Carthage College J-Term

It’s one thing to read about the major figures and battles of World War II. It’s entirely another thing to stand atop cratered cliffs, surveying the beaches of Normandy as a history professor describes the precarious odds the Allies faced there more than 70 years ago.

that’s the essence of j-term at carthage: it connects the dots between lecture and life.

Hundreds of students participate in the study tours our professors lead each year, making Carthage a consistent national leader in short-term study abroad. Others stay on campus for the term, diving into courses that stretch their intellectual boundaries and expose them to new interests.

Whether they choose to venture outside the country or simply outside their major, it’s a month for students to experiment, create, and dream.

Paging through this book, you’ll find photos depicting natural beauty, vibrant culture, and historic landmarks. A deeper look at each image reveals a unique vantage point to our shared world — a view reserved for students willing to seek it out.

Table of contents Arizona 2 Carthage 4 Costa Rica 8 Germany 10 Guatemala 16 Honduras 20 India 24 Ireland 28 Italy 30 London 32 Nicaragua 36 Normandy 40 Paris 44 Puerto Rico 52 Southeast Asia 54 Southern Africa 58 Spain 68

Arizona Art and science intersect in Tucson, Arizona, where professors Laura Huaracha and Dana Garrigan often conduct the J-Term class Photographing Nature. After primers in photography and biodiversity, the students compile a pictorial essay that documents conservation challenges.

Photos: Luke Bajda ’18

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Carthage J-Term at Carthage offers a singular focus. By pouring their full energy into one class, students can produce a musical like “The Little Mermaid,” complete with costumes and face paint, in roughly four weeks. Many of the courses are only offered during January.

Photos: Austin Winter ’18

Photo: Johanna Heidorn ’13, staff photographer

Professor Dan Choffnes shares his passion for tea with students in a J-Term course titled Tea: Science and Society. | Photo: Steve Janiak, staff photographer

Photo: Johanna Heidorn ’13, staff photographer

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Costa Rica Featuring rainforest hikes, the Tropical Ecology of Costa Rica course introduces students of all majors to the area’s ecological wonders.

The Central American nation has become a model for ecotourism and sustainable development.

Photos: Daria Ekkert ’16

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Germany Only by piecing together Germany’s checkered past can you interpret the nation’s modern mosaic. That history has provided the backdrop for several J-Term tours. From the roots of Lutheranism to psychology’s pioneers to the atrocities of the Third Reich, faculty illustrate how centuries of actions continue to shape the narratives in Germany and the wider world.

Photos: Johanna Heidorn ’13, staff photographer

Photos: Johanna Heidorn ’13, staff photographer

The installation at the Jewish Museum Berlin, Shalekhet – Fallen Leaves, stirs painful memories of the victims of war, with more than 10,000 iron-plate faces covering the ground floor.

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Students on a Germany study tour visit the East Side Gallery, a memorial section of the Berlin Wall. | Photos: Johanna Heidorn ’13, staff photographer

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Photos: Katherine Lumsden ’20

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Guatemala Exclusively speaking Spanish for the entire month in Guatemala, students take a major step toward fluency. Based in a rural agricultural community, the course pairs students with local families for an authentically immersive experience.

Photos: Katherine Lumsden ’20

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Honduras After earning scuba certification, students spend much of the Biodiversity, Brains, and Behavior course beneath the blue Caribbean surface. The divers pick up clues about the evolution of nervous systems and behavior by observing the coral reef ecosystem.

Photos: Professor Dan Miller

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Photos: Professor Dan Miller

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Photos: Abbi Howell ’15

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India Three major faith communities coexist in India: Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs. Professor James Lochtefeld and his students get a close-up look at the lives, traditions, and interactions of each distinct group, noting the benefits — and problems — that accompany religious pluralism.

Photos: Abbi Howell ’15

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Ireland Though aptly nicknamed, the Emerald Isle draws visitors with much more than greenery. One J-Term contingent gained insight into Ireland’s history and culture. Another performed an original play on the country’s oldest stage.

Photos: Ellen Schimian ’12

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Photos: Makenzie Cool ’19

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Italy From the height of the Roman Empire to the Renaissance and beyond, Italy provides a window into almost any academic discipline. Carthage groups have explored the Emerald City to assess women’s roles in ancient Rome and visualize the settings for many Shakespearean plays.

London Offering much more than Big Ben and Tower Bridge, London proves an attractive destination for Carthage study tours. Students have peeled back the fabric of England’s capital to examine the influence of race and class, the remnants of World War II, and the United Kingdom’s impending exit from the European Union, and even to report on top European football leagues.

