Wednesday, July 24, 2024
DENTON (UNT), Texas — Students at the University of North Texas took advantage of numerous study abroad and study in America courses this summer, building academic knowledge and career skills while exploring new cities.
The UNT Study Abroad Office offers over 800 courses and programs across 90 different countries. Programs are available year-round to students of all classifications and major study areas.
One faculty-led study abroad trip hosted by the UNT Department of History brought students to London, England. The course, “Food in London: Tastes of an Empire,” focused on the history of food in Great Britain and how foodways have changed in London since the decolonization of the British Empire.
Photo Caption: Students enjoy a traditional English tea service while studying abroad in London, England
“There was this rapid, dramatic change in British food in the 20th century,” said Nancy Stockdale, a University Distinguished Teaching Professor of history. “When you have decolonization and mass migration to the United Kingdom from the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa, East Asia — all these amazing places around the world — people bring their food with them.”
Stockdale and Lauren Jacobsen-Bridges, a Ph.D. candidate in history who designed the course, held pre-trip online sessions where students learned about the British Empire through a food-centric lens. Then students traveled to London for historical tours and visits to several restaurants where they sampled cuisine from countries previously under British rule. Food experiences included a traditional English tea service and a meal at the Michelin-starred Veeraswamy, the oldest Indian restaurant in the city.
Maria Mazvimavi, a master’s student in UNT’s Women’s & Gender Studies program, used the trip to deepen her understanding of historical relationships between gender and food.
“For my final essay, I thought, ‘What role did women historically play in food pathways?’ Then I observed the roles of women in the markets and restaurants we visited,” Mazvimavi said.
Study in America trips also are available to students preferring to study in the U.S. Frances Perkins, a principal lecturer in the UNT Department of Media Arts, led a summer course called “Media Production in the Southwest” that brought students to New Mexico. Perkins had the idea for the class after visiting Taos and seeing how the media industry had blossomed throughout the state. She took her first group of UNT students on the trip in 2023.
Photo Caption: Students taking the "Media Production in the Southwest" course visit the KRQE News 13 studio in Albuquerque, New Mexico
“Every summer, you see a student’s eyes open during this trip. You see them realizing, ‘Wow, I can actually do this,’” Perkins said. “The experience they get is tremendous.”
The course began with lessons on the history of filmmaking in the southwest and how the radio, television and film companies operate within New Mexico. Perkins and her students then traveled to Albuquerque, Santa Fe and surrounding areas, touring studios and meeting industry professionals. Activities included visits to TV and radio stations, sound stages and state film offices. Students even had opportunities to tour one of the sets used in the 2023 film Oppenheimer and a working set for a feature film currently in production.
For senior media arts major Trenton Kahlert, the trip provided a window into future professional opportunities.
“I learned you can build a production career outside the typical cities like Los Angeles and Atlanta. I never would have thought of New Mexico, but it’s amazing how much is going on there,” he said. “You don’t really know what’s there until you actually get to see it for yourself.”
UNT students traveled to Nashville as well this summer for the “History of Country Music” course offered by the UNT Department of History and designed by faculty Wes Phelps and Danielle Dumaine. Phelps was inspired after watching a documentary about the music genre.
Photo Caption: Students in the "History of Country Music" course visit the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee
“Today’s pop music comes from the folk and blues traditions you hear in country music. I just thought, ‘Wouldn’t country music be an interesting way to lead students into a history of the 20th century?’” said Phelps, who serves as director of undergraduate studies for the history department.
Phelps and Dumaine opened the course with lessons on the history of country music, beginning with its roots in the early 20th century. Once they arrived in Nashville, students visited museums and historic venues like the National Museum for African American Music, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and the Ryman Auditorium. The class also attended live music events including a bluegrass jam, a songwriter night at the historic Bluebird Café and even a performance at the Grand Ole Opry.
Chris Frantz, a junior majoring in history, said the course helped him understand how art reflects society and is influenced by time and place. He also realized his history degree could open more career doors than he previously thought.
“We got some behind-the-scenes museum tours, which got me thinking — I’m a G.I. Bill student in the military, and what if I wanted to work in, say, a naval museum?” Frantz said. “I never even thought that could be an option for me until taking this class. It definitely expanded my horizons and showed me what’s possible with a history major.”
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From UNT News – General News