With so many travel restrictions around the world, BGU’s signature urban immersion courses have been significantly impacted in 2020. Just like so many other institutions, BGU has had to pivot by adjusting urban immersion dates and through seeking out new ways to innovatively
deliver the world class leadership training that we offer. I am actually very excited about the urban immersion opportunities that we’re planning to offer in 2021. We are hoping and praying that global travel will begin to open up in this coming year. We’ll continue to monitor circumstances and make adjustments as needed. However, we are moving forward with great anticipation.

The Tegucigalpa, Honduras urban immersion that was planned for the April 2021 module has now been officially moved to the July 2021 module. The date adjustments will allow for greater potential for travel to begin to open up. The online component of that course will begin on Monday, July 5th , and the onsite portions of the course in Tegucigalpa will take place from July 30th through August 8th. The professor of record, Tegucigalpa resident Dr. Lisa Anderson-Umana, will arrange site visits with some amazing leaders. Time will be spent in beautiful Valle de Angeles, in the city center, and surrounding neighborhoods. Please contact Dr. Anderson-Umana at capacitacion@ccial.org to learn more. We’re anticipating a transformational learning experience in Honduras!

Moving that course to the July module opened up the opportunity to innovate a new course in the April 2021 module… the first ever Virtual Urban Immersion that BGU has offered. BGU graduate and professor, Dr. Dotun Reju, from Nigeria, will be leading the virtual urban immersion experience. He is planning to highlight eight global cities during the nine week online portion of the course, including virtual site visits focusing on leaders in various sectors of society in cities in the Americas, Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and Europe. The eight perspectives on transformational leadership will be emphasized throughout the course, and students will design projects that will bring about transformation in their own cities. Feel free to contact Dr. Reju for more details at dotun.reju@bgu.edu for more details.

We were disappointed to have to move the Philadelphia urban immersion from the October 2020 module to the October 2021 module due to travel restrictions related to the pandemic. Prayerfully, by next October, leaders will be able to travel to Philadelphia for the urban immersion. The exact dates for this immersion will be finalized soon. The Director of BGU’s Doctor of Ministry degree, Dr. Wayne Weathers, is looking forward to leading the way with this immersion that will focus on a tale of two cities. Students will learn from the lengthy history of
Philadelphia, and from what God is currently doing there. We have some strong connections in the Philadelphia, so it should be an amazing learning experience. Contact Dr. Weathers at wayne.weathers@bgu.edu if you’re interested in learning more.

Dr. Bryan McCabe
Academic Dean
Bakke Graduate University