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Emily Whipple

Bio Summary
Cohort Year: 
2011
Home Institution: 
Thiel College
Heinz Programming Area: 
Education
Study Abroad Country: 
Spain
International Experience

Emily Whipple studied the Spanish language and observed the practices of Spain’s educational system for five weeks through International Studies Abroad. As a third-year education major, she was interested to study the differences between education in America and in Spain. She experienced a system that was based much more on lecture than the increasingly hands-on United States, and a preference to formative assessment (one exam at the end of a course) over summative (gradual assessment based on a student’s performance and improvement). Also, by talking with her professor and various intercambios, Emily was able to develop several classroom strategies that married the two very different styles of teaching, which she will be able to use during her career in teaching. The classroom experiences provided her with a new perspective of education that is often dismissed by American universities. During the excursions provided by her study abroad program, Emily also experienced many different aspects of Spanish culture, including art in Figueres, wine-making at the vineyards of Codorníu, the nation’s history in Madrid and Toledo, and the country’s religious roots at the monastery on Montserrat.

Community Engagement Experience
CEE Title: 
Domestic Violence Awareness

For her CEE, Emily and her teammates created a Domestic Violence Awareness event for their university community. Leading up to the event, they distributed information on local, national and global domestic violence. They also developed an informational poster that is now on permanent display in their school’s guidance office. To conclude their program, they screened a movie about domestic violence that was followed by a discussion by the students present.

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