(Bluefield)—On May 14, as more than 350 Bluefield State College graduate, three BSC freshmen will be making a trip “North of the Border.”  The students will participate in a statewide university-level international experience class made available to West Virginia public baccalaureate institutions by WVU.

BSC freshmen Danielle Feury and Katie White of White Sulphur Springs, and Deidra Smalls of Bluefield learned of the opportunity in Dr. Sudhakar Jamkhandi’s English 102 course.  They’re looking forward to the experience.

“I’m really excited,” Feury said.  “Dr. Jamkhandi has opened my eyes to study abroad opportunities.  In Quebec, I’ll be able to see how things function where two languages, French and English, are spoken.

White sees the week-long educational experience as a way to develop a greater appreciation of the differences and similarities between the people of Quebec and the United States.  “We will be able to see the U.S. from the perspective of others,” she said.

When she graduates from BSC, Smalls hopes to study and, perhaps, teach overseas.  “I want to learn about other religions, customs, and cultures,” she explained.

The course in which the students will be enrolled during the trip is “An Introduction to the Political & Cultural Identity of Canada & Quebec.”  It will be taught collaboratively by WVU faculty Drs. James Natsis and Jennifer Orlikoff in conjunction with faculty from the Universite’ de Laval in Quebec City.

“Students will attend daily lectures in the morning, presented by Laval University faculty, then will participate in afternoon excursions that reflect and deepen the students’ understanding of the morning sessions,” Dr. Jamkhandi explained.

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