MSU’s Chander among faculty leaders of interdisciplinary Global Game Changers program

Harish Chander, an associate professor in Mississippi State’s Department of Kinesiology, led students on an experiential learning journey in Italy this summer as part of an interdisciplinary study abroad program.

Global Game Changers is an MSU study abroad initiative designed to immerse students in a diverse range of academic disciplines including kinesiology, business management, entrepreneurship, art history, biochemistry, and fashion design and merchandising. The multidisciplinary approach allows students from various fields to collaborate and learn from one another in a global context.

Faculty from each represented department led academic tracks during this summer’s program with Chander serving as the lead for kinesiology.

“Global Game Changers has been a wonderful life experience for a lot of students as they got to experience new cultures, new places, new food and new people,” said Chander. “One of the most important aspects of this study abroad trip was students learning together with other students in different departments about their academic discipline and about each other, becoming great friends for life.”

Participants traveled to Milan, Florence and Rome where they benefited from experiential learning in their own disciplines as well as collaborating with students in other areas of study. Kinesiology and human performance track students visited several places relevant to their studies, such as: Isokinetic to learn about rehabilitation after injuries; the Ferrari Museum and Imola Formula 1 circuit to learn about human performance and safety in motor sport racing; the La Specola anatomical wax museum to learn human anatomy; and xFarm Technologies to learn about modern technology in occupational safety and ergonomics.

The group also toured historic places including Da Vinci’s Last Supper, David’s Michelangelo, the leaning tower of Pisa and the Roman Colosseum.

“This program reflects Mississippi State University’s commitment to expanding global educational opportunities for its students,” said Chander. “For the next Global Game Changers study abroad program, preparations are already underway to visit France and Italy in the summer of 2025.

“With the overwhelming success of the program, we are expanding, and the Department of Music will be added to the list of academic tracks. Thus, the College of Education will have representation from two of its departments: kinesiology and music. I am grateful for the support from my department and college to make this program possible and look forward to the next global game changing adventure,” Chander added.

MSU’s College of Education is home to five academic departments, a division of education, one research unit and numerous service units. Learn more at www.educ.msstate.edu.

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