Westminster Continues to Build its International Partnership Program and Completes First Summer Study Abroad Program

Summer Study Abroad Program

This summer, 36 students from Westminster Christian Academy spent more than a week immersed in the academic and cultural worlds of Salon de Provence, France, and Denia, Spain.

The trips marked the school’s first study abroad opportunity. “Our first study abroad experience for our students was great,” says Dr. Dani Butler, director of global partnerships at Westminster. “We had a large number of students participate.”

Westminster partners with Alfa and Omega Evangelical School in Spain, where 22 students and two Westminster teachers had the opportunity to sightsee and experience local culture.

Simultaneously, 14 Westminster French language students and two teachers attended College Joseph d’Arbaud in France and participated in a host family program attending school for a week while staying with local families.

Partnering with International Christian Schools

Westminster’s new study abroad program is one development in a larger, expanding mission to partner with and equip Christian schools around the world to educate students and train teachers in a Christian worldview.

While students were busy studying and sightseeing, Dr. Butler traveled to Lycee Prive Daniel in Guebwiller, France, and Freie Evangelische Schule in Lorrach, Germany to meet with school administrators.

Dr. Butler was invited by both Christian schools to discuss the possibility of future student exchanges, faculty exchanges, and official partnerships with Westminster.

“Both schools expressed interest in modeling their teacher training programs after Westminster’s own Center for Teaching and Learning,” says Dr. Butler. “There is a huge demand for Christian teacher training in the global academic world, and these schools are eager to connect with Westminster and implement something similar.”