It’s not every day when you get the chance to be welcomed by song, but that’s what happened to Dr. Tracey Salisbury and 17 other California educators who participated in a monthlong Fulbright program in South Africa this summer.
A group of students from the Durban University of Technology greeted the visiting educators with a five-minute song and dance routine in their native Zulu language.
“It was very emotional and very empowering that you had a big responsibility to these young people who were so interested in us and what we were there for,” Dr. Salisbury said. “They are so excited to learn and to share.”
Dr. Salisbury — associate professor and chair of California State University, Bakersfield’s Ethnic Studies Department — was part of a Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program administered by CSU Los Angeles from June 30 to July 31 in South Africa.
The goal of the program, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, is to promote ethnic and language studies in U.S. schools.
“This was all a part of our effort to expose educators to Zulu culture and performance so that it could be integrated into their curriculum. However, as it turned out, they were exposed to much more, including South African politics, educational policy and history,” said Dr. Serie McDougal, director of the program and professor of Pan-African studies at Cal State LA. “The opportunity was amazing, and I believe that Dr. Salisbury was a big part of that, bringing an important ethnic studies approach to the dynamic of the group. I believe it was an experience that will be helpful in the work that Dr. Salisbury is sure to do on your campus going forward.”
The summer program consisted of seminars, workshops, school and university visits as well as trips to cultural and historical sites in the areas of Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. The Apartheid, Nelson Mandela House and Robben Island museums were a few of the sites the group visited.
“It was a dream trip to me. It was life-changing,” Dr. Salisbury said. “South Africa is a magnificently beautiful country, and they are a lovely people. I’m deeply grateful for this opportunity.”
Dr. Salisbury especially appreciated the conversations she had with South African educators and how much she got to learn about the education system there.
“We did learn a lot about their system and possible networking opportunities between our schools and their schools,” she said. “Education is a bit challenging there. They have some great schools and universities, but depending on which region you are in, some of the kids don’t have access to basic things like books. It’s clearly a country trying to find its footing in the world.”
Dr. Salisbury already has plans for incorporating what she’s learned during the trip into her ethnic studies classes. She will share some of her experiences with students in her Introduction to Ethnic Studies course this fall and will also make the historic 1995 Rugby World Cup that South Africa hosted and won a centerpiece of her new spring class about Black athletes.
“It’s already paying dividends and coming back to campus, which I’m pretty excited about,” she said. “Eventually, I would love to see Zulu be a part of Black studies here at CSUB. I think students would love it.”
Dr. Salisbury enjoyed her summer experience so much that she is planning to apply for a longer-term Fulbright program in South Africa so she can continue to build the connections and relationships she’s made at the schools she visited.
“They were excited about my diversity of coursework, so I hope to go back there very soon,” she said.
Dr. Salisbury encourages other CSUB faculty to take advantage of any Fulbright programs that are available, as she believes it’s a great professional development experience and a great way to expand the reach of the university.
“This is a golden opportunity for CSUB to expose itself internationally about what we can offer and bring different voices and talents to our own campus,” she said. “There are colleagues across the world who are very interested in what we do and how we do it.”
Click here to learn about faculty study abroad opportunities offered through CSUB.
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