Kettering College Student Studies in Korea
September 5, 2024 — Adventist Colleges Abroad (ACA) is a consortium of Seventh-day Adventist colleges and universities that offers students opportunities to study in a different country. The locations and duration of programs vary, but the goal of each trip is to immerse students in the culture and language of the country, while continuing to complete requirements of their college’s program.
An ACA representative visited Kettering College last year to inform students of 11 study abroad opportunities offered through the consortium. Pre-Nursing student Nakure “Penina” Byiringiro attended the informational session and was immediately interested. Growing up in Uganda and immigrating to the United States, she has always been exposed to various cultures and languages and appreciates diversity and learning about others.
Penina has had a special interest in Korean culture for years but never imagined this would lead to her visiting Korea. She enjoys Korean music and dramas (K-pop and K-dramas) and has been teaching herself Korean for three years “just for fun.”
When the ACA announced its newly added program in Seoul, Korea, Penina started to dream of visiting a country she has been interested in since high school. She kept the idea to herself initially, assuming it was too big of a dream to become reality. But she decided to apply and was accepted for the six-week trip to Korea this past summer.
She admits she felt like it wasn’t real. She says, “I never imagined I’d be in Seoul for six weeks without knowing anyone or anything. I was scared, but I wanted to challenge myself.” When she stepped off the plane alone in a new country, she was nervous, but then she told herself, “I’m here. Let’s go.”
Penina settled into her dorm along with other students from several different countries and states from various Seventh-day Adventist colleges and universities. Being alone far from home was the thing they had in common, and she made connections easily with them.
The ACA programs are set up for students to be a part of the culture and society of the country they’re visiting. Penina learned more Korean and took part in social activities in Seoul and also visited Japan.
She says her time in Korea helped broaden her perspective. She says, “When we live in one area, we see the world only through our own eyes, but when we get to go outside our world, we see more, and it opens our eyes…My trip also taught me to follow my dreams.”
Studying in Korea pulled Penina out of her daily routine and comfort zone, and this is something she says she appreciates. Because of her willingness to push herself to try something new, she says, “I got to be in a place where I felt welcomed and I grew relationships in a Christian atmosphere. I now have friends all over the world.”
She has always known she has a love for travel, and this trip has helped her to see she would love to be a travel nurse, combining her passion for healthcare with her love for culture and new languages. She says, “I like the idea of being able to connect with patients from different cultures and understand what they need.”
Scott Bennie, dean of Academic Affairs, says, “We are thrilled to celebrate Nakure “Penina” Byiringiro’s successful completion of the six-week summer program at Sahmyook University in Seoul, South Korea. We are also proud of her adventurous spirit as the first Kettering College student to participate in the ACA program.”
If you’re a Kettering College student who would like to participate in an ACA trip, Penina encourages you to do it. Her advice is to “follow your heart.” Aside from the ways international studies help students grow and step outside of themselves, Penina adds the practical benefit of building a student’s resumé to show potential employers they’re willing to take risks and be flexible.
She adds that education doesn’t come only from books and classes but from broader experiences. To students, she says, “Go out and explore and see things through a different perspective.”
Scott Bennie adds, “Kettering College has strengthened its relationship with ACA, recognizing the numerous benefits that study abroad programs offer for future healthcare professionals, including:
- Enhancing the ability to understand and address diverse patient needs;
- Cultivating crucial skills for working in increasingly multicultural environments;
- Broadening knowledge through exposure to international healthcare systems, fostering innovation and best practices;
- Developing essential qualities for thriving in the dynamic and often unpredictable healthcare field; and
- Improving foreign language skills, enhancing communication with non-English-speaking patients and colleagues.”
If you are interested in exploring the study abroad opportunities available through Kettering College and ACA, please email Heather Jones at heather.jones@kc.edu. She will help you schedule an appointment with Scott Bennie to discuss how this can fit within your program of study and guide you through the next steps. Your friends around the world are waiting for you!
(Photos Courtesy of Penina Byiringiro and Kevin Gabriel)
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