Spotlights
Carolyn 'Care' McLean, South Africa
"This summer was a series of excitement, challenges, exploration, enjoyment, failures, and victories. As I spent time in South Africa I grew personally as well as pushed myself beyond many limits. I was engaged, criticized, rewarded, and impacted in so many areas. I decided to spend time in South Africa to explore the country and be able to add “international” to my resume, when in actuality this experience caused me to explore who I am, what I need, and how I affect the community and world around me. I traveled with a group of graduate students from New York University which was a learning experience in itself. I traveled to Cape Town, Pretoria, Johannesburg, and Giyani South Africa during my time abroad. I conducted research at the University of Pretoria in which I focused on retention of black students. We spent a majority of our time visiting schools and townships to learn about the country post apartheid. I truly loved meeting so many people and connecting on a personal level with so many college students. We spent our evening and weekends exploring the country which was one of the things I enjoyed most. The African safari was beyond amazing, I have never experience wild life first hand and the animals and the land was truly remarkable. I had the honor of being in South Africa during National Mandela day which is an experience I will forever remember. Nelson Mandela is one of my heroes and truly a well loved a respected man, leader, President, and friend to South Africa and its people. To be able to share in the legacy of such a powerful man was an experience I only dreamed of having. I was able to not only reach a goal by studying abroad, but I was able to better connect myself with my future professional goals as well as my personal identity.
I am currently completing my final year in my graduate program at Grand Valley in Allendale. I am a graduate assistant in Housing and Residence Life and an Intern in Student Life at Davenport University. My experience abroad put me in a place of appreciation and patience. Grand Valley prepared me to be intercultural competent and my trip abroad allowed me to use my knowledge and skill set globally. I am now able to add a global perspective to my program as well as the students I interact with daily. South Africa challenged my independence as well as my thinking. I am now able to work independently and manage my time and schedule better this year than previous years."
- Carolyn “Care” McLean / South Africa, Social and Educational Reform Program-New York University
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