Education Students Step into South Africa

A first-time trip to South Africa for Emmanuel’s School of Education has proven to be a defining moment for some of the College's aspiring educators.

Seven Emmanuel students invested in Elementary Education, from first-years to rising seniors, spent two weeks on the trip in May, during which they explored the history of South Africa and experienced life there firsthand.

While it was the first trip of its kind for the School of Education, it isn’t the first time Emmanuel students and faculty have visited South Africa – a group of Nursing students went as recently as last year – and the College has offered service-learning travel courses there in years past. With Emmanuel’s ties to the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur (SNDdeN) and their presence in South Africa, students and faculty were once again welcomed with open arms and connected with the community and its people in a way that a typical journey abroad wouldn’t have allowed.

Having that connection was crucial – and made the trip even more enriching for the students, said Assistant Professor of Education Lisa Schneier – a key organizer of the trip. “The students appreciated the huge welcome they got and were invited into the reality of that community…one of the reasons we could do this was because we are Emmanuel and we were welcomed by the sisters.”

Students and faculty pose with the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur (SNDdeN) at the Notre Dame St. Peter's School in Kroonstad, South Africa.

It felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity they had to seize: even though some of them, including Tori Leblanc ’26, said they’d go back in a heartbeat.

“I’d literally move there if I could,” Leblanc said. She’d always wanted to go to South Africa, so she jumped at the chance. Even with it being her first time leaving the country, Leblanc said it was the perfect experience.

Tori Leblanc '26 and Assistant Professor of Education, Lisa Schneier.

“It was so humbling,” she said, “I’m not even sure how to explain this to someone else.”

Seeing the students and their classrooms firsthand really opened Leblanc’s eyes and put life into perspective. Students showed up every day with smiles and the excitement to learn. Leblanc said she always tries to “lead with empathy” in the classroom, but this experience has led her to understand what that means even more.

“I’m so glad I did this – I’d do it again a million times over,” Leblanc added.

During their time in South Africa, students saw the country’s largest city, Johannesburg, and spent time in the town of Kroonstad. They toured a number of historical sites and museums, learning about the history of apartheid, the life of Nelson Mandela and the context of social justice movements in the country, as well as went on excursions to witness the local wildlife. They also got to participate alongside staff and students in the local schools and even visit the homes of people in the community with a local health clinic, organized by the SNDdeNs.

“They each found it powerful in their own way,” said Dr. Schneier. “Experiences like these are crucial as they’re forming ideas and getting to know themselves in the profession.”

The entirety of the trip was resonant to the values of Emmanuel College – as a mission-driven institution founded by the Sisters – as well as the crux of the College’s School of Education, with its curriculum deeply rooted in social justice.

Luke Bullock '27 and Alivia Mossler '27 in a classroom in South Africa.

For the students on the trip, it was a unique opportunity to travel, which isn’t always as easy to do as an Education major, due to the need for teaching hours and meeting certification requirements throughout their undergraduate journey.

“We knew we wanted to study abroad in some way, so when this chance popped up it was calling our name – we had to go,” said Luke Bullock ’27.

Bullock said he remains eternally thankful for the opportunity, which was made even more special with the level of access and interaction with the communities there.

When visiting the St. Vincent School for the Deaf, Bullock connected with students using his American Sign Language skills that he uses to communicate with his brother, and got to pick up some of the intricacies of African Sign Language from those students.

They spent time in a number of classrooms and an after-school program, through which they saw a completely different educational environment than what they’re used to and got to witness the interactions between students, parents and staff.

Students and faculty on the trip stand in front of a monument to Nelson Mandela.

Observing such strong academic and communal environments and the lived realities of the students helped them to see that the world is much bigger than they could probably imagine, Schneier said. “It expands their sense of what is possible and what school can be for a student,” she said.

“It was so beautiful for us to see the students so enthusiastic about their education, always smiling and participating freely,” Bullock said.

Reflecting on it as he grows into becoming a full-time teacher himself, Bullock said the trip continued to validate his philosophy of keeping an open mind and not making assumptions about students’ experiences. He said he also hopes to bring back a more authentic learning style to his classrooms and not depend so much on technology – focusing more on just paper and pencil.

Now having returned to Emmanuel, Bullock and Leblanc have entirely new perspectives to draw from when they return to their classrooms.

With this travel opportunity, they’ve developed world experience that they can impart upon their students, and offer an even more well-rounded and empathetic education to those students, in Boston and beyond.