ASU, NUS exchange program expands horizons for honors students

Students from Arizona State University's Barrett, The Honors College and the National University of Singapore had the opportunity to expand their horizons, build meaningful relationships and explore new cultures through a collaborative exchange program.

Many students decide to study abroad to step out of their comfort zone and broaden their perspectives. Barrett student Karina Shah had the same idea as she chose to study at NUS to challenge what she described as a “western perspective” that shaped her education in the United States.

“The world is not completely defined by the western lens,” Shah said, emphasizing how Singapore’s diverse viewpoints reshaped her understanding of global culture.

Another ASU-to-NUS exchange student highlighted the importance of remaining curious, encouraging any student studying abroad to: explore how people live in different places, go beyond the typical tourist experiences and actively seek to understand the intricacies of their host country. He also encourages students to seek out connections outside of the “exchange bubble” and interact with other students from different walks of life.

For Xin Le (Luke) Goh, an exchange student from NUS, the decision to participate in the program and attend ASU was also all about stepping out of his comfort zone. Luke believes that personal growth occurs when one chooses to “be uncomfortable” and decided to challenge himself through his academic pursuits. He dove head first into Barrett classes and found that he gained a "more nuanced view" of the U.S. academic and cultural environment by doing so. He found Barrett’s discussion-based classes to be “very creative” and provided a more “open space,” compared with NUS classes, that encouraged him to share his views more freely.

Jason Briggs, the senior director in the Office of Global Academic Initiatives, stated the following about the benefits of exchange students in Barrett courses:

“We had the pleasure of having NUS students Xinping Pan and Luke Goh in our 'Global Leader Practicum' — an honors course focused on character-driven leadership and U.S. diplomacy. They are both fantastic student scholars, and the ideas and perspectives they shared during the weekly class sessions enriched our discussions.”

There was also a shared sentiment between the students about the importance of feeling like one was truly “living there.” Students shared their experiences embracing this feeling through efforts such as becoming comfortable with Singapore’s public transportation like Shah did, or finding a community that made returning to one’s friend group feel like returning “home,” as explained by Goh. These day-to-day experiences and connections with the community helped students to feel immersed in and connected to the culture.

Briggs also provided a great overview of the program:

“The ability of Barrett and NUS college students to participate in an honors exchange is a unique and academically fulfilling opportunity. Over the years, our students have really enjoyed studying at NUS and experiencing all the wonderful cultural opportunities, along with the amazing local food scene, in Singapore.”

The program highlights a key feature of higher education: pursuing greater opportunities. Whether that be expanding one's world view and traveling abroad or challenging oneself to take difficult courses, college is all about growth and learning opportunities. Exchange programs are a great way for students to gain independence, resilience and a dynamic perspective of the world.