Around-the-World Semester®
The Around-the-World Semester challenges students to think globally as they travel, learn, and serve in 10 different countries.
The ATW experience is a unique study-abroad experience because it offers students the opportunity to work in a learning community. Students travel from country to country in airplanes, trains, buses, and even camels—but they always travel together. Students study, attend classes, and earn 15-units of college coursework, and they do this academic work together. Each day of the semester involves some form of service, and yes, the students accomplish this service in teams, together!
The ATW Semester has been crafted to help students grow in their Christian faith, to grow in their intellectual capacity, to grow in empathy and cross-cultural vision.
See Where We've Been
Overview
- Learn through unique, built-in comparative academics.
- Serve others through philanthropic/humanitarian work in every country.
- Grow your faith through new encounters with God and His people.
- Experience adventures in every new place you land.
Learn
- Earn a minor in Global Cultural Studies.
- Complete 18 units in 8 courses.
- Read primary literary and religious texts from each country.
- Study in a learning community with other students.
- Learn about, from, and with locals from each country.
Serve
- Serve with missionaries and church leaders who are using their influence to bless their communities.
- Make meaningful connections with people living around the world.
- Share your gifts and love with other students.
Grow
- Pray, worship, and study the Christian scriptures with your teammates.
- Live in community with your fellow travelers.
- Devote yourself to study of God's Word.
- Find and develop your identity in Christ.
Experience
- Some of our teams have:
- Camped in the Jordanian desert outside Petra.
- Trekked by horseback across the Mongolian steppes.
- Gone swimming under waterfalls in places like Bali, Thailand, and Brazil.
- Spent the night on top of Mount Sinai.
- Explored safaris with African wildlife in Kenya and South Africa.
- Hiked through Peruvian mountains to Machu Picchu.
- Climbed through the ancient ruins of Angkor Wat.