From the moment you entered the room you could tell this was something special. Seventy French and American students gathered at SPC Downtown Center on September 3 for a joint lecture on American and French national governments. SPC Prof. Tara Newsom welcomed Dr. Philippe Beau of the Business and Enterprise Alternative University (BEAU) Institute and 33 of his French students as guests in her American National Government class. The joint lecture was followed by lively group work and student presentations.

International institutional collaboration such as this are a perfect example of SPC’s dedication to internationalization of the curriculum and to provide SPC students with global immersion at the local level. The Downtown Center has opened its doors to the BEAU Institute students for 12 weeks, enhancing the learning experiences of both domestic and French students alike.

Dr. Beau said of the partnership between SPC and the BEAU Institute: “It’s good for both the French and the American students: the French students get to become involved in the school and the community, and the American students get an international flavor in their class.” The students who participated in the joint lecture agreed. One of the American students who attended reported, “This was great! I’ve been in similar classes before, but never like this. It’s not every day you get to meet someone from France.”

SPC is very proud of this opportunity to engage students internationally at the local level through this partnership with the BEAU Institute. The SPC Downtown Center is also enthusiastic about its part in facilitating the exposure of French students to American culture, business, and education. This is a mutually beneficial relationship for SPC and the BEAU Institute, one which we hope will continue for many years to come.

To see photos of the joint class on September 3, 2014, please visit SPC Downtown Center’s Facebook

For more information about the BEAU Institute, visit www.beauinstitute.org