Globetrotting faculty and students teach, learn and serve abroad

Chris Howard, assistant professor of business administration, is teaching leadership and organizational behavior at the University of Mainz in Mainz, Germany. Instructing students from Germany, France, Russia and Spain is allowing him to stay current in the global management practices he teaches in Pfeiffer’s classrooms.

“Teaching in this international environment has taught me new things about the commonalities and differences between U.S. students and those from other cultural backgrounds. I’ve learned several new team concepts and ways to better communicate that I will definitely bring back with me to Pfeiffer this fall.”

Anne Murray, professor of organizational management and Fulbright Award recipient, is preparing to teach graduate students in Bucharest, Romania at the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration.  There, she will teach courses in organizational behavior and human resources, courses she teaches at Pfeiffer’s Charlotte campus.

Although she will not begin teaching until the fall, she has begun learning Romanian and collecting materials regarding the classes she has been charged with teaching.

“I enjoy creating and facilitating a discussion wherein members of the class are learning from me, one another and their own critical thinking.”

Uli Froelich, who coordinates international experiences for Pfeiffer’s business and health administration graduate programs, led a trip to Germany in May for students in the Master’s of Health Administration program. The group visited several German hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities, including Juliasspital, a home for the elderly in Wurzburg.

According to Dr. Froelich, “In a culturally interdependent environment, it’s vital to know how American delivery systems not only differ from but complement others around the world.”

Meg Gaston, a senior mathematics major, is serving in Busia, Kenya, with Adventures in Missions, an interdenominational missions organization that focuses on discipleship.

Meg and her team are partnered with Deliverance Church; their missions have included visiting a local hospital, delivering Bibles to an elementary school and working with the primary school owned by the church.

Morgan Barnes, Lindsay Sisco and Sarah Hill are teaching vacation bible school in South Koreas as part of the Methodist-affiliated Scranton Young Women’s Leadership Program In addition, the group will participate in a Peace Seminar with others from the U.S. and Korea as well as Hong Kong and Japan.

The overall goals of this leadership experience, coordinated with partners National Network of Korean United Methodist Women, Japan Wesley Foundation and Chung Dong First Methodist Church, are to gain a concrete view of global peace, grow as global leaders, develop leadership skills and build relationships through global networking.