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International Studies Director Dr. Mark Daly took his core seminar class, LIBA 300, to a Hindu temple located in Madrid, Iowa. The class was able to experience a different culture from what they are normally used to.

Daly uses simulation games for his lessons. One of the simulation games he uses is set in India in 1925 , the start of India’s independent nation. Each student studies a different character from the time varying from race, religion, social class and many other factors. The students go through the time period as the character trying to reach their goals.

The trip to the temple connects the students with the culture today to what it was like in the game.

The students in the class got to observe the building itself and its sacred spaces inside and went along with certain practices such as removing of their shoes in the temple. The class discussed what religious acts and ceremonies take place, with a leader from the temple.

“Most of the students don’t know that they even exist, that we have these populations in the Greater Des Moines area,” Daly says, “It’s just priceless for them to see that.”

Grand View Junior Emily Wagner found it interesting how Hinduism worships multiple Gods instead of one and that they believe they need to worship multiple. Wagner had compared the difference between her knowledge and background of a very structured service to where the Hindu temple was more personal prayers to the gods.

Junior men’s volleyball player Tim Johnson saw the temple as a beautiful piece of architecture. He found it hard to believe it was located in a small town in Iowa.

Johnson says, “Personally, I’m open to just learning more about the way other people live.”

Aside from the trip to the temple, the students participated in a Sikh Temple service as well as a dinner at a local Indian restaurant where they experienced all kinds of culture based food. All core two classes require an engagement project outside of the classroom.

This core seminar fulfills four iterations including, critical inquiry, information literacy, quantitative communications, and global awareness. This helps students fill the required amount of iterations for their careers at Grand View University.