The South Africa Program has been suspended for a year.

In 2011, the inaugural South Africa summer program achieved more than Temple University’s School of Communications and Theater ever thought possible.  Led by Journalism Professor Shenid Bhayroo, eleven Temple students conducted scholarly research and produced news stories on a range of cultural and political issues in South Africa. The news stories were published on the Department of Journalism’s award-winning news website, Philadelphia Neighborhoods, and the series itself was a finalist for the prestigious EPPY (Editor & Publisher) award in the Best College/University Journalistic or Documentary Report category. Students presented the results of their research at the Global Temple Conference. The summer program was also featured in the annual Temple University Global Temple Conference and the SCT alumni publication, Intercom.

While in South Africa, Professor Bhayroo worked on creating relationships with individuals and institutions such as the Market Photo Workshop, the University of Johannesburg, the Gauteng Department of Education, and high schools in Soweto.  As well as furthering one of Temple’s fundamental goals of “global commitment”, these academic and professional collaborations have contributed greatly to the student experience in the School of Communications and Theater.

Unfortunately due to conflicting commitments, the program had to be suspended in 2012, but the School hopes to offer it again in 2013, continue it into the future, and build on the relationships that have been developed this past year.  The School of Communications and Theater recognize that the South Africa program has been a transformative experience for many of our students and is committed to its growth in the future.