{"id":9916,"date":"2026-04-17T22:47:43","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T22:47:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/2026\/04\/17\/exploring-the-world-expanding-perspective-iowa-state-university\/"},"modified":"2026-04-17T22:47:43","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T22:47:43","slug":"exploring-the-world-expanding-perspective-iowa-state-university","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/2026\/04\/17\/exploring-the-world-expanding-perspective-iowa-state-university\/","title":{"rendered":"Exploring the world, expanding perspective – Iowa State University"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A group of Iowa State University students traded their winter break for a global learning experience in South Africa\u00a0\u2013\u00a0one designed to push them outside of their comfort zones and expand how they see the world.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
The\u00a010-day\u00a0study abroad trip, which took place Jan. 3-14, was organized through the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and brought together students from the\u00a0<\/span>STEM Scholars Program<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>BOLD\u00a0Learning Community.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>
Corey Welch, director of STEM Scholars, and Arnold Woods, director of Student Leadership Initiatives and BOLD, said the trip was created to give\u00a0students\u00a0academic and personal growth opportunities.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
\u201cWe wanted to give students leadership skills in a different environment,\u201d Welch said. \u201cIt\u2019s about problem-solving, experiencing a new culture,\u00a0and seeing how it connects to what they already know.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
STEM Scholars supports students pursuing careers in science, including pre-med and graduate school pathways, while BOLD focuses on leadership development and campus involvement. The trip combined both missions by offering a hands-on, high-impact experience abroad.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
South Africa was chosen in part because Iowa State is looking to expand study abroad programs beyond Europe and South America.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
Students prepared for the trip through a course in the fall where they studied South African history,\u00a0politics,\u00a0and culture. Once in Cape Town, learning continued through daily activities and reflection.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
During the trip,\u00a0students visited museums, cultural centers, and historic landmarks while also exploring the region\u2019s natural environment.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
One of the most impactful experiences was visiting Robben Island, where former South African\u00a0President Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. Students toured the prison with a former inmate, who shared firsthand stories\u00a0of life under apartheid.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
\u201cThat experience really stood out,\u201d Woods said. \u201cStudents were able to connect history to real people and reflect on how it relates to issues today.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
Students also visited Table Mountain,\u00a0a\u00a0national park overlooking Cape\u00a0Town,\u00a0and explored\u00a0a unique\u00a0ecosystem native to the region. Other activities included visiting markets, trying local\u00a0food,\u00a0and learning about South Africa\u2019s diverse communities.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
For many students, the trip marked major firsts.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
\u201cWe had students who had never been on a plane before,\u201d Welch said. \u201cThen suddenly they are traveling across the world. That alone changes your perspective.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
Ethen Santana,\u00a0a senior studying computer science, said arriving at Cape Town was unforgettable.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
\u201cThe first view of Cape Town from the\u00a0plane\u00a0was breathtaking,\u201d Santana said. \u201cIt made me even more excited to explore the city and its history.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
For students, the experience went beyond academics. Many said it changed how they viewed the world and their place in it.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
Santana said visiting Robben Island helped him better understand the realities of apartheid and its lasting effects.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
\u201cHearing stories from a former prisoner made everything feel real,\u201d he said.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
Jensin McMickle, a\u00a0junior studying political science, said the experience was\u00a0directly connected\u00a0to her academic interests.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
\u201cAs a political science major and anthropology minor, this trip aligned perfectly with what I am studying,\u201d McMickle said. \u201cBut nothing compares to experiencing it in person.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
Both students said the\u00a0opportunity\u00a0felt\u00a0out of reach at first but became possible through\u00a0<\/span>scholarships<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and program support.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
\u201cA lot of students think\u00a0studying\u00a0abroad is not possible for them,\u201d Woods\u00a0said. \u201cBut there are resources and support systems to make it happen.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
Welch and Woods hope to continue offering similar programs in the future, with plans to hold the trip every other year and build partnerships with institutions like the University of Cape Town.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
Beyond the travel experience, they said the goal is to help students grow into confident leaders.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
\u201cOne of the biggest takeaways is learning to be comfortable with being uncomfortable,\u201d Welch said. \u201cThat\u2019s\u00a0where growth happens.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
For the students who travel to South Africa, the trip was more than just a break from campus. It was an experience that broadened their perspectives, challenged their\u00a0assumptions,\u00a0and shaped how they see their future.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
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© Iowa State University of Science and Technology \t\t\t\t2026<\/p>\n

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All Articles A group of Iowa State University students traded their winter break for a global learning experience in South Africa\u00a0\u2013\u00a0one designed to push them outside of their comfort zones and expand how they see the world.\u00a0The\u00a010-day\u00a0study abroad trip, which took place Jan. 3-14, was organized through the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9917,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-9916","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9916","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9916"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9916\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9917"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9916"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9916"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9916"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}