Cross-Cultural Engagement

Asbury University believes our students should be enriched by their encounters with other cultures through instruction and full immersion experiences. It is our hope to equip our students to engage other cultures and communities and advance the cause of Christ around the world. We desire to train our students to embrace global responsibility since we are not isolated people but part of a global community that is ever-changing and ever-growing.

Asbury’s Cultural Immersion Experience is an immersion into another culture, engaging the student in a variety of life-spheres (family, education, religion, art, media, economics, and government). Most experiences will expose the student to cultural dynamics outside of the United States. The experience must be pre-approved by the CCE department and must be of sufficient length and intensity to have an adequate impact upon the worldview of the participant.

Most experiences will expose the student to cultural dynamics outside of the United States. This experience may be fulfilled through semester/summer-long study abroad programs, travel courses, mission or volunteer trips, athletic-sponsored service trips, or personal international explorations. Stateside experiences are available and approved on a case-by-case basis.

Students must complete the CCE150 course BEFORE participating in their Cultural Immersion Experience.

CCE150 Cultural Engagement and Responsibility is a key component of Asbury’s institution-wide initiative, Embrace. This course is developed to enhance the student’s learning experience at Asbury. The following is a representation of the learning outcomes:

1. Knowledge
   1. Students will articulate a Biblical understanding of cultural diversity
   2. Students will be able to define cultural responsibility
   3. Students will demonstrate understanding of one’s own cultural identity
   4. Students will be able to interpret one’s own direct experience of cultural identity
2. Skills
   1. Students will demonstrate empathy and awareness in interpersonal interactions
   2. Students will be able to better engage cultures outside their own
   3. Students will conduct self-appraisal to enhance cultural awareness
3. Attitudes
   1. Students will display humility in inter- and intra-cultural interaction

1. Enroll in CCE150 Cultural Engagement & Responsibility prior to participating in a Cultural Immersion. The course must be completed prior to enrolling in CCE150EX Cultural Immersion Experience.
2. After completing CCE150, students may explore options for selecting a Cultural Immersion. We encourage students to pursue options that relate to their specific interests (i.e. missions, athletics, adventure, academic credit, major field of study).
3. Complete the optional Rubric form to determine your proposed Cultural Immersion’s eligibility.
4. Complete the CCU150EX PROPOSAL (below) for approval. Approval of your Proposal will then enroll you in the CCE150EX course.

Upon returning from your Cultural Immersion Experience, complete the assignments as detailed in the CCE150EX course on Discovery:

1. Complete the Post-Immersion Assessment
2. Complete the final Reflection Paper

Deadline:  The deadline for the post-immersion assignments will be the semester following the Cultural Immersion:  January 31 for immersions taken during the previous fall semester or winter break, and August 31 for immersions occurring during the previous spring semester or summer break. Students who do not complete the post-immersion assignments by the deadline will have a hold placed on their class registration for the next semester.