09 - Dr. Stephanie Gomes - Liberty University
Christian Study Abroad Podcast
Release Date: 03/11/2025
Transformative Opportunities Through Language Immersion
Christian Study Abroad Podcast
Dr. Rikki Brons serves as professor of language studies at Dordt University. She teaches Spanish at all levels, from Spanish 101 to upper levels of grammar and composition. She works with students interested in studying abroad. On today’s episode, she shares about her earliest memory of travel and how it’s impacted her. She sees language as a way to connect with others who are image bearers of God. Stay up to date by subscribing to our podcast on , , and , or by connecting with us on LinkedIn. Get news, resources, and job opportunities in Christian Study Abroad in your inbox every...
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What does Senior Leadership really think about off-campus studies?
Christian Study Abroad Podcast
Dr. Ryan Hartwig serves as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Vanguard University. On today’s episode he shares his personal and professional connection to study abroad and global education as well as the challenges and benefits of global education through the lens of university leadership. Stay up to date by subscribing to our podcast on , , and , or by connecting with us on LinkedIn. Get news, resources, and job opportunities in Christian Study Abroad in your inbox every month by Our guest today is Ryan T. Hartwig, Ph.D., Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at...
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Faith Formation Through Study Abroad with Dr. Cynthia Slagter
Christian Study Abroad Podcast
Cynthia Slagter serves as the Director of Off-Campus Programs at Calvin University, where she oversees semester and short-term global programs and supports faculty in creating transformative learning experiences. She has more than two decades of experience leading academic and cultural travel programs and has presented and published on the impact of study abroad on language acquisition; her recent work explores how global learning can shape students’ faith formation and spiritual development. Stay up to date by subscribing to our podcast on , , and , or by connecting with us on LinkedIn. Get...
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Introducing Season 2
Christian Study Abroad Podcast
We’re excited to bring you Season 2 of the Christian Study Abroad Podcast. This season, we’ll be journeying through interesting conversations and interviews as we dive deep into specific topics across the field of Christian Study Abroad. If you’re a study abroad advisor, faculty or a leader at your institution, researcher, or study abroad practitioner, this podcast is for you. How does faith formation take place in a cross-cultural setting and impact academics and global experiences? We’ll dive into this and so much more, so we invite you to join us this season! Stay up to date by...
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2025 Christian Study Abroad Conference Recap with Dr. David Martínez
Christian Study Abroad Podcast
On the podcast, we're joined by Dr. David Martínez, Director for the Center for Study Abroad, Associate professor of Spanish, and Honors Faculty Fellow at . David attended the 2025 multi-day Christian Study Abroad Conference in April presented by Living & Learning at hosted at Biola University. On this episode, Living & Learning VP, Greg Belgum and David shares their thoughts about the conference, what was discussed, why it's important, and a few exciting things that came out of a space where Christian study abroad senders and providers gather together to encourage and learn together....
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Dr. Bo White - Baylor University
Christian Study Abroad Podcast
Bo has served within international education for over twenty years, creating opportunities for students to study, intern, research, or serve abroad. He has earned degrees from Central College, Covenant Theological Seminary, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Southern California. He has been a director at the University of Illinois and at for education abroad most recently and has presented at the Forum on Education Abroad and NAFSA annual conferences in addition to regional events. He grew up in rural Illinois, has been married for 28 years and currently...
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Bonus - Dr. Rick Langer - CSAC Keynote Speaker from the Winsome Conviction Project
Christian Study Abroad Podcast
During his undergraduate career, Dr. Langer studied abroad in Germany where he spent his entire junior year of college. Now, he is a Professor Emeritus at Biola University where he served for almost 20 years as the Director of the Office of Faith and Learning and a professor of Biblical Studies and Theology. Dr. Langer works as the co-director of the Winsome Conviction Project, teaching in the Doctorate of Ministry program at Talbot School of Theology. He has authored several books including Winsome Persuasion (2017) and Winsome Conviction (2020), which deal with discourse in the public square...
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12 - Jennifer Moeschberger - Taylor University
Christian Study Abroad Podcast
Jennifer is the Director of Off-Campus Programs at , where she has spent many years leading global engagement experiences, sending hundreds of students around the world for short-term, faculty-led trips, and serving as an on-site director for Taylor’s study abroad program in Ireland. Trained as a counselor, Jennifer has worked in residence life and honors and currently teaches courses in intercultural learning. She is married to Scott, and they have 2 teenage boys, Ciarán and Rónán, who have also caught the travel bug and most recently enjoyed spending a semester in Belfast in 2023. ...
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11 - Kayleigh Sommerfeldt - Bethel University
Christian Study Abroad Podcast
Kayleigh Sommerfeldt is the Global Operations Coordinator at . She holds an MBA in Finance, as well as degrees in Spanish and International Relations from Bethel. In her current role, she supervises student workers, oversees various aspects of the faculty-led program lifecycle, and manages budgets, data, and application processes. She is passionate about supporting the transformative study abroad experiences that shape the next generation of students. You can reach Kayleigh at k-sommerfeldt@bethel.edu
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10 - Victoria Malone - Union University
Christian Study Abroad Podcast
Professor Victoria Malone has been at in Jackson, Tennessee since 1999. Professor Malone began as a French adjunct and then assistant professor. In 2005, she became Union University's first study abroad coordinator and established the Study Abroad office. In 2011, she began accompanying students to Angers, France for a 4-week summer semester program. She is now Director for Study Abroad and enjoys providing study abroad opportunities for her students.
info_outlineDr. Stephanie Gomes has been at Liberty University for over four years. In her current roll as the Director of Global Programs in the study abroad office (LU Send), she serve on the university's Global Travel Advisory Committee to implement practical and effective international health and safety standards, policies, and guidelines for programs and activities for approximately 600 students in the academic year. In today's episode, Stephanie shares about retention rates in Higher Education and discusses “how many actual ‘touches’ it takes before someone actually ‘buys’ something.”
You can connect with Dr. Stephanie Gomes at www.liberty.edu/osd/lu-send/