Elon students had a chance to see life from the perspective of different cultures through a global village on campus in early January. Details...
The village, located in McKinnon Hall in the Moseley Center, was co-sponsored by Heifer International, an organization which focuses on sustainable development, and a grant from Project Pericles, an initiative which promotes community service.
The village had structures representing Ghana, El Salvador, Vietnam and a migrant farm worker camp in North Carolina. Students participated in a variety of activities, including peasant meals representing each of the four cultures, a simulation in which students assumed roles as villagers and discussion groups about topics related to sustainable development.
“It was a reality check to be thankful for what you have,” said Kristin Kaloyanides, a freshman from Rhode Island, after making tortillas with cheese during the peasant meal. “I learned how other people eat and live and survive.”
Senior Ryan Fairchild of Gainesville, Va., said the global village reminded him of his experience studying in Ghana. “The most eye opening experience you can have is to go there.” Fairchild commented that the global village is not being used for religious appeal. “They were more intent on teaching us than preaching to us,” he said. “Really simple acts really show you what’s going on.”
A cluster of special courses during the month-long Winter Term in January is centered around the theme of Globalization and Culture, offering students the chance to explore the various ways today’s world is connected. Some of these courses include The Impact of Disease on Humanity; Globalization, Culture and Media; and Sustainable Development in a Global Economy. Students in these and other courses are visiting the global village as part of their coursework.
Based in Little Rock, Ark., Heifer International uses animals as a tool for development in countries around the world. The organization provides livestock to families and communities, teaching them how to care for the animals and the land to become self-sufficient. Heifer also operates a 1,200-acre ranch in Perryville, Ark., which includes a global village. The Elon village marks the first time Heifer has duplicated its village on a university campus.
For more information about Heifer International, visit the organization’s Web site at the link below: