Reflections from Noah Darnell

Communication Professor, Egypt and Greece Tour Leader

Returning to a place is one of the best ways to show you care. My hope for any alumni going on these programs — returning or not — is that they are reminded how much of life is all part of our education, not just the four-year plan we choose to follow. International Programs is one of many students' most transformative experiences during their college careers. While we would never claim that an alum’s week-long experience would be equally transformative as a semester-long program, my hope is that the experience can similarly tap into certain connections to their past, their present, and (potentially) plans that they have in the future —regardless of their age. International programs experiences for student and alumni alike are merely platforms for our guests to enjoy, to learn, and to grow a little in a truly unique location and with people they otherwise would have never known.

And now after this centennial year, we have so many alumni groups who have taken us up on that offer to see a place they’ve never seen before. Or perhaps they get to see a place they’ve seen before but with the new eyes of someone they were not before. For anyone who travels, we never return as the same person, even if we return to exactly the same place.

I see these international programs from two sides: I get to see the students wondering if they’ll ever make it in life. I also get to see what a student becomes once they’ve graduated and found their life’s path. (Or paths.) Both sides teach me how to teach better. This gives me confidence when I advise a student feeling the insecurities that many feel at that age: I get to tell them, “You’re going to be just fine.”

The best parts of life are often in the return. So, my hope is that you’ll join us again sometime when we go out into the world and see a new place again.

Reflections from Ashley Shelton

Italy & Greece Alumni Tour Participant

I enjoyed the blessing of participating in two Centennial Alumni Tours to Italy and Greece. Initially, I signed up for the Italy tour to experience my first international trip with a trusted group. I did not anticipate the magical adventure Robbie and Mona had in store or the incredible connection our group would form. In search of another unforgettable experience, I traveled to Greece, where Audra and Noah made my trip wonderful. Both trips reminded me that the Church comprises people with whom we may not necessarily meet in “everyday life,” yet we share the most important common love that binds us together.

HUE

Harding University in Europe

October began with the HUE group wrapping up an incredible two-week cruise from Germany to Italy, with stops in the Netherlands, France, Spain, Portugal, and Gibraltar. After the cruise, students enjoyed six days of independent travel across Europe before regrouping for a week in Iceland, where they hiked glaciers, visited breathtaking waterfalls, toured Reykjavik, and more. The month concluded in Greece, where they stayed at the HUG campus and explored Athens, Corinth, Delphi, Meteora, and other historic sites.