- November 26, 2024
Mapúa MCL Biology Students Participate in UEU’s Immersion Program 2024
By: Ivana Ruth Vidal
In a bid to foster cultural understanding and academic growth, students from Mapúa Malayan Colleges Laguna’s (Mapúa MCL) Biology program participated in Universitas Esa Unggul’s Immersion Program 2024 held on July 8 to 13, 2024. This one-week program in Indonesia provided students with the opportunity to engage in various cultural activities, learn from local experts, and interact with peers from different countries. Participants Jasmine Elisha Felix, John Daniel Macatangay, and Jhon Lorenz Pateño shared their transformative experiences, highlighting the impact of the program on their academic pursuits and personal growth.
The program’s activities and interactions with students from different cultural backgrounds left a lasting impact on the participants. Jasmine shared how the immersion program opened her mind to different cultural perspectives and helped her develop communication skills. “In our interactions with Indonesians, Koreans, and Indians, we observed a common practice of adapting our communication to bridge cultural and linguistic differences,” Jasmine explained. The exposure to new academic approaches in Leadership, Cancer Approaches, and Communication Science made her a more curious learner.
JD and Lorenz echoed similar sentiments about the program’s contribution to their academic and personal growth, emphasizing the benefits of cross-cultural interactions, stating that the program improved their cognitive skills, language proficiency, and subject knowledge. “Talking to our fellow students from another country was a difficult task for us due to the language barrier, but it didn’t stop me from getting to know them more,” JD shared. They found joy in forming friendships and learning about diverse cultural attitudes and practices.
The program inspired the students to think beyond the borders of their current academic environment. Jasmine expressed interest in focusing her future research on the exploration of biodiversity in different nations, seeing it as a critical step for a career in internal medicine. John found the experience invaluable for future research, particularly in gathering diverse perspectives
that could inform his thesis. Jhon, on the other hand, saw the program as a confidence booster that he could share with others and add to his résumé. “Apart from the way it was conducted, the way they allowed us to see the beauty of Indonesia, I must say this helped me be more confident about this experience,” Jhon reflected.
Overall, the UEU Immersion Program 2024 was a transformative experience for Mapúa MCL’s Biology students, providing them with invaluable lessons in cultural exchange, academic enrichment, and personal development. Opportunities like these are in line with the goals of the Mapúa MCL E.X.C.H.A.N.G.E. (EXchanging, Culture, Arts, and New Global Experiences) program, which aims to provide students with experiential learning opportunities that foster global competence, cultural awareness, and academic excellence. As demonstrated by the UEU Immersion Program, such initiatives are vital for preparing students to thrive in an increasingly globalized society, where understanding and collaboration across cultures are key.