“BEYOND: A Silk Road Journey,” an interactive exhibit that showcases history, adventure
and opportunities for world travel, will be presented Sunday, Oct. 7 at Ferris State
University.
The Five-Star event will transform the corridor of the Interdisciplinary Resource Center into the Silk Road that connected Asia to Europe. The exhibit, open from 1 to 5 p.m., will allow visitors to travel from region to region and experience stories of passion and conquest that shaped the modern world.
“Those who attend will be able to explore and continue that exploration as it can apply to their life,” said Lynn Overmyer, of the Office of International Education, who served as project manager. “This is a great way to learn about opportunities within other cultures, the cross-cultural job market, language and the world around them.”
The event is part of “BEYOND,” a new initiative sponsored by the Center for Global Studies and Engagement, housed in the OIE office. Its focus is to encourage a cross-disciplinary approach to global engagement at Ferris through annual theme-based integration of academic and co-curricular learning.
The core idea behind the initiative is to encourage students to make the connection between self and the larger experience of humanity through reflection and experiential learning, Overmyer said.
A series of events based on the initiative’s “A Silk Road Journey” theme, including guest speakers, a photo contest, a quiz bowl and an international cooking class, will be presented during the academic year. More than 35 faculty members and local K-12 educators will be including information on the Silk Road in their courses prior to the Oct. 7 event in an effort to promote global consciousness and encourage collaboration.
The information will be presented in a variety of forms making it accessible and intriguing to a wide range of ages and interests. In addition, Ferris faculty leading study abroad programs will be in attendance to answer questions about the modern-day regions and describe study abroad opportunities available to students.