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Students of the Balkans semester walk down a city sidewalk

Off Campus Programs

Global Education

  1. Semester Programs
  2. Short-Term Seminars

Become a part of the global community

When studying abroad, you discover a place that follows a different rhythm and you learn its customs—from kneeling in Franciscan caves on the slope of Monte Subasio, to buying fresh caracoles at the local fish market in Seville, to salsa dancing on the streets of Zagreb during a Cuban festival. Global Education at Gordon is about intentionality and immersion, in connecting to a new community as a participant and not just as an observer.

Students of Gordon College's Balkans semester for the study of war and peace converse outside. Orvieto Duomo at dusk

A journey that has influence on everything that follows

Studying abroad with Gordon is so much more than getting outside your comfort zone. It’s about transformation. A reorientation. And it’s different for everyone. Whatever you bring back with you—be it a philosophy or practice—it will lend itself to everything that comes next.

View of Croatian city with red rooftops Students sitting in a circle on the ground in Croatia learning from a professor

Reflection and practice—learning as a way of life

Learning is not just an intellectual exercise—it’s something that ought to change the way we live. When you study abroad with Gordon, your living and learning activities are enmeshed and you are challenged to integrate what you are learning with your everyday life—from the way you interact with your roommates, to the way you make art, to the way you talk about war.

The parthenon in Athens, Greece. Students of Gordon College's Balkans Semester For the study of War and Peace on a boat in the Mediterranean Sea.

An experience beyond what’s possible on campus

When you study abroad, you adjust to a whole new way of living and growth happens exponentially. You’re able to explore your field of study through opportunities that aren’t offered here—like studying language and medicine in a hospital where all the patients and doctors speak Spanish or reading B.H. Fairchild’s poem "Beauty" in the presence of Donatello’s David statue, the very work of art that inspired his poem.

What our students are saying

Headshot of Isabelle Skillen

Isabelle Skillen

Balkans Semester

We were learning about peace, and conflict, and what it means to live together. What it means to live peacefully within our apartments since that’s what we’re all trying to learn in class. That was the part that touched me the most—how closely what we were learning in class related to how we lived with each other.

Headshot of Sophie Linnel

Sophie Linnell

Gordon in Orvieto

Normally, there’s a barrier between you and what you’re learning. It’s one thing seeing a picture of artwork and walking in the actual footsteps where an artist lived. When you take away this barrier between you and what you’re learning, the learning experience is more meaningful. It’s applicable to how you live and relate to other people. It’s part of your story now.

Students stand on an overlook in Orvieto, Italy.

Emily Friesen

Gordon in Orvieto

I feel like I’ve learned so much, in so many ways. In ways that you just can’t in a classroom at a college. It’s such a time of complete, exponential growth—relationally, spiritually, academically.

Global Education Office

Meet our Team

A number of dedicated faculty and staff are available to assist you with your decision about domestic and international program opportunities. 

All Faculty & Staff

Headshot of Kristin Whitfield.

Kristin Whitfield

Director of Global Education

Sara Booth

Sara Booth

Global Education Program Coordinator

Matt Doll

Matthew Doll

Associate Professor in the Practice of Art

Have any questions? We're here to help.

Global Education Office
MacDonald Hall 130

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