Evidently, this past summer, traveling to China for academic credit was the thing to do. Two students traveled to the other side of the world, becoming some of the first Metro State students to complete an independent study-abroad.

A couple weeks ago, @Metro reported that junior Jay Casey finished an independent study course in China (see http://www.mscd.edu/~collcom/artman/publish/kacey_twv6091008.shtml). Since then, another student has come forward with a story of her own. Senior Ferren Gipson also recently returned from the most populous country in the world, where she studied the history of Buddhist art.

Gipson, an art major with a concentration in art history, theory and criticism, titled her independent study “The Art of the Henan Province” and spent her time visiting historical sites like the White Horse Temple and the Longmen Grottoes statues.

“The Longmen Grottoes statues were awe inspiring,” Gipson says, “especially to see the detail and how they were made.”

Gipson adds that her trip was very helpful academically, particularly for an art history major, because it’s different seeing art in person rather than in a textbook.

Deanna Pytlinski, assistant professor and area coordinator for art history, theory and criticism, advised Gipson during her trip abroad and says Gipson now has a strong understanding of how artwork contributed to the spread of Buddhism in China.

“Seeing the artworks in person gave Ms. Gipson a much better sense of scale, sculptural detail and impact on viewers than she would have ever received in a classroom,” says Pytlinski.

Gipson volunteered at a local elementary school teaching English and immersed herself in Chinese culture.

“Teaching English, I got a better understanding of the culture through the kids,” she says.

Gipson says that her time in China is an experience other students would benefit from because it gives you a different perspective on life.

“Especially with non-western cultures, it’s very different, but at the core we’re all the same.”