Expanding the Journey

From a west coast screenwriting workshop to the political turmoil of the West Bank of Israel, William Jewell College students have the opportunity to participate in horizon-expanding journeys over the summer months thanks to the generosity of the Hall Family Foundation’s Summer Academic Enrichment Program at William Jewell.

The Hall Family Foundation Summer Academic Enrichment Program is a William Jewell program that provides financial support for students interested in summer academic enrichment opportunities that are not typically available on the Jewell campus. Students complete a competitive funding application for individual awards of up to $5,000 which are available to all Jewell students in good standing prior to their senior year. Activities eligible for funding include summer study-abroad programs, workshops, intensive summer courses, conferences relating to the student’s academic major, programs providing advanced training in the student’s field of study and research opportunities at other institutions. The focus is on academic rather than work-related experience, so internships are usually excluded. The grants fund intensive off-campus academic experiences rather than service or humanitarian projects.

“We talk a lot about the journeys that our students experience during their time at Jewell,” said President David Sallee. “In some cases, especially during the summer months, these experiences involve traveling to areas far beyond the Hill to engage in the world community. The Hall Family Foundation’s Summer Academic Enrichment Program makes this possible for a number of Jewell students.”

With the addition of the Applied Critical Thought and Inquiry major to the William Jewell curriculum, more students than ever before are seeking the opportunity to participate in study-abroad or study-away programs as part of the experiential components that the new major provides.

“We are preparing leaders for the global community,” Dr. Sallee said. “Developing those leadership skills may involve traveling to the other side of the world, or it may involve a local service-learning experience or community outreach project. The important thing is that Jewell students are immersing themselves in opportunities that will prepare them to take active roles in the broader community and to lead meaningful lives. The Jewell journey begins on our hillside campus, but it certainly doesn’t end there.”

William Jewell College students receiving Hall Family Foundation Summer Academic Enrichment Grants for the summer of 2008:

Hillary Capwell, a sophomore nursing and Applied Critical Thought and Inquiry (ACT-In) major, studied in Guadalajara, Mexico, to learn more about and become immersed in both the language and the culture. Hillary hopes to minor in Spanish and completed 12 credit hours during the ten-week summer session. Her rigorous nursing schedule would not otherwise permit this educational opportunity.

(from left) Jewell student Alec Chambers with new
friends Mohamed El-Ashiri and Sarantis Michaelopolous.

Alec Chambers, a junior political science major, traveled to the University of Crete in Greece as part of the International Institute for Political and Economic Studies to study government, economics, society, culture and conflict resolution along with 79 other students from the U.S. and around the world. Alec believes his summer experience will help prepare him for a future position from which he can affect change in a meaningful way.

“I studied for three weeks in the town of Chania, on the northern coast of the Grecian Island of Crete,” Alec said. “At a small agricultural university, 80 students from 20 countries came together to study economics, politics and conflict resolution. It was the experience of a lifetime for so many reasons. I had conversations with an Israeli and a Palestinian; an Israeli and a Lebanese student; a Serb and a Kosovar; a Greek and a Turk. These conversations were intense and at times a struggle. These individuals come from cultures that are vastly different and have learned differing histories of the same events. Yet after only hours together, we began to bond, regardless of the ethnic and national differences. I learned, as an American in a group that has lost a lot of respect for America, that talking, understanding and empathy are the keys to peace. I hope to bring this and other lessons back to William Jewell with me, and spread the message of education and understanding to as many as possible.”

Brittany Edwards, a senior English literature, Spanish, psychology and Applied Critical Thought and Inquiry major, traveled to Granada, Spain, and then to London, England, where she did research in the British Library on domestic violence and sexual assault during the Victorian Era in England. Court cases, newspapers and other original documents that cannot be found in the U.S. were available to use in her research, and the experience helped develop her research skills. Brittany plans to use the information she compiled this summer to structure an honors project.

Ryan Gentzler, a junior Oxbridge Institutions and Policy and Applied Critical Thought and Inquiry major, spent the summer in Mombasa, Kenya, participating in the Kiva Fellows Program to observe microfinance and to learn about the processes involved in the operation of a microfinance institution in a developing nation. The experience allowed him to gain an understanding of the workings of microfinance while interacting with impoverished borrowers. Ryan used this opportunity to research his Oxbridge senior thesis.

