US visitors study Kiwi way

Earlham students in Whanganui. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Fourteen students and three staff are the latest batch of students to visit Whanganui from Earlham College in the United States.

The group, from the liberal arts college in Richmond, Indiana, are visiting as part of a semester-long off-campus programme that takes them around New Zealand.

Earlham College has been running its New Zealand semester programme since 2008, and the students and staff have come to Whanganui since 2012.

There's a difference this year. For the first time, the college is using UCOL as its Whanganui base, and will be there for the few weeks.

While in the country, the students learn about environmental issues and cultures of New Zealand, and also complete internships. This semester's students are mostly in their junior (third) year, and are studying a range of majors including environmental studies, biology, and geology.

The college's local coordinator approached UCOL to find out if it had any classroom space, and UCOL offered the Edith Gallery. The students are staying with local families.
They spent three weeks at the Whanganui Quaker Settlement before shifting to UCOL.
After their time in Whanganui, the group will head to the South Island for three weeks, visiting Moeraki, Marlborough, and Christchurch, learning about eco-tourism, agriculture, and Christchurch's earthquake recovery efforts.

Whanganui UCOL campus manager Bronwyn Paul said she hoped the relationship between the institutions could continue to grow.

"We've made it so they can integrate into UCOL life as much as they want while they do their own courses. We've invited them to all of the happenings to make them feel part of the family."

"Hopefully in the future we'll be able to send some of our students to Earlham for a semester."

The Earlham students are being treated like UCOL students while they are here, and have been issued with UCOL IDs so they can use campus services such as the library, and ride the city buses for free.

Jamey Pavey, the faculty coordinator for the Earlham College group, says the programme has been a positive experience for the students.

"As well as holding our classes at UCOL and having the students interning in Whanganui, we've been on trips to Taranaki, Tongariro National Park, and Kapiti Island, and paddled down the Whanganui River".

Earlham College offers off-campus programmes in 18 different countries, with more than 65 per cent of its graduates participating in a semester or year-long off-campus programme.