3 PAST TENSE Launching Study Abroad at Portland State t was 1960. I was in my eighth year at Portland State, teaching history and methods of teaching social science. I was asked to aid Lake Oswego High School in reviewing and modifying its social studies scope and sequence. I worked with Felix Calkins, one of the teachers who earlier had created American Heritage Association, an organization that facilitated taking high school students from the northwest to the East Coast to familiarize them with America’s history and government. As our American heritage is intimately connected with western Europe, it occurred to Felix and me that expanding the east coast trips to Europe would be educationally sound and rewarding. Two years of planning followed, garnering support from the University of Washington and from Frank Brouillet, chair of the Washington State legislature’s education committee. The result was the formation of NICSA, the Northwest Interinstitutional Council on Study Abroad. In 1962, under the aegis of NICSA, I accompanied a group of 64 students from Portland State, University of Washington, and Willamette as we bused across the country, spent two weeks on the East Coast, and flew on to Europe for a term in London. That was Portland State’s first official study abroad program. As these students discovered, studying language and culture in situ is a lifechanging experience. Immersing themselves in a new culture, interacting with locals, going on excursions to historical sites they have only read about at home – these are enriching experiences that give students new insights and perspectives on their own lives and culture. Watching this transformation occur is one of the most satisfying aspects of teaching on and leading study abroad programs. In 1963 a large group journeyed to Europe, taking classes in London and Paris in the spring, and dividing into four groups during summer: language study in Barcelona, Cologne, and Paris, and European politics and history classes in Strasbourg. Oregon State, Washington State, and Western Washington joined the Council in 1964, and 81 students spent spring and summer in Europe. Instead of the east coast portion of the program, the group took the train across Canada, with morning and afternoon classes held in the dome car. London and The Hague were the principal spring study sites, and all the language sites were continued. From this modest beginning, study abroad opportunities at Portland State increased over the decades, first with the expansion of programs through regional organizations such as NICSA and increasingly through independent program providers. Today Portland State students have access to more than 130 sites on every continent except Antarctica. In addition, more than 80 sites abroad offer internship opportunities, giving students even greater access to local culture. --Charlie White, Professor Emeritus of History PAST TENSE features glimpses into Portland State’s history. To submit a story (or an idea for one), email the RAPS History Preservation Committee at raps@pdx.edu. I Students Rene Fritz and Rosemary Hinsvark (left and center) and Professor Charlie White (right) test their packing and porting skills in preparation for Portland State's first study abroad program to Europe in 1962. Oregon Historical Society photo.
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