The World as Classroom
Elementary education major Ren Talerico ’27 captured the thrill of arriving in a new place during Global Health 239 in Nepal. During the course, she says she learned about “the dynamic interactions between people, animals, plants, and the environment.”
During her semester in Malta, Abigail Bates ’25 and friends visited the Colosseum in Rome. Abigail, an environmental studies major, says, “I was able to learn as much as possible about Malta’s environmental situation while there, opening my eyes to a whole new world full of completely different dilemmas than the ones I‘d been taught in Decorah.”
Nursing major Leah Gardner ’26 traveled to Northern Ireland for the Forging Paths to Peace J-Term course. “On the trip,” she says, “I learned how important community is when it comes to building peace, and to lean on each other for support during times of conflict or fear.” While there, she and fellow nursing major Molly Johnson ’26 spent time climbing the rocks at Giants Causeway.
Britta Elsbernd ’25, a music and visual communication major, spent J-Term on the Building Ethical Futures in Norway course. She took this photos of the Oslo skyline at twilight because, she says, “In class, we discussed the rapid development of this area of Oslo and how it engages the ethical conflict between history and modernization.”
Nursing major William Coffey ’26 spent J-Term in Costa Rica on the Practicing Embodiment course. He took this photo of students in the dining area because, he says, “I wanted to capture how connected the group was sitting around the table during free time.”
Accounting major Fernando Ruiz Vega ’25 spent J-Term on the Paideia course English Theatre: Mirror of Society and of the Human Condition. “This scene gave Harry Potter vibes,” he says, “as we all know this is where Platform 9 3/4 takes place when they are traveling to Hogwarts.”
Michael Burns ’25, a visual communication major, took this photo during the J-Term course Ethical Futures in Norway. He was struck by the fact that graffiti seemed to be woven into the culture in Oslo.
Nursing major Leif Carey-Odden ’25 took this photo while on a trip to Norway last summer, studying how Norway’s vastly different healthcare system and active lifestyles impact personal health.
Biology major Mike Benoit ’26 spent J-Term in England and Scotland. This photo pictures him with fellow bio major Isaiah Kahl ’26 standing partway up a mountain in the Glencoe Valley. “The photo is a great representation of the scenery we experienced on our tour of Scotland, and it shows how the trip brought a great friendship together,” he says.
Megan Miller ’25, an economics and Nordic studies major, spent J-Term on the Building Ethical Futures in Norway course. Her friend, Alli Thomley ’25, captured Megan watching the sun rise over the Oslo Opera House. Megan says they “wandered down to the Oslofjord to watch the interplay between nature and human creation.”
Sonnet Mungyeh ’25, a global health and German major, participated in the Münster Semester. She took this photo in Walhalla in Donaustauf, Germany. She explains, “Walhalla is a monument that honors distinguished people in German history. While this trip was outside of our learning experiences during the Münster Semester, our Paideia course was centered around how societies remember historical figures and events. Visiting Walhalla was one of our many real-life applications to what we studied.”
Nursing major Ainsley Zahn ’25 spent J-Term in Costa Rica on the Practicing Embodiment course. She says, “Something that really impacted me on this trip was the group that I went with. Although I didn’t know all of the people on the trip and had never met the professors, I made connections and friendships I will never forget. I learned a lot about myself and my own values. I learned how to be peaceful and be mindful of my body and movement. I’m more than grateful for this trip and opportunity. I hope to return to La Huerta, where we stayed in Costa Rica, someday!”
Brooks Peterson ’26, a computer science and data science major, spent J-Term in Nepal, where he snapped this photo of a fellow photographer. During the trip, he says, “The most impactful thing I experienced was the hospitality of others. Having the opportunity to be welcomed into the homes, professions, and livelihoods of strangers enlightened me to new culture, religion, language, and more.”
Visual communication major Michael Burns ’25 spent J-Term in Norway. He says, “I took this photo the night we got to Oslo. As a group, we took a walk to see the city. We were tired but needed to stay up a little longer to get the best sleep. Seeing this large building across from the Opera House was incredible to me, as there was something about it that made me forget how tired I was and take in the fact that I was in Norway. It has a special place in my heart, as I would often walk by just to look at this particular building.”
Nursing major Leif Carey-Odden ’25 took this stunning photo while studying the healthcare system in Norway.