Every year, the School of Communication Studies takes a direct approach to teaching intercultural communication to students via its long-standing annual global programs trip to Dublin, Ireland. For four weeks the students are immersed in a foreign culture all while taking two courses that dive deep into how different cultures around the world communicate.
“This year, we had a focus on understanding how culture not only affects our communication but also our well-being. We looked at culture and communication and how that affects our well-being, and students started to understand that a lot of their health and wellness was impacted by the environment they’re in,” explained Jon Hess, director of the School of Communication Studies.
While Hess was present for a portion of the trip, he gave credit to Professor Laura Miller for helming the program. Miller’s expertise is in health communication and students who attended said her passion for the topic enhanced an already amazing experience.
“The awareness that it brought to me is amazing and I’m very glad I took that course. It’s something I wouldn’t have taken at UT because it’s not something I would have just elected to take,” said Abigail Busic, a junior double majoring in communication studies and advertising. “I loved the health communication class, I know there were other people in the class who have known they wanted to be in health communication but that was a field I had never really thought about and this made me think about it in a different way.”
Even though Ireland wasn’t as stark a contrast from the United States of America as some countries might be—they speak English and share certain cultural values and traditions—Busic said there are major differences in how the two countries approach healthcare and overall well-being that she learned about during the trip. Guest speakers from the Irish health system alongside the course’s curriculum and many discussions encouraged her and other students to consider how environment, culture, and health communication can deeply impact people’s lives.
For senior Sophie MacFawn, the Ireland trip confirmed that the unique pathway she is pursuing once she graduates with her major in communication studies is the right fit for her future career. As someone who has always wanted to work with children, MacFawn pivoted from education to communication studies to broaden her options beyond teaching.
Now, MacFawn has her sights set on becoming a child life specialist, which is someone who works with children in a medical setting to help ease fears and create a more comfortable environment through play and compassion. These specialists are niche but are becoming more popular in children’s hospitals as they can make intimidating procedures or boring hospital stays easier for young patients.
There’s no specific degree for someone to become a child life specialist, but MacFawn is pleased that her communication studies courses—especially the two courses she took in Dublin—have given her a strong set of skills she said will serve her well in the field.
“I didn’t expect a major that I honestly chose because it was so broad to give me such great opportunities and skills that I now have. I was so lost because I didn’t know what I wanted to do as a freshman and I thought well, ‘I’ll do this, and I can do anything.’ And now I have figured out what I want to do, and it’s been cool to see how it has helped shape me and how it played out,” she said.
MacFawn said another perk of the trip was simply leaping out of her comfort zone and getting to see the world. She preceded the Ireland trip with visits to Morocco and Portugal with her family and all her globe-trotting has inspired her to expand her perspective of the world. Prior to this summer, the senior had only been out of the country once, but she said world travel is now something she plans to do more of in the future. As a Knoxville native, MacFawn said her decision to stay in her hometown for college was a comfortable one, so she has been seeking out other ways to challenge herself during her higher education journey.
“I was very on the fence about it and a little bit worried with the idea of going away and being away from my family. Dublin is a four-week program, which is the perfect amount of time to go, and you learn so much in such a short period of time,” she said. “It gives you such an appreciation of the world and can be truly eye opening seeing other parts of the world. I came home with new friends and experiences I wouldn’t have had if I hadn’t pushed myself out of my comfort zone. Push yourself and you’ll see great things.”
Busic had no reservations about taking off to another country, and in fact had chosen the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in part because it has such a robust study abroad program and the College of Communication and Information offers global programs specifically tailored to students in different majors. As a double major, she wasn’t sure which trip she would choose or if she would find the financial support necessary to go, but she made it a point to find out more before dismissing the idea.
“I actually went to the Study Abroad Fair to talk to Dr. Miller and Dr. Hess. My parents are helping to get both my sister and I through college, so I wasn’t sure if I could afford to go and I went and spoke to them about it and they were able to help,” she recounted.
Both students said their Ireland experience was amazing both in the classroom and out of it. Busic said highlights of the trip for her were going on hikes and driving the Ring of Kerry—a picturesque driving route that took them through historical sites, beautiful landscapes, and more.
“If you love nature and you love music, you should go to Ireland. I love both of those things and Ireland had a lot of both,” she said.