Elon’s Isabella Cannon Centre for International Studies is hosting a conference titled “Learning Through International Experiences” Sept. 26-29. The conference celebrates and brings attention to the scholarly work being conducted by members of the Elon community in the area of study abroad. By bringing together the scholarly research and reflections of students, faculty, staff and alumni, the conference aims to establish academics as the cornerstone of internationalizing the campus.
During a session Wednesday, Sept. 28 in McKinnon Hall, panelists focused on the research experiences of Elon alumni and international students. Larry Vellani, director of foundation relations, presented with his former student, Cecelia Thompson ’05. Vellani and Thompson studied the differences between the philanthropical culture in Emilia-Romagna, a region of Northern Italy, and the United States.
Vellani’s research found that families play an important role in establishing a culture of philanthropy in Emilia-Romagna. Vellani said Italians are likely to support efforts like the Workers’ Co-op, a store that gives local farmers a place to sell their products, but that there is virtually no philanthropic support of higher education in Italy.
Thompson works for the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, where she has done research work to identify vital needs in the community. “Giving is thought of differently than philanthropy,” said Thompson. “In this country, we think of giving as a donation of your time or your skills. Philanthropy is viewed primarily as giving money.”
Another group of panelists explored the effectiveness of an alternative form of study abroad. Vellani and political science faculty members Betty Morgan, Kerstin Sorensen and Granville Simmons led a group of students to the Cherokee Indian Qualla Boundary culture in western North Carolina. Morgan said the experience of studying another culture within the United States “might offer a viable alternative for students who won’t ever study abroad” because of financial constraints or academic commitments.
Sorensen, a native of Sweden, was able to draw parallels between the indigenous peoples of Sweden and the Qualla Indians. “It’s so interesting to bring this experience to other subcultures and jurisdictions,” said Sorensen.
The final presentation was by Asami Sudani, an Elon student from Yokohama, Japan. She discussed her experience of attending high school and college in the United States. She also surveyed other international students at Elon to find out about their transition to life in the United States.
“Many international students have struggled with the transition into American culture, but they are willing to share with others about their own culture,” Sudani said. “The main struggle they have is living independently and being without their parents in a strange and new environment.”