Geneva College offers an opportunity for students to experience a purposeful, caring environment, but this experience isn’t limited to the rolling hills of western Pennsylvania. The college’s Semester in Scotland, held at the Airdrie Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland, is a study-abroad program that takes just a few students each semester, facilitating matchless growth in physical, intellectual, and spiritual areas.

According to Andrew Quigley, director of Semester in Scotland and pastor of Airdrie RP Church, “The program began with Geneva College in 2003. Following a conversation with professor emeritus of Bible, Dr. Dean Smith, at the 2002 RP Synod, we received an invitation to run the program through Geneva. Bible professor Dr. Jonathan Watt then visited Scotland and we worked on a proposal and established the program.”

Quigley recently visited Geneva’s main campus to discuss the unique opportunity his program provides for Geneva students. The 15-credit semester-long program includes a variety of theology and history courses, along with weekly excursions to famous historical, scenic, and cultural sites.

The Airdrie RPC plays host to the students, and students participate in all aspects of church life: worship, prayer, fellowship groups, small-group Bible studies, Kids Club, and Covenanter Youth activities. “Each Wednesday afternoon during the semester, members of the congregation take the students to various historical, cultural, and tourist sites throughout Scotland. The students also receive hospitality from the members each Lord’s Day, and sometimes through the week,” remarks Quigley.

Joshua Giesler, a 2013 Geneva graduate who spent his 2011 fall semester in Scotland, says, “Most of our interactions with the Airdrie RPC were on Sundays, both morning and evening, when we came together for worship. They always seemed happy to see us. Most of the families would rotate having us for lunch after the morning service. This gave us a great chance to get to know them more as people, rather than just members at the church.”

Quigley handles the program’s logistics, which include arranging the students’ tuition, leading seminars, organizing the accommodations, and more. “Beth Bogue, the RPCS administrative secretary, undertakes all the work associated with regard to admissions for the students and organizing trips while they are here,” Quigley says.

The Semester in Scotland curriculum includes a focus on the Covenanter history within Scotland, and often provides a life-changing experience. Giesler says, “The program introduced me to a new culture, taught me church history, showed me a new community, and allowed me to grow spiritually as I learned intellectually. What you learn here will remain a priceless piece to your ministry.

“As for my RP faith, it is in Scotland that I was convicted of most of the RP beliefs,” he continues. “Rev. Quigley is an excellent teacher and was able to articulate RP convictions and show the difference between them and other churches quite well. Because it was a semester dedicated to only taking classes on the Bible, theology, and ministry, we spent a lot of time talking about the Church and Scripture.”

After completing the program, Giesler decided to go to seminary as a result of his experience. 2014 Geneva graduate Nathanael Miller spent the fall semester of his senior year in Scotland, and he describes the experience as a vast opening of the mind to different cultures, beliefs, and values. “I didn’t think I would see as much as I did. I thought I was just going to see all of Scotland. I went to Paris, France; I went to Rome and Florence, Italy; I went to Frankfurt, Germany; I went to Geneva, Switzerland. It was an opportunity in itself—I got to see Scotland—but it was also an opportunity for even more.”

Miller continues, “Each day, Monday through Friday, we went to a different location around Scotland, seeing where different Reformers went, where they preached. We could visit anywhere in Scotland for a day trip while returning to our Airdrie cottage at night.”

The program is compact. So compact, in fact, that Quigley’s quest to increase enrollment is for a steady trickle rather than a flood: he wants “three to four students, steadily,” rather than as many as possible. And Quigley is becoming intentional in his efforts to ensure that the Semester in Scotland can receive consistent support.

As Quigley phrases it, he’s here to “put a word in the ear” of those who might be interested in a world-expanding semester abroad. The official website, SemesterInScotland.org, has a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions to further explain the experience. Geneva’s Bible and Hebrew professor, Dr. Byron Curtis, agrees that the program should be highlighted. “The Semester in Scotland program is strong and people can benefit from it,” Dr. Curtis states. “I do recommend it.”

In Dr. Curtis’s estimation, students aren’t entirely educated until they’ve been off the continent. A Semester in Scotland amid castles, ancient cemeteries, and the rich Reformed tradition goes above and beyond this requirement.

By Adam Rowe and Christopher Strangfeld

Adam Rowe graduated from Geneva College in 2014 with degrees in communication and writing. He is working as a freelance writer. Christopher Strangfeld graduated from Geneva College in 2013 and is enrolled in its masters in higher education program. He interns for Geneva’s public relations office and is the graduate assistant for student activities.