Travel Study

Learning Out of the Classroom

Culver-Stockton takes learning out of the classroom and into the world. During the 3-week term at the end of the semester, students can travel with their whole class, including professors, and not worry about any other classes for that time period. It is the first time many students travel outside of the country. In an increasingly global society, experiencing different cultures and backgrounds is vital for personal and professional development. Culver-Stockton offers these formative travel experiences to its students.

Aaron Foster ’12

Aaron Foster ‘12 and his wife, Katie, met while teaching in Taichung, Taiwan in July 2013, and the Fosters recently signed a two-year contract to teach in 2019 at Hangzhou International School in Hangzhou, China, continuing their plan to make international teaching a career. Foster grew up in Staunton, Ill., a town of about 5,000 people off I-55 between St. Louis and Springfield. He studied biology and education at C-SC he always was interested in traveling abroad. A travel study trip to Belize and Guatemala during his senior year was the first overseas adventure for Foster. Living in small cabins, learning about the rain forest, eating strange food and sleeping at night with a mosquito net on top of him only made him want to travel even more. “My perspective of everything is different now,” Foster said. “I appreciate what I have and where I come from. I’m not quick to judge someone else. I want to learn where they’re coming from. Everyone has a story. (Living abroad has) really opened my eyes personally and professionally.”