Mark Morris (Ghana, 1998-99)

i seem to have always had this urge to not necessarily turn my back on my roots or my place – and not out of dissatisfaction – but to move around, to explore, knowing that there was more for me to see, and a larger world that i was, and am, a part of. studying abroad seemed like the perfect opportunity for me to do this, and was for me essential.

i am a very particular person, but when choosing where to study abroad, i was not picky. because my language skills were not up to par, i was limited to studying in a country where english was the language of instruction. the other determining factor: choose someplace totally different. i figured this was my chance to put myself in a completely unique, and perhaps for a while, uncomfortable place, in that i would be lost, frustrated, shocked and/or scared. i also know that i am a pretty adaptable creature, smart and headstrong enough to survive any situation, enjoy the ride, and emerge a better person. for this reason, and because i had never before heard of ghana, that’s where i chose to spend my year abroad.

my experience there was somehow exactly as i predicted, difficult at first, frustrating, but over all, truly the most wonderful year of my life. my experience there was also nothing i could have ever imagined. the color, the vibrancy and cultural richness of the people and the country was touching, at times overwhelming. perhaps because the market embodied this spirit, i found myself returning to the market every day, sometimes all day, talking with the market women, learning more twi. it was a place i felt secure and comfortable, a place that accepted me, a place where i learned and grew. i knew that my time there, and in ghana, was temporary, and that only made my place there more precious.

i am honored to have been selected to receive a scholarship in memory of chris, enabling me to have this opportunity. i feel blessed for my experience, and hope i