Experience Learning on a Global Scale
Contemporary American Higher Education promotes a mode of acquiring knowledge primarily by learning through distinct and sometimes disparate courses. The Batten Honors College and Virginia Wesleyan push back on this by providing holistic learning experiences where students are required to unite courses through cultural immersion and the promotion of intellectual curiosity and cultural humility. The liberal arts and sciences are a distinctively western contribution to society. Global understanding is one of the three pillars of the BHC experience. Scholars need to be able to examine knowledge and global problems holistically rather than seeking a single approach through one mode of thinking or a course-based approach.
The BHC Global Residency program is built upon the Eastern principles of cultural humility and immersion, which lead to a true understanding of global communities. intentionally comparative. For example, many students will pursue this comparative approach to learning through VWU Global and our collaborative campus in Tokyo, Japan. Where better to explore this holistic experience than immersed in a Pan-Asian Pacific region that values harmony, aesthetics, and sustainability. The holistic experience helps build the skills necessary to effectively collaborate and communicate with people from around the world by bridging academic, cultural, political, and ethnic divides.
VWU’s unique program and international study abroad opportunity in Tokyo, Japan. The Batten & Black School is built on the experience of cultural immersion. The Batten & Black School features a diverse faculty and student body working together to build knowledge and understanding through English-based coursework. As a global leader in sustainability and the hub of Southeast Asian finance and trade, Tokyo presents an incredible opportunity to better understand the challenges facing the world.
BHC Benefits:
- Grant totaling $5,000 that can be used toward airfare, room, and travel assistance.
- Become a Batten & Black School of International Studies Fellow.
- Study Abroad in Fall, Spring, or Summer
- Explore issues of sustainability, global finance, politics, and culture
- Experience living in one of the world’s largest cities
I had professors from all over the world. I of course had a Japanese teacher, but I also had a Chinese, Hispanic and American teacher all teaching completely different classes. With the help of one of my professors I was also given the opportunity to work on a project with other college students in Chile! Japan is also a very trusting society. Many rules and regulations only work because of the inherited trust of all people within Japan.
Stone Sterling ‘25
Major: Computer Science (BS)
Minor(s): Business, Mathematics
Location: Nikki, Japan
Going abroad to Puerto Rico helped me gain much independence and broadened my worldview by exposing me to a culture rarely represented in American mainstream media. Although leaving my comfort zone alone was scary, I gained insight into how Caribbean culture differs from European and American culture through unique language, music, and cuisine, which will benefit my career as a Spanish teacher.
Kaza Dayton '25
Major: Hispanic Studies
Location: Tarragona, Spain (Universitat Rovira I Virgili)
The most interesting thing that I learned about myself was how much I enjoy little interactions with people. I spent more time alone than I ever had before in the Netherlands. I found so much joy in walking around the city observing kids be silly and people just being people. With such a focus on making the most of and appreciating my time, I found so much beauty in my interactions with people in classes and strangers in the city.
Jessica Wilson '25
Major: Sustainability Management and Earth & Environmental Science
Location: The Hague, Netherlands (Leiden University College)
I learned how sociable I can be. Many times I often catch myself being introverted but am working on changing that. Going to a country where it is common to keep to one’s self made me step out of my comfort zone to build new friendships and helped grow me as a person.
Leif Simons '26
Major: Mathematics
Location: Vâxjö, Sweden (Linnaeus University)
"No te preocupes"—Don’t Worry. Be open to new experiences, different cultures, and different types of people. Always seek to find similarities between you and another person rather than only seeing major cultural differences.”
Laila Jones '27
Major: Sustainability Management
Location: Northern Spain
In Seoul, take advantage of your transportation card. Take advantage of being within the proximity of everything you could ever want. Ewha has a glorious central location. Get out and explore. Meet people. Don’t eat things you can find back home in America. I could go on and on.
Lily Reslink '26
Major: Media and Communication
Location: Seoul, South Korea (Ewha Womans University)
I learned how I respond to making mistakes and how I can improve that response. In an environment where I was studying and dealing with everyday interactions in another language, I often made mistakes with grammar and cultural context, or I forgot the words altogether! I learned how I should respect making mistakes as part of every learning process and how to move forward from them without shame weighing down my progress.
Avery Belisle '27
Major: International Studies and German Studies
Location: Heidelberg, Germany (Pädagogische Hochschule Heidelberg)
I was also looking for a place where I could experience significant cultural differences, and Tamper, Finland was perfect for that. Sisu is probably one of my favorite phrases I learned while living in Finland. Sisu often translates to “grit” or “determination” in English and is an important aspect of Finnish life, as it reflects their national character.
Emilie Dajc '26
Major: Psychology
Location: Tamper, Finland