![]() ![]() Severa hopes a more global perspective and increased team unity will transfer over to the gridiron this fall. They see themselves as part of a bigger picture, which is a very different view,” he said. In China, they will describe themselves by the school they attend or where they work. “In America, when we describe ourselves, we think of what makes us different and unique. Severa, a health studies major, attempted to learn the Chinese language and sought Beijing ping pong opponents in his quest to understand cultural differences and commonalities. “In addition, our hotel was located in a typical Beijing neighborhood, not a tourist area, so our team was engaged in the Chinese society and the common everyday life of a resident.” ![]() He took satisfaction in seeing his team’s experience enriched with visits to many significant cultural sites in Beijing. “It was a trip that further connected two of the great superpowers in the world at a time of increasing tension, and it involved American football which is growing rapidly in China at the youth levels,” he said. “Ultimately, I decided to center my research around the topic of individual liberty and how its perception differs between China and the United States.” Mitchell and Clayberg will be presenting the work to a research colloquium in September and hope to have it published in the Drake Management Review, an academic journal published by Drake’s College of Business and Public Administration.ĭrake Head Football Coach Rick Fox pointed out that cross-cultural trips have significant impact, but this trip was unique for several reasons. “This opened up additional doors for me to talk to our Chinese professors and other college students in more of a research context,” said Clayberg. With the assistance of Mitchell, Clayberg also undertook an independent study course during the trip. It made many of us realize how much there is to learn about this world, and how exciting that learning can be.” “As we experienced a new culture, learned a history different from our own, and met people with totally different backgrounds than us, I think many guys felt like their curiosity was piqued in a way that it hadn’t before. ![]() We wanted to maximize our opportunity there, but also instill a curiosity that extends beyond their grade, beyond graduation, and hopefully transforms lives toward the idea of a global mindset.”Ĭlayberg, an accounting and finance major, said a key benefit of the trip was personal growth. “We designed the experience to instill a lifelong desire for learning about this culture and other cultures. “We recognize that 21 st century education requires experiential opportunities and putting classroom experiences into action,” Mitchell said. Other highlights were excursions to the Forbidden City, Des Moines’ Sister City of Shijiazhuang, and a challenging hike along the Great Wall of China. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad, the former Iowa governor and a Drake University Law School alumnus. The agenda included international business classes on globalization, volunteer service work, and a visit to the U.S. The entourage of players, coaches, faculty, and administrators leveraged longstanding University partnerships. The memorable trip provided the team with the best of all worlds: an integrated academic, athletic and cultural experience. That changed dramatically last summer.Īs their final season kicks off, these seniors and their teammates are bringing a new sense of camaraderie and global engagement to the line of scrimmage after the football program’s historic visit to China May 22–June 4. But the Division I student-athletes’ schedules made their hopes of enrolling in a study-abroad semester seem as distant as far off lands. One of the first educational lessons Drake University football players Nathan Clayberg and Kieran Severa learned on campus was how to balance strong classroom performance with rigorous execution of the Bulldog playbook.
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