Study Abroad
UCF in South Africa:
LEAD Scholars Service-Learning Study Abroad
Overview
For approximately 10 years, UCF has enrolled students in a study abroad course to South Africa that combines collaborative projects with service and global learning. This three-week study abroad program focuses on sustainability conceived in its broadest sense and provides students with service-learning experiences that promote sustainable practices in South Africa in collaboration with academic and community organizations from that country. This program is organized as a spring extended variable credit hour course where the class is held in the spring semester, and travel occurs in May after the spring semester.
During the spring semester, students will learn of the history of South Africa, the culture, and details of the locations in which students will stay and be working. This program focuses on project development and management skills. Students will envision a project to implement in South Africa and then develop a project proposal, plan and budget. Students will also participate in fundraising activities to generate funds to complete their projects on site in South Africa when we travel there in May. Our goal is to provide students with service-learning experiences and leadership experiences that promote sustainable practices in South Africa in collaboration with academic and community organizations from that country.
The tentative 3-week itinerary includes work in the township of Intabazwe just outside the town of Harrismith. The program will also travel to the Nambiti Game Reserve located just outside of Ladysmith. Depending upon travel arrangements, a day or two may also be spent exploring Johannesburg and the surrounding area.
In the past, projects in Intabazwe have included medical supply drives and educational seminars, clothing drives, the development of a solar power station, building small school rooms and orphanage buildings, educational supply drive, and creating a playground for the orphanage.
At Nambiti projects have included leopard research, elephant tracking, anti-poaching efforts, cheetah and lion relocation, and invasive species removal.
Each of these projects where initiated, planned, executed, and completed by students in consultation with the community partner. Each of these projects was funded by fundraising efforts, oversee and lead by these very same students.
Partner
Reverend Ephriam Mbele is the head of the Nkosinathi Community Center / School in Intabazwe. This Community Center is located in the Intabazwe Township just outside of the city of Harrismith. A former police officer, Mbele has seen the need to help out the Intabazwe people and has worked for over 10 years helping the less fortunate. In the past, we constructed a new brick-and-mortar community center supplied with solar and wind power. This provides a place for young children to come to learn and a place for the hungry to come and eat.
We also partner with Nambiti Game Reserve in KwaZulu Natal, an organization that protects the “Big 5 Game” of Africa (African elephant, rhinoceros, cape buffalo, African lion, and African leopard).
Here, students work with the reserve to learn about sustainable initiatives for wild animal conservation. Students will learn about the cheetah’s plight, and witness their amazing abilities. Students will also work on discovering the issues that animal conservationists face every day as they protect the endangered rhinos. At the reserve, your support will help ensure the survival of these magnificent creatures.
Location
The program travel dates will last for about three weeks from leaving Orlando in early May and returning to Orlando in late May.
A majority of the time will be spent in Harrismith and Nambiti which is about halfway between Johannesburg and Durban in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Harrismith provides all of the amenities one would expect from a small city: restaurants, shopping centers, doctors, dentists, hospitals – but is still in the heart of Africa.
Key Audience
There is an infinite number of projects that can be done to improve the conditions of the township or to address the needs of the animals. These projects can be overseen by students, and they align with students of all majors. While this program is open to all students, the program introduces the high-impact practice of study abroad students who wish to put their leadership skills to the test. This program is a great way for LEAD Scholars to put into practice the leadership skill they learn in the LEAD curriculum in a global setting.
Faculty Leaders
Michael T. Callahan, ’05 ’09 MBA ’17EdD has earned all three degrees from UCF and has been a part of UCF in some way since 2001. Dr. Callahan has been involved with this program since its inception. The structure of the program is one that he feels very strongly maximizes the cultural experiences for students. Since 2013 Dr. Callahan has built strong partnerships with the community center and the game reserve. This partnership has been key allowing many of the amazing hand on activities students have engaged in over the past few years.
Mark Allen Poisel, Ed.D. has been teaching leadership development to college students for 30 years and recently started teaching again for the LEAD Scholars Academy. Dr. Poisel has led study abroad trips to Spain, Morocco, and China over the years and enjoys international travel himself having visited countries on six continents. As the Academic Program Coordinator for LEAD Scholars, Dr. Poisel teaches leadership development to freshmen and sophomores in addition to coordinating the ULEAD program where he teaches the Global Leadership sections of LDR 2262 and 3905.
Please email Dr. Callahan at Michael.Callahan@ucf.edu or Dr. Poisel at Mark.Poisel@ucf.edu to ask any program-specific questions!