Junior Jay Casey set a precedent at Metro State over the summer by becoming the College’s first student to complete an independent study-abroad course.

Casey, an integrated therapeutic practice major and early childhood education minor, earned academic credit for the five weeks he spent in China volunteering at a special education kindergarten.

“Just profound” is how Casey describes the experience. “Overall I was reminded just how broad our world is,” he says, adding that he believes that college students are so focused on school and campus life that they need to be reminded about the role they play on a global stage.

Teacher Education Chair Lisa Coval, who advised Casey during his time abroad, says that he has better understanding of working with special-need students because of his time in China.

“I think it’s very beneficial for all our (education) students to see other cultures and learn how to work with students with disabilities,” Coval adds.

However, Casey had to overcome many speed bumps along the way to get his project off the ground.

The first step was writing the proposal for the course and getting it approved by Interim Provost Linda Curran.

When the International Studies Office saw how dedicated Casey was, they had to help him, says program assistant Sharon Loy.

“We made sure that all the ‘i’s’ were dotted and the‘t’s’ crossed…the hardest part was on (Casey’s) shoulders, who had to even write his own syllabus,” Loy says. “You could see that he really wanted to do this; it was near and dear to his heart.”

Akbarali Thobhani, executive director of international studies, says that because Casey was taking a very educational trip there was no reason that he shouldn’t have received academic credit. “Our mission is to assist students to have worthwhile experiences abroad,” Thobhani says.

According to Loy, it will be easier for other students who are interested in independent study abroad because of Casey’s experience.