the Center for Global Studies generates more interest and more students apply a substantial number of those students are not accepted to study abroad for a semester, raising questions of why. While the Center continues to expand it's budget doesn't necessarily follow.  In the article, Clint Baldwin sums it up well, saying, "Just because a student doesn't get accepted doesn't mean they shouldn't have." To read the full article and the many factors involved in the study abroad selection process click here. 

Ralph Beebe, Professor Emeritus
Cherice Bock, Alumna

Ralph Beebe has been teaching at George Fox since 1974 and is currently Professor Emeritus of History.  Cherice Bock received her BA in psychology from George Fox and her MDiv from Princeton Theological Seminary.

This grandfather-granddaughter duo is currently co-teaching "War and Conscience in American History" at George Fox University, recognizing how their unique experiences can work together to help students learn the history and current-day implications of peacebuilding in times of conflict.

Read "Bridging the Generation Gap" here.

Village of Hope

George Fox University professor of psychology Kelly Chang introduces psychology students to the issues facing children in the Managua garbage dumps, and the importance of building relationships and as a means of building peace in the world.

Read "Village of Hope" article here.

Tami Ankeny, former university employee

Tami Ankeny was formerly an Area Coordinator with George Fox Residence Life. This Fall she will be heading to Galati, Romania for an internship with the organization Word Made Flesh (WMF). 

Word Made Flesh is a non-profit organization existing to serve among the most vulnerable of the world’s poor. In 1994, Word Made Flesh opened its first children’s home in Chennai, India focusing primarily on pediatric AIDS care. Word Made Flesh has since established communities in Asia, Latin America, Europe and Africa.

In the Fall of 2010, George Fox Center for Peace & Justice hosted David and Lenuta Chronic, the regional coordinators for WMF Europe/Africa, based in Galati, Romania as missional practitioners-in-residence. To learn more about their work while at GFU and to learn about the in-residence program in general, click here.

Tami will be serving with WMF Romania which runs The “Valley” Community Center. The center provides education, counseling, and other resources to children living on the streets of Galati. 

You can read more about Tami and her journey here.

Bethany Bylsma, Alumna '07

Bethany Lakica Bylsma - Alumna '07
Cinema and Media Communications Major

Regional Manager at Invisible Children

Invisible Children is an organization that uses the power of media to inspire young people to end conflict in the Central African countries. Apart from sending 'roadies' to tour the country and present documentaries, Invisible Children also mobilizes workforces on the field to help build communities in war torn countries. 

Bethany is in charge of training new roadies, maintaining the roadie house, coordinating roadie routes, and putting a cork on the mayhem of Pacific Northwest, Great Lakes and Deep South routes, all of which she toured at one point. 

You may read more about Bethany and Invisible Children here.

Johnny Walker, Alumnus '06

Johnny Walker is working with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Wycliffe's efforts serve languages spoken in more than 90 countries. Their goal is to make the bible accessible to every nation and tribe by translating it into local languages. 

Johnny is currently in the middle of a Masters program in linguistics at the Canadian Institute of Linguistics in Langley, BC, Canada and plans to continue through the end of 2012. 

He plans to return to the field in Africa to use his knowledge to train and advise others. At the moment, he has returned to Tanzania until November 2011 to do research for his Master's Thesis and to help out with linguistics needs on the Mara Cluster Project in Musoma where he previously worked from 2008-2010.

Kelsey Vanden Hoek, Student '13

Kelsey Vanden Hoek - Student '13
Social Work Major

Kelsey was awarded a Richter Scholarship in the spring of 2011 for her proposal to use the Brighter Minds training with children in the programs run by Word Made Flesh Romania. David and Lenuta Chronic who work for WMF in Romania were hosted by GFU's Center for Peace and Justice and office of Spiritual Life as Missional Practitioners in Residence in the fall of 2010. It was through this connection that Kelsey's research proposal materialized. 

Cara Edinger, Alumna '09

Cara Ediger - Alumna '09
International Studies & Spanish Major

Cara Ediger is working with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Wycliffe's efforts serve languages spoken in more than 90 countries. Their goal is to make the bible accessible to every nation and tribe by translating it into local languages. 

Cara is currently serving on Wycliffe's SPECTRUM program. She began her journey by going on Operation Mobilization's ship Logos Hope for a year working on the crew and learning about missions in a cross-cultural setting. Next, she will go back to the states for a semester in linguistics before going to Tanzania to assist in a language survey. She maintains a blog called the travelling linguist at www.complete-joy.blogspot.com. She also has a facebook group called The Mission: Keep in Touch where she regularly posts her newsletters and prayer updates. 

Joseph Rourke, Alumnus '11

Starting this fall, Joseph will be teaching in China though Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends. NWYM sends college graduates who are native English speakers as teachers to Hubei, a large province in central China. While there, he hopes to show the love of Christ in his interactions with the people he encounters and teaches. 

Alex Post, Alumnus '10

Alex had the opportunity to study off-campus while at GFU at the Contemporary Music Center, through Best Semester. This year Alex came away with a victory in the International Songwriting Competition (ISC),  winning third place in the Hip Hop/R&B category.  The ISC is an annual song contest that provides the opportunity for both aspiring and established songwriters to have their songs heard in a professional, international arena. 
Click to read more and listen to the winning song "Fallin So Fast" ... 

Dominique Berhó, Alumnus '11

Dominique Berhó - Alumnus '11
South American Studies Program, Bolivia : Spring 2010
International Studies major

Dominique Berhó seems destined for a life of cross-cultural engagement. As a child, he frequently traveled through South America with his parents to visit his father’s home country of Chile and grew up speaking fluent Spanish. Berhó, an international studies major and gifted photographer, spent a semester last year in Bolivia (program no longer exists). 

Watch a video interview with Berhó about his work in Bolivia, his efforts to help Pakistan and his remarkable photography. You can see samples of his photos at anambitiousseed.tumblr.com.
Click to read more...

DeLisa Thomas, Student '11

DeLisa Thomas - Senior
Journalism major - reporter for The Crescent, student newspaper

DeLisa currently writes for the George Fox student-run newspaper. Many of her articles deal with global issues including those involving students studying off-campus. In the Feburary 23, 2011 issue she wrote on the 33 students approved for off-campus study for the 2011-2012 school year.

Click to read her article...

Courtney Sell, Alumna '09

Courtney Sell - Alumna '09
Graphic Design major

During her time at GFU, Courtney participated with the June serve 2008 India team led by Clint and Sarah Baldwin.
Click to read her June Serve blog

After graduating she worked with disabled orphans in Shimoga, India from May 2009 - March 2010 at Happy Home for the Handicapped; living with the family who founded the ministry in 2006. 
Click to read her 2009-2010 India blog

Currently, she is working as the Graphic Designer for All God's Children International, an adoption, orphan care, and missions organization based in Portland, Oregon.