DBU Students Traveled to South Korea

Dallas Baptist University takes students to South Korea each summer for a cross-cultural learning experience. Students learn from marketing, communications, finance, and international studies professors and earn class credit throughout the trip. Dr. Jon Choi, Program Director in the Graduate School of Ministry, and Professor Rick Jordan, Assistant Professor of Management in the College of Business, led this year's travel study.

The students and professors traveled to Seoul, South Korea, and learned from Professor Rick Jordan as he taught International Travel in Management. The group had the opportunity to visit businesses in South Korea and learn first-hand from their leaders about how they conduct business. Ava Famularo, a hospitality management major, shared, "Learning outside the classroom gave me insight into the business world and how different businesses work cross-culturally. Rather than reading about different scenarios from a textbook, we were blessed to visit a few companies in Seoul, such as Samsung and Hyosung. We even met the CEO of PepsiCo in East Asia and spoke to him about management styles and how we can apply them in our future careers."

This trip to South Korea was Ava's third travel study trip with DBU, and this was her favorite one yet. She loves being out of her comfort zone and having the opportunity to make new friends and connect with the professors even more outside the classroom. Ava is thankful for the personal and professional relationships she's built through these trips. Professor Jordan added, "Students experience a unique way of learning that tends to be more impactful than a traditional classroom lecture. Subjects, concepts, theories, and life lessons can be seen with a 'boots on the group' experience."

In addition to traveling to businesses, the group also seized the opportunity to see some of South Korea's incredible sights. They visited Yanghwajin Foreign Missionary Cemetery, where they learned the history of how the Gospel first came to Korea and how Scripture was translated into the Korean language. The cemetery is a resting place for many foreign missionaries who dedicated their life to spreading the Gospel in Korea. The group also visited the Korean Demilitarized Zone, where they learned the story of the country and even got to see North Korea. "I love seeing students challenge their social norms, especially those who only view the world through an American perspective," Professor Jordan remarked. "I also love seeing them move toward their passion and purpose for God's glory; God speaks to us when we travel!"

Ava shared, "My experience in South Korea was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We met CEOs and businesses in Seoul, like the Samsung Innovation Museum, and visited historical sites and museums, such as The Korean Demilitarized Zone, The War Memorial of Korea, and the Yanhwajin Foreign Missionary Cemetery. We also got to experience worshipping with Jubilee Church, City Light Church, and many others. We also explored the famous Myeongdong Night Market, hiked the Hwaseong Fortress, and explored the Gyeongbokgung Palace. It was incredible getting to experience a whole new culture with DBU, and it is a trip that I will never forget."

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Are you interested in learning more about DBU's Travel Study Opportunities? Visit the Travel Opportunities page.