Going Beyond the Classroom: How DBU’s Global Studies Program Encourages Learning and Discipleship

Creating a real-world learning experience, Dallas Baptist University's Global Studies Program works to expand perspectives and provide new experiences for students and professors throughout the year.

Traveling beyond the DBU Campus, the program encourages learning directly in the places being studied. Global Studies gives students the chance to gain class credit while expanding their worldview, strengthening their leadership skills, and deepening their faith by seeing the Lord at work around the world.

The program began under the leadership of Dr. David Cook, former Dean of Global Studies, and is currently led by Dr. Jon Dooley, Assistant Vice President for International Affairs and Director of Global Studies. The program was formally established in 2015 to bring greater structure and unity to DBU's travel initiatives, according to Dr. Dooley.

During the early years, the Global Studies program offered only a limited number of trips, largely due to COVID‑19 and worldwide shutdowns. However, the program soon found its rhythm, and by 2022, several trips were offered. This allowed more students to earn course credit while broadening their perspective through international travel.

Through these international trips, students see the presence of the same God they serve reflected in cultures and communities around the world, experiencing their faith in a broader global context. They can step onto historical sites such as the Colosseum in Rome, Westminster Abbey in London, and the battlefields of the American Revolution in Massachusetts, and see that even in places that seem far away, God is still present.

These trips have become more than a way for students to earn class credit; they make learning come to life in a way that encourages students to deepen their faith in a different part of the world. Dr. Dooley, along with the participating faculty, hopes students realize the Lord is always at work everywhere they go. Former DBU Global Studies Coordinator, Emmalie Ellis, adds to this by saying, "We are not just traveling to travel. We are seeing how the Lord has worked, is working, and will work in the lives of people all around the world."

Along with visiting historical sites, students form meaningful connections and mentorships with their professors that encourage both spiritual and professional growth.

One student, Isabel Robison, emphasized during her trip to Boston how each trip carries an aspect of discipleship. "This is what it feels like in our very American, DBU way, of what the disciples felt like, teaching, traveling, eating, and having a good laugh," Isabel shared.

Because of the lasting impact these trips have had, both professors and students have described them as transformative experiences. DBU Trustee and professor of leadership Dr. Brent Taylor, who has taught on several Global Studies trips throughout the years, encourages students by saying, "Go, go, go. You will be a better person, leader, and employee if you have seen the world and know how to interpret life through the lens of a broader perspective."

Furthermore, DBU student, Hailey McBee, shared how going on the Rome and Athens trip allowed her to marvel at "how amazing God is with every creation He makes." Through these life-changing experiences, the Global Studies program at DBU continues to encourage students to take their learning beyond the classroom and see God working in every part of the world.

To learn more about upcoming opportunities and program details, visit the DBU Global Studies website.