Global Education
TXSTMcCOY MAGAZINE
Around
the World
In One
Semester
Dr. Seth Frei on global education and healthy uncertainty
by David Kallison
Marcel Proust said, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” But new landscapes certainly don’t hurt.
The Global Education program at McCoy College of Business at Texas State University garnered strong interest in the past two years. McCoy College now offers six undergraduate study-abroad options through the program, ranging from the Netherlands to Portugal to Singapore and Vietnam, as well as two virtual programs and a foreign exchange partnership with Mälardalen University in Sweden.
McCoy College also offers three graduate program trips featuring Washington, D.C.; Dublin, Ireland; and Buenos Aires, Argentina. These global education programs provide students (and alumni) with rich diversity and opportunities to develop new skills for a global economy.
Dr. Seth Frei is McCoy College's assistant dean for program assessment and global engagement, responsible for helping faculty in conceiving, planning, and designing various global programs. Dr. Frei found inspiration in his own study abroad experiences, including an English summer in Oxford.
“I wanted to be able to offer that same experience to our students, and I started dreaming up what that program might look like,” Dr. Frei says. “Getting our students out there and trying to get more international students here at the same time, that’s been my journey specifically with study abroad.”
“When I think about study abroad, I don't want to be sitting in a classroom the whole time.”
— Dr. Seth Frei
The global engagement programs aim to fully immerse participants in foreign cultures. On these overseas trips, students spend minimal time in traditional classrooms and instead engage deeply with the local people, culture, businesses, and environment of the countries they visit.
“When I think about study abroad,” Dr. Frei says, "I don't want to be sitting in a classroom the whole time I'm in Germany or when I'm in Portugal. I want our students to be out in the city.”
These meticulously designed programs introduce an essential element that is difficult to teach in a classroom setting: navigating uncertainty.
“Study abroad is one way to throw yourself into a situation where there are a lot of uncertainties all at once,” Dr. Frei says, “but going with a faculty member, especially one that can help you unpack some of the uncertainty, can help a student figure out, ‘How do I navigate this and how do I go through this?’”
He notes that opportunities for intercultural communication are invaluable, teaching students how to interact with individuals from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and languages—skills that are beneficial upon their return to the States.
An upcoming trip to Germany for alumni of graduate programs will include visits to the Mercedes-Benz factory, the Startup Autobahn, SAP, and more. However, the itinerary is not solely business-focused. Participants will enjoy a wine tour in Pfalz and have the opportunity to explore Munich during Oktoberfest, discovering enrichment in various experiences.
It also makes a big impact.
“When we talk to students that are graduating, if they've done a study abroad program, it’s almost certainly going to be the highlight of their time at Texas State,” Dr. Frei says. ✯
David Kallison is the digital marking strategist for the McCoy College of Business. He is a former writer for The Onion's A.V. Club and holds an MFA in screenwriting.