By Mallory Morrison
Staff Writer
Bryan College students currently have the opportunity to study abroad in Italy for a semester. But the Communication Studies Department professors are looking into making a similar opportunity to study in the Czech Republic at Palacky University, in the city of Olomouc.
Presently, there is no formal relationship between Bryan and Palacky. According to Dr. Bradford Sample, vice president of Academics, “Bryan is taking a healthy set of steps toward the possibility of an academic relationship with the school in the Czech Republic.”
Dennis Miller, Bryan’s executive director of External Communications, and David Livingstone, English Department teacher and translator at Palacky, are in the process of organizing a group to study abroad in the Czech Republic.
This time last year, Dr. Randy Hollingsworth and Michael Palmer traveled to the Czech Republic to teach several classes on varied communication topics and to engage in conversations with administration and faculty regarding the prospects of such a relationship.
The primary contact is with Vaclav Rericha, a professor of Linguistics. In the spring of 2014, they will return to both teach and again discuss further regarding formalizing this connection.
“Palacky University of Olomouc is a public university that offers a different flavor than we have in the Christian environment we have in the Bryan bubble,” said Hollingsworth.
While Hollingsworth believes an exchange program with Palacky would add to the college’s international offerings, he stressed that it would not be developed at the expense of the Italy program.
Dennis Miller, who works with Bryan’s international center, is also working on the possibility of creating a film festival at Palacky University through their Theology Department as a part of this endeavor.
