In a world increasingly connected by new technology, intercultural connections are more important than ever. Brooklyn-born Chris Bashinelli uses his own experiences growing up and living and working abroad to inspire interest in exploring these connections. He will visit Elizabethtown College to give a lecture “Stories From the Stoop: From Brooklyn to the World with Chris Bashinelli” at 7 p.m. on Sept. 18, in Leffler Chapel and Performance Center. His lecture helps open a dialogue with students about study abroad and expanding horizons by interacting with different groups of people.
Bashinelli, actor turned activist, founded and currently hosts and produces the PBS television series “Bridge the Gap,” traveling to places such as Abu Dhabi and Tanzania. Bashinelli also writes for National Geographic and Lonely Planet and is a United Nations moderator. Through these media outlets, he explores global diversity and encourages the bridging of cultural gaps through shared experiences.
The Elizabethtown College Study Abroad Office has been involved in the Generations Study Abroad Agreement, a nationwide effort to double the number of students studying abroad within the next decade. The Institute of International Education proposed the challenge, and part of it includes raising awareness of study abroad opportunities on college campuses. Sabina Post, director of Study Abroad, said, in order to raise awareness here at the College, she thought bringing a big speaker to campus would be an attention grabber and a good kick off to the challenge. The Study Abroad Office has not typically brought in prominent speakers, and having him visit the campus will help draw more attention to the international opportunities.
This is what the Center for Global Understanding and Peacemaking is all about.”
For Post, finding potential speakers presents an interesting process. She discovered Bashinelli through Melibee Global, a consulting company representing speakers who interact with global education and travel communities. Post said that Bashinelli was one of the most inspiring speakers associated with Melibee, and that he was talented at interacting with his audiences. Someone like him would be a good addition to the line-up of prestigious speakers who have visited the College. He has also had extensive experience with media outlets and study abroad, which meant that he would greatly increase the visibility of study abroad on E-town’s campus.
Dr. David Kenley, director of the Center for Global Understanding and Peacemaking, and a professor of history, is a cosponsor of the event. “Sabina thought he would inspire students to get outside their comfort zones and get involved in exploring different parts of the world,” he said. Kenley and Post said that Bashinelli has a gift for interacting with and inspiring his audiences, that Bashinelli believes that individuals are completely capable of making a difference in the world. “This,” Kenley said, “is what the Center for Global Understanding and Peacemaking is all about.”
The Center was involved primarily with advertising and promoting Bashinelli’s upcoming visit, helping the Study Abroad Office to spotlight the event.
Contact Sabina Post at the Study Abroad Office at posts@etown.edu or 717-361-1347 for more information. To learn more about the Center for Global Understanding and Peacemaking, contact Dr. Kenley at kenleyd@etown.edu.