Asbury University Students Engage in Cultural Immersion Through New York City 'Urban Plunge'
Asbury University students recently participated in an 'Urban Plunge' experience in New York City, designed to immerse them in global cultures, languages, and communities. From August 3-9, students engaged with immigrant communities, shared meals, met religious leaders, conducted neighborhood interviews, and volunteered in an ESL class in the South Bronx. This initiative, part of Asbury University’s Cross-Cultural Engagement program, aimed to provide a hands-on learning environment, transforming classroom education into lived experience. Dr. Kim Okesson, Asbury Assistant Professor of Communication and Cross-Cultural Engagement Director, highlighted that New York City, with its over 800 languages, offered a similar educational immersion experience to studying abroad, but without leaving the country. Students like Emily Zink ’27 and Mia Pace ’27 found the direct interaction with diverse cultures and the opportunity to apply their skills, such as leading an ESL class, particularly impactful.
