Dibbell reflects on experience abroad
Campus Times
November 6, 1998
Jane Dibbell, associate professor of Theatre Arts, has returned to
La Verne after spending the fall of '97 on sabbatical and the spring of
'98 teaching at the University of La Verne campus in Athens, Greece. While
in Greece she directed Garcia Lorca's comedy, "The Shoemaker's Prodigious
Wife." This semester Dibbell is directing the Theater Arts Department
fall production, Shakespeare's comedy "As You Like It."
Students and teachers alike from the University of La Verne have the
opportunity to be foreign exchange participants and study abroad through
the University to enhance their educational experience.
Jane Dibbell, associate professor of theatre arts, spent last spring
in Greece doing so. "It was a great time," said Dibbell who was
on sabbatical last year.
"Through the University I had a chance to go to Greece and teach.
I felt it was important for me, I am turning 60 and wanted to prepare for
the decade coming," said Dibbell. "It helped me to get a clear
perspective."
Dibbell has been working at ULV for 12 years. She is head of the acting
program, teaching acting skills to diversified majors to prepare them to
teach elementary school students.
Dibbell's duties in Athens were much like the ones she has here. "I
taught Intro to Theatre and directed 'The Shoemakers Prodigious Wife.' "
Dibbell said, "They [students in Greece] don't have a theater program
over there but they want one, they also have a great respect for the arts."
She stayed in what are dorms in the United States but are called boarding
units in Greece. "In class, everything was taught in English but outside
the classroom we spoke Greek."
Comparing the two campuses Dibbell said, "They are very much alike,
the way they are run and set up. We used the same catalog and courses."
"We had between 900-1000 students, which is like a traditional
undergraduate class at La Verne," she said.
Dibbell saw a lot of comparisons between in Athens and La Verne. "They
hang out in the cafeteria and the garden. They like to socialize a lot;
at 10 p.m. you will find most of them out at coffee shops or eating with
their families. They love to be out at 10 p.m. A big part of their life
is being social and meeting people."
La Verne's Athens campus was originally established on a military base,
and when the base shut down, two men, Craig Sexton and Jeff Nonemaker, thought
they could keep the school running. Sexton is president of the campus and
Nonemaker is dean of academics.
"They have a basketball team, but no fraternities or sororities.
The students there aren't real driven on sports but rather on school,"
Dibbell said.
She went on to say the nice part of the whole experience was, "uniqueness
of the greek people, their economy isn't that strong but they have a very
strong spirit and are forgiving and compassionate."
Dibbell also thinks that the historical sights are "extraordinary
sights."
Dibbell said she would recommend that other students go to the Athens
campus.
"To be in the culture where you have to learn the language expands
your knowledge and your capacity as a human being. People are very helpful
and caring and they are the same with the students."
