USD President's Report 2000

europe I f you're lucky, truly blessed, there comes chat exact moment when you know you've made a difference in che world, when your work and passion transform a life halfway around the globe. School of Education Professor Bobbi Hansen counts herself among che lucky few. Hansen's moment came during a warm summer day in a Kazakhstan classroom, where, after spending three weeks instruct- ing the nation's somber, Soviet-educated teachers in American reaching methods, she was approached by a Kazakh reacher. "He came up to me, held my hand, looked into my eyes and asked, 'Do you really believe we are equal to you?' " recalls

Hansen's collaboration with the Kazak11s didn't end when she left the country. Awarded a USD university professorship to research rhe success of che ream reaching, she's bringing a group of Kazakh educators and administrators to USD in February ro examine San Diego's school system - and to reach their American counterparrs a thing or cwo. "Just like we do here, they have stan- dards chat they are reaching ro, so they face a lot of the same issues. And chey are build- ing a 21st century school system from che ground up - something we don't get che chance co do here," she says. For Hansen, what began as a spur-of- rhe-moment adventure has rurned into a lifetime project. "Even if I'm not research- ing or writing about it, I will always be involved. I feel char strongly about ic." Thar same passion has filled another USD student and educator, bur for a much different European entity. For the past four years, doctoral candidate David Herrera has shepherded a group ofUSD graduate students, professors and community mem- bers ro Mondragon, Spain, co examine the world's largest and most successful business cooperative. While most Americans chink of a co-op as a bunch of small farmers joining ro sell their crops, rhe Mondragon Corporaci6n Cooperaciva is the world's premier model. With more than 50,000 workers and 105 companies ranging from computer soft- ware co supermarkets and banking, it is a successful corporate entity whose goal is rhe

Hansen, whose answer - "Absolucely" - was mer by rears and hugs. "I was prepared to be faced with teachers whose attitude would be, 'Who are you to tell us how ro reach) You don't have such a hot education system in che U.S.,' " says Hansen. "Instead, rhese teachers embraced us and tried every lirrle activity we gave rhem . Ir was so humbling." Hansen was among a select group of U.S. teachers asked by rhe Kazakhstan prime minister to help reform rhe nation's school system from the lecrure-based Soviet style to a more interactive, collaborative style of learni ng. Rather than fight rhe old vanguard of Soviet-inspired education, rhe prime minister is creating a second school system, called Miras - for heritage - char will reach the nation's history while employ- ing rhe lacesc reaching methods. Even though Hansen wasn't sure where Kazakhstan was when she got che call ("I had ro get our a map," she sheepishly admits), she didn't hesitate when offered che chance. 'This wasn't something rhar was in my five-year plan," says Hansen, who worked with rhe Kazakh teachers on leadership skills, thematic curriculum and problem- based learning, "but I was moved enough ro drop everything and go." In add ition ro Hansen's ream of special- ises who trained Kazakhscanis for three weeks in 1999, another 40 American teach- ers spent an entire year ream-reaching with their counterparrs. Children in their classes learn boch English and Russian along with their insrcucrors.

Oxford, Edinborough, Scotland '"[1

Munich, Germany

Novy Jicin, Czech Republic

Astana, Kazakhstan

Mondragon, Spain

Florence, Italy

What better way to learn about the great painters ofthe Renaissance than to stand inches from their work in Florence's renowned U.ffizi Gallery? USD's international exchange programs offer students a vast array ofstudy opportunities each year in such historic cities as Oxford, Madrid and Avignon. All the world was a stage for the r999 graduates ofthe Old Globe/Master in Fine Arts program as they performed their original solo pieces at the Edinborough International Festival in August. The artists combined their individual thesis projects into one production, titled "Solitaire, " for a week-long run at the Scotland venue. More than two dozen German business executives from companies such as BMWand Luftshansa studied with their American counter- parts at Alcala Park this summer as part ofa global business-to-business marketing program between USD's Ahlers Center for International Business and the University ofMunich. As the r999 NCM National Singles Tennis Champion, Czech Republic native Zuzana Lesenarova gave USD its first Division I Cham- p ionship. Even though she was pressured by many to give up her senior year and turn pro, Lesenarova graduated in May with a 3.2 grade point average.

social and economic justice of its workers, nor simply turning a profit. "They believe very strongly rhar if rhe owner and rhe worker is the same person, borh will collaborate to meet the same objectives,'' says Herrera, who retired from a successful international business career in 1993 and has since srudied and raughr business ethics and leadership at USD. "In essence, people don't just rake money home from the job, rhey put it back into the business so that more jobs can be created. They believe chat ro live as well as che next person is enough," Herrera says of the cooperative, scarred by a Catholic priest and five young engineers in 1956. "There are no Ted Turners or Bill Gates in Mondragon , ~,uc there also is no one living on rhe streets. Herrera admits chat most students start ouc the 10-day experience, which includes morning classes with co-op department heads and afternoon visits to the schools, factories and research centers, a bit suspi- cious of worker-owned organ izatio ns. By the end, while most aren't completely convi nced the Mondragon experience can be directly transferred to America, they do take away many components chat could be plugged into rhe U.S . workplace. "Many of our graduate srudents are in

Left: Business can do more than simply turn a profit - it can give back to its workers and community. That's the les- son doctoral candidate David Herrera hopes to spread when he takes students and faculty to Mondragon, Spain, to visit the world's largest and most successful business cooperative. Right: She was crowned the nation's best collegiate tennis player, but Czech Republic native Zuzana Lesenarova says one of her biggest achievements was graduating from USD with her communi- cation studies degree and a 3.2 grade point average. middle management and feel frustrated. When they return from Mondragon, chey find a lot of issues - worker participation, trust, honesty in communication - char they wane ro follow up on in their own workplaces,'' says Herrera, who in 1999 brought Mondragon executives ro speak co USD students and teachers. "And for young people who are begin- ning ro question the old model of big business, ic could be the organization of che future,'' he says. "People can't go ro Mondragon without being couched." •

A

ue teaching collaboration.

Above: It wasn't in her plans, but School of Education Professor Bobbi Hansen dropped everything to travel to Kazakhstan and help that emerging nation improve its teaching methods. Right: Law student Andrea Ochaba spent years planning for a legal career after escap- ing her native Slovakia in 1988 - which was then under Communist rule - in order to come to the United States. At age 31, she graduated at the top of her USD undergradu- ate class and entered USD law school.

4 University of San Diego

President's Report 2000 5