Now that the Florence Study Abroad trip is nearly upon us, I can't help but think back to when I first applied to teach in the program in September 2005. So many people encouraged me to apply, including my husband and my parents. I had thought about doing so for years, and that semester suddenly felt like the right time. I remember talking with my dad about whether I should apply for London, Florence, or both. He said, in all his wisdom, "You've been to London, and although it would be a fascinating trip, Florence would allow your students to study in a completely different cultural environment." He was right, as he so often is, and I decided to apply only for Florence.
I knew that my biggest obstacle would be my discipline. You see, in the 20-year history of the Study Abroad program at DVC, business courses had never been offered as part of the curriculum. Interestingly, knowing this obstacle allowed me to put to use what I always teach my students in Business Communications: Look at any document from the reader's perspective. Try to anticipate how they'll react to what you're saying. If you anticipate any resistance, face it head on and do whatever you can to overcome it.
Well, I knew there would be resistance, so approaching it head on is exactly what I did. Not only did I mention it throughout my essay, but I even included a cover letter that brought this issue up immediately. I then did everything I could to prove that business belonged in the study abroad curriculum, which is something I believe in strongly. I guess it worked, because a week from tomorrow I'm heading to Florence!
Curious about the application that won a spot in this competitive program? You can check it out here: Study Abroad Faculty Application, Florence 2007
I knew that my biggest obstacle would be my discipline. You see, in the 20-year history of the Study Abroad program at DVC, business courses had never been offered as part of the curriculum. Interestingly, knowing this obstacle allowed me to put to use what I always teach my students in Business Communications: Look at any document from the reader's perspective. Try to anticipate how they'll react to what you're saying. If you anticipate any resistance, face it head on and do whatever you can to overcome it.
Well, I knew there would be resistance, so approaching it head on is exactly what I did. Not only did I mention it throughout my essay, but I even included a cover letter that brought this issue up immediately. I then did everything I could to prove that business belonged in the study abroad curriculum, which is something I believe in strongly. I guess it worked, because a week from tomorrow I'm heading to Florence!
Curious about the application that won a spot in this competitive program? You can check it out here: Study Abroad Faculty Application, Florence 2007
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