Summer 2005
New study abroad program takes students to Brazil
The University offers several study abroad programs for students, faculty and staff, and this spring, the Language and Cultural Training Department launched a new travel opportunity in Brazil. UDM students, faculty and staff departed in May for a two-week session in Salvador di Bahia, a location that has a rich history associated with the slave trade during the Middle Passage. Participants studied Brazil's religions, learned the Portuguese language, and immersed themselves in Brazilian culture. Students were able to earn up to nine credits during the two-week long program.
Stephanie Mitchem, associate professor and chair of Religious Studies, traveled with the group and taught two courses: African American Studies 490—an integrative seminar that draws upon contemporary or historical African American experiences; and Religious Studies 339—Ecology & Justice, a course that compares ecologies in Detroit and in Salvador. Participants also learned Portuguese from a Portuguese instructor who teaches at a university in Salvador.
Next year, the University plans to run the program during summer in hopes of attracting alumni. If you are interested in this travel and study opportunity, please contact Lara Wasner in the Language & Cultural Training Department at 313-993-1191 or wasnerle@udmercy.edu.
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