“My project for the summer was to design a new product for a microfinance company, expanding its financial services from microloans into microinsurance,” Ryan said. “Because burial expenses are high, it is often very difficult for clients to come up with enough money on short notice. Such an unexpected expense can easily derail a borrower’s progress on repaying a loan, putting much pressure on the borrower and, in turn, his or her loan group, who have promised to step in and help if the borrower is unable to pay. Informal welfare groups, in which members pitch in for the expenses of a fellow member, are common but often unreliable and difficult to manage. Formalizing the welfare group was my task. The new product I developed will be called ‘Fariji,’ which is Kiswahili for ‘Console,’ but it is much more than just consolation. The microinsurance program will give a new and invaluable sense of security to clients. In the event of a tragedy in their families, clients will know that the unexpected circumstances will not derail their progress financially. To play such an integral part in the creation of this program is truly amazing. It was an unbelievable opportunity, and one I’m very grateful to have had.”

Jewell alumna, Congresswoman Nancy Boyda (left),
Calleine Harms (right).

Calleine Harms a senior political science, international relations and Applied Critical Thought and Inquiry major, participated in the Engallitcheff Institute on Comparative Economic and Political Systems in Washington, D.C., through The Fund for American Studies. This experience enriched her educational experience by providing hands-on experience in her field of study. She also interned for Jewell alumna, Congresswoman Nancy Boyda ’77.

“I was fortunate to have the opportunity I did, not only to participate in the Fund for American Studies program but also to experience life in Washington and life on Capitol Hill,” Calleine said. “Working for a member of Congress was amazing. Having the opportunity to stand in John F. Kennedy’s old House Office, give tours of the nation’s capitol building, write constituent letters, and be a part of the whirlwind of an election year in D.C. was an irreplaceable experience, and I am thankful for every second.”

John Moore, a junior Oxbridge English Language and Literature and philosophy major, attended the summer Yoknapatawpha Conference in Oxford, Miss., to pursue his interest in post-structuralist psychoanalysis, particularly Faulkner studies. The event is a gathering of the world’s foremost Faulkner scholars. Attendance at panel sessions and papers and conversations with the scholars proved to be invaluable in his research and writing and provided new perspectives that will be used to write an honors thesis.

Jewell student Maylin Tu (first row, standing, far left) with her classmates and mentors at the Act One Summer Writing Program in Los Angeles.

Maylin Tu, senior Oxbridge English Language and Literature and philosophy major, studied at the Act One Summer Writing Program in Los Angeles, Calif. The classes covered the craft and business of writing for mainstream film and television. She worked on a rough draft of a feature-length screenplay based on her experiences growing up in Beijing, China.

“I applied to Act One fully expecting to learn how to write a screenplay—the nuts and the bolts,” Maylin said. “Instead, I learned a little bit more about what drives me as a writer, a filmmaker, a human being. And I learned how to write a screenplay. I really appreciate the way a Jewell education—particularly the Critical Thought and Inquiry program—tries to get students to think critically about tough issues. But I don’t know if anything can prepare you for the emotional and practical realities of what it means to be female, what it means to be non-white, what it means to be human in a business like Hollywood. Act One is a grueling program—we had class from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Faculty and guest speakers included writers from the TV series ‘That ‘70s Show,’ ‘Lost’ and ‘Burn Notice,’ as well as feature writers with credits on films starring Will Smith and Denzel Washington. We had classes on almost every aspect of writing for television and film—from pitching the next blockbuster to proper industry formatting to creating haunting moments on screen. Act One also creates a community of writers who are dedicated to supporting each other and helping each other succeed.”

Damen Webster, senior theatre major, worked with a Chicago theatre group that focuses on staging productions, filming and teaching movement. He also attended a “Chicago Communities and Culture Seminar” one day a week to study the issues of race, class, culture and art.

Jacob Williams, a senior Oxbridge Institutions and Policy and philosophy major, attended the interfaith Peace-Builders (IFPB) delegation to Israel and the West Bank. The delegation studied the current political landscape in Palestine and the effects of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. After a preliminary meeting at IFPB’s offices in Washington, D.C., the delegation flew to Tel Aviv to spend two weeks meeting with Israeli and Palestinian politicians, activists and citizens affected by the conflict.

“This trip has reconfirmed my commitment to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by exposing me to the reality of the situation on the ground,” Jake said. “I now have a great respect for the individuals caught up in this unfortunate situation. I hope to educate Americans about the U.S. involvement in the conflict in order to improve conditions for the many people I have met.” Jake spent his junior year studying Middle Eastern politics at the University of Oxford, where the Arab-Israeli Conflict became his main academic interest.

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