It’s well established that studying abroad can add a valuable global dimension to students’ college experience. Each year, CTE partners with the Study Abroad Office to support faculty who wish to develop innovative new study abroad courses and programs through its Faculty Global Learning grants. We are pleased to announce this year’s awardees: Alicia Walker, Associate Professor in the School of Music, and John Grady, Associate Professor of Sport Management in the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management.

Walker will use the award to develop a new study abroad course, “Music Education and Service-Learning in South Africa” (MUSC 399/599). The course will offer USC music students a concentrated experience in a culture that greatly values music but rarely offers music education in the school curriculum. Students will visit schools, sing in exchange concerts with local choirs, and offer small-group instruction in music fundamentals such as vocal technique, aural skills, and rehearsal methods. Walker is working with colleagues at two South African universities to plan the service-learning activities and notes that the musicians there are eager to partner with USC students for mutual benefit. She believes that the course will also have a strong appeal for students, commenting, “My experiences with service-learning and musical education both locally and abroad have confirmed that this will be a high impact course for the future music educators at USC, as well as for other students who want to experience the music and people of South Africa.”

Grady will use the grant to develop a student exchange partnership between USC’s Department of Sport and Entertainment Management (SPTE) and the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (UAM) in Madrid, Spain. The planned program will enable 3-4 USC students each Spring semester to complete a full semester of coursework at UAM on topics such as event management, sports facilities management, commercial development, and corporate social responsibility. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in undergraduate research projects collaboratively directed by USC and UAM faculty. Grady is excited about the future of the new program. “This partnership offers unique opportunities to blend classroom learning with …experiences tied to students’ professional interests in Madrid which is a truly immersive global sport environment,” he says.