Photos: Johanna Heidorn ’13, staff photographer

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Photos: Johanna Heidorn ’13, staff photographer

Nicaragua Through the long-running Biology and Geography of Nicaragua study tour, professors Patrick Pfaffle and Matthew Zorn bring a fresh crop of eager students to the volcanic island of Ometepe twice a year. The visitors supply much-needed medical care and drinking water for rural residents, based at a field station built by our faculty and students.

Photo: Fred McCann ’17

Photo: Hannah Bowden ’14

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Photo: Brittany Greeder ’17

Carthage’s field station, Finca Esperanza, lies at the foot of Concepción, one of two volcanoes on the island. | Photo: Nichole Sheehan ’18

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Normandy Seeing modern-day Normandy, from the medieval church in Sainte-Mère-Église to the rows of white crosses and Stars of David at the American Cemetery and Memorial, frames the epic D-Day battle like no textbook can. History professor Eric Pullin aims to underline for his students the legacy of World War II as the defining event of the 20th century.

Photos: Johanna Heidorn ’13, staff photographer

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Students survey the cratered landscape of Pointe du Hoc, where 225 U.S. Army Rangers scaled the cliff to battle the Germans on June 8, 1944.

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Photos: Johanna Heidorn ’13, staff photographer

Paris Those who take J-Term in Paris: A Capital Experience with French-born language professor Pascal Rollet can count on a two-week crash course in genuine Parisian life and culture. That means eating unfamiliar foods, observing and imitating social behavior, and, of course, speaking passable or even fluent French.

Photos: Johanna Heidorn ’13, staff photographer

Students pay tribute to the victims of the 2015 Paris attacks at a Place de la RĂŠpublique memorial.

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Photos: Johanna Heidorn ’13, staff photographer

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A view of Paris from the top of the Notre-Dame Cathedral

Photos: Johanna Heidorn ’13, staff photographer

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Arc de Triomphe | Photos: Johanna Heidorn ’13, staff photographer

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Puerto Rico Cultural study blends with digital storytelling in Puerto Rico, where students create videos in the “travel show” style. Steering away from tourist traps, these filmmakers document the lives and sentiments of local residents. To capture the island’s multifaceted personality, the group splits time among Old San Juan, the rainforest, and other distinct areas.

Photos: Cody Tucker ’16

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Southeast Asia Faculty illuminate the interplay between biology, history, and Asian studies in the growing areas of Singapore and Taiwan. Students see up close how biodiversity can spur — or impede — development. Previous Carthage courses centered on China, Hong Kong, Japan, and other parts of East Asia.

Photo: Marisa Matiasovsky ’18

Photo: Jacob Haag ’17

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Photo: James Gorsline ’17

Students visit the Cloud Forest in Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay. | Photo: Jacob Haag ’17

Japan Wind Orchestra Tour | Photo: Professor James Ripley

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Southern Africa For more than a decade, Carthage professors have guided students to destinations like Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, and Lesotho to study the complex history, burgeoning economy, and exotic wildlife of the African continent’s southernmost lands.

Photo: Aubrey Quick ’19

Photo: Johanna Heidorn ’13, staff photographer

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Photo: Alissa Marek-Spartz ’19

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Jumping off sand dunes in the Namib Desert on a tour of Walvis Bay. | Photo: Jordan Tallman ’19

Photos: Johanna Heidorn ’13, staff photographer

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Photos: Johanna Heidorn ’13, staff photographer

Photos: Johanna Heidorn ’13, staff photographer

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Spain Although study tours delve deeper than any family vacation, J-Term itineraries always leave some room for sightseeing. When they’re not performing in Spain with the Carthage Choir or mastering the linguistic nuances, students maximize their free time by sampling the cuisine, art, and architecture of their host countries.

Photos: Matt Thome ’17

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Photos: Becca Krahn ’16

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About Carthage College Founded in 1847, Carthage College combines an environment of reflection and self-discovery with a culture of high expectation, so that our students uncover and ignite their true potential. As a four-year private liberal arts college with roots in the Lutheran tradition, we place a strong emphasis on both moral and intellectual values. Our prime location in Kenosha, Wisconsin, midway between Chicago and Milwaukee, allows students the opportunity to learn in a professional context. Our beautiful campus, an 80-acre arboretum on the shore of Lake Michigan is home to 150 scholars, 2,600 full-time students, and 400 part-time students. Our rich academic experience equips students with foundational knowledge and skills, preparing graduates to be lifelong learners and to lead meaningful, productive lives.