Students discuss religious tolerance on new study abroad trip to United Arab Emirates

Last fall, CSB+SJU introduced a new embedded study abroad program in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which took place over semester break. The 10-day program gave students the opportunity to meet with leaders, university students and guest speakers to engage in dialogue about tolerance and interfaith dialogue. The trip was fully funded, which eliminated a barrier that many students encounter when considering applying to study abroad programs.

A few students shared that the title and description of the program enticed them to apply.

“I have always been interested in understanding different cultures and religions, and this trip offered me the opportunity to have an authentic experience while exploring my interests,” SJU junior Kobe Forbes said.

To prepare for the program, students engaged in conversation and activities that would help them feel ready to participate in the programming on the trip, such as reflection circles, journaling exercises and discussions about country customs.

Students expressed that the trip was not what they expected.

“I initially expected a rigid, highly formal experience with a strong academic focus. Instead, it struck a perfect balance between education and exploration. It was immersive, engaging and filled with meaningful connections—not just with the culture, but also with my fellow participants,” CSB sophomore Da’sha Gray said.

Forbes echoed these sentiments.

“I expected our visit to the Ministry of Tolerance and Complexity to be a formal presentation where we sat and watched a presentation with a short discussion afterwards, but the meeting was more conversational with pauses in between the presentation for us to ask questions to better understand each other,” Forbes said.

Students were able to visit the Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence, meet and converse with other university students, and listen to guest speaker presentations about tolerance and sustainability.

Kevin Clancy, director of the Center for Global Education at CSB+SJU, explained the thought process behind planning the trip. Clancy shared that he had heard from a colleague from Amideast about a scholarship they had available. Amideast is an organization that supports and engages education in the Middle East and North Africa.

This colleague knew of CSB+SJU’s engagement in interfaith dialogue and helped him develop this idea for the trip. He then worked with Hispanic Studies professor Roy Ketchum to develop logistics and how they would both lead the trip.

When asked about her favorite part of the trip, CSB junior Ava Brown found it hard to choose.

“I really enjoyed everything about this trip, honestly—the moments that were funny, uncomfortable and insightful. It was a completely original experience that I would have never had imagined that I would be able to do without funding help or even a group,” Brown said.

She also expressed enjoying the culture, the food and trying new things like kayaking in mangrove parks and experiencing a safari.

Gray agreed, saying the safari was her favorite part.

“The evening was capped off with a cultural dinner, live performances, henna tattoos, and stargazing. It was one of those rare, perfect moments where laughter, joy, and gratitude filled the air,” Gray said.

Forbes talked about visiting Masdar city, which is an advanced sustainability city.

“It was inspirational to see how futuristic the city was and how much potential the world has to evolve. It was also uplifting to see the great strides being taken to advance construction in renewable energy as it is a sign of the world transitioning from harmful fossil fuels to a greener society,” Forbes said.

This experience provided students with an opportunity they may not have otherwise gotten. Students like Brown have gotten to study abroad on a semester program in Spain, while others like Gray and Forbes are international students who are technically living abroad. Yet by removing the financial burden, students were able to engage in conversations, education, and excursions they may not have every gotten the chance to do otherwise. When asked about what they can take back to the CSB+SJU community from their experience, Forbes expressed appreciation for learning more about tolerance.

“I can take back the appreciation for diversity and tolerance of the UAE to our community. I believe there is a negative connotation associated with the UAE, and I would like to challenge that belief and encourage my peers to do their research on that community because I think we would realize just how alike we are,” Forbes said.

Gray echoed these sentiments.

“Tolerance isn’t just about coexisting or passively accepting differences. It’s about curiosity, an active willingness to engage, learn, and connect. We do ourselves a great disservice when we remain in our comfort zones. There’s so much value in seeking to understand perspectives different from our own,” Gray said.

Brown shared her love of learning about different cultures.

“I took back with me a deeper understanding of the Muslim faith and traditions, a continued love of traveling and reaching for cultural understanding and personal interactions,” Brown said.

Clancy and the students hope to share more about this experience at Scholarship and Creativity Day