Seaver College
International Programs
The Leadership Program
Students are invited to spend two weeks in Lausanne, Switzerland training to become global citizens and future leaders. Students will take a one-unit course in Communication & Leadership which examines the communication processes through which individuals influence, motivate, and mobilize others to work together toward common goals within organizations, communities, and society. Rather than simply learning theoretical approaches to leadership, students will experience real world situations in an international setting. They will be exposed to new cultures and actual leadership issues through interviewing world renowned leaders, experiencing outdoors adventures, teambuilding exercises, service opportunities and group projects. Students who attend the Leadership Institute will leave ready to change the world.
Program Dates
July 1 - July 13, 2012
The Lausanne Family
Click here to meet or contact the Lausanne Program Staff.
Mary Mayenfisch-
Tobin
The first Visiting Faculty Member is Mary Mayenfisch-Tobin. Mary is an Irish lawyer registered as a European lawyer in Switzerland who formerly practiced law in Ireland and Switzerland. She has been the Program Director for the Pepperdine Lausanne program since it started in Switzerland in 2007. Before joining Pepperdine she was professor of Hospitality and Business law at the renowned Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne (1997- 2004). Mayenfisch-Tobin works as a lobbyist for Amnesty International's "Business and Human Rights" group in Berne. She is the president of the Business and Professional Women in Lausanne and is founding member of the Tourism and Hospitality Institute of Sustainable Development (THISD), an interdisciplinary group of academics involved in sustainable tourism and she is also is the Legal and Corporate Social Responsibility advisor for this group. To contact Mary, click here.
Pete Lessing
The other Visiting Faculty Member is Pete Lessing, the Lausanne Program Assistant. With a B.A. in Psychology from Purdue University and an M.A. in Higher Education and Student Development from Taylor University, Pete is thrilled to be serving in the Lausanne program. Pete's international experience began while moving to Costa Rica with his family during high school. Because of his love for traveling and experiencing different cultures, he has traveled to Guatemala, Panama, the U.K, Holland, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, Italy, the Fijian Islands, Mexico, Japan, India, Afghanistan, and South Africa. Many of these locations were visited while he and his wife worked with Youth With A Mission (YWAM) in Chico, California and Kona, Hawaii. While participating and leading outreach teams to Fiji, Afghanistan, and South Africa, Pete and Johanna offered humanitarian aid, while using photography to fight social justice issues. His study interests include Leadership, Student Development, and Study Abroad. To contact Pete, click here.
The City
Lausanne is located in the French speaking part of Switzerland on picturesque Lake Geneva, a few hours from the Swiss Alps and 30 minutes from Geneva, the most international city in Europe and home to the European headquarters of the United Nations. Because of its location, Lausanne is a very diverse city, hosting people from different countries from all over the world. The city also hosts many universities including Lausanne University, the Ecole Hotelière de Lausanne (students from over 90 countries study here) the EPFL, and Pepperdine University. There are also a number of International schools to cater to the diverse work force. Lausanne has a population of 130,000 people and is one of the safest cities in Europe with outstanding public transportation. This magnificent city is centrally located for easy train access to all the major cities of Europe. Students can take a bullet train to Paris in less than four hours!
Students who study in Pepperdine's Lausanne program experience the pedestrian life of Lausanne's city center, viewing magnificent buildings and historical sites as they walk through the city. There is a great outdoor market twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays where local produce and flowers are sold in the streets. The students love a café in town called the Barbare, where they can get the thickest, most intense chocolate drink ever. Lausanne has very old wooden stairs leading up to an ancient cathedral that is an extremely significant part of Lausanne history. There is a fountain in the town center with a talking clock that recounts the story of the Canton of Vaud (Lausanne is in the Canton of Vaud). The city center is beautiful and the port is about 20 minutes walk away in the picturesque port of Ouchy. Ouchy is home to the Olympic Museum and to some lovely old hotels and restaurants. It has a wonderful lakeside walk which goes by lovely small port towns such as Lutry, Pully, Cully and many others.
La Croisée
The Pepperdine facility is located in La Croisée near the centre of Lausanne. La Croisée has a picturesque view of Lake Geneva and the French Alps. The seven-story facility is equipped with a student center, a room with a TV and DVD player, two computer rooms (four desktop computers and two LaserJet printers), a cafeteria, and a communal kitchen. There are also three classrooms, two in the original church building attached to the main building. The rooms are named after famous Swiss writers, artists and travelers, such as Salle Ramuz, Ella Maillart and Tinguely.
History of La Croisée
The Pepperdine Lausanne program was recently opened in January 2007 when 42 pioneering students came to the Croisée hotel as guests and as the first Lausanne students. The hotel was the property of a Christian foundation, part of a Christian hotel chain and managed by Jesus Bustamante. La Croisée was discovered when Robert Mayenfisch, an architect, was on a roof as part of his work. At that time, La Croisée had many guests who would visit for a couple of nights or who lived there on a long-term basis. The Pepperdine students lived in the building with other guests until January 2008. The last guest living there with our Pepperdine students was eighty-year old Madame Regina Brandily who finally moved out to her new home in September 2009.
The program was officially opened in March 2009 by the Daniel Brelaz, the Mayor of Lausanne, in the presence of President Andy Benton, Dr. Charles Hall, Mary Mayenfisch-Tobin, his Excellency the Irish ambassador and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Lynch, Pepperdine benefactor and University Board member Seiji Masuda, and the Countess de Rola, widow of the famous painter Balthus (Count de Rola).
Meals
A light breakfast is provided in the house seven days a week. Group dinners are provided at a local restaurant three days a week and lunches are provided in La Croisée from Monday through Thursday. Students receive money credited on a Stored Valued Card for dinners on Sunday and Thursday and lunches on Friday. The funds can be used in many establishments throughout Lausanne or students may withdraw cash from the card at any ATM to purchase food.
Proposed Field Trips
Students will have two Educational Field Trips – one to the Olympics Headquarters, and the other to the United Nations. In addition, students will take local excursions to museums, vineyards, castles, chocolate and cheese factories, and the world famous Montreux Jazz Festivals. With the background of the Swiss Alps, students will learn leadership skills through challenging outdoor excursions and team building exercises. Potential activities include but are not limited to: hiking, canyoning, sailing, rowing, rafting, and climbing. Students will partner with Neighbours Global Connection to participate in a refugee kids program and serve at the Bethanie Elderly Home.
Cost
The fee for this "a la carte" program is $1,950, and does not include airfare. We strongly encourage that students who will already be in one of the European programs add this onto their overseas experience. Students from Malibu and other locations are also encouraged to attend.
Internet Resources
- For videos updates of this program, visit vimeopro.com/pepperdine/lausanne
- Find out more about Switzerland on Lonely Planet
- For academic resources available in your program visit the International Programs Library
3-12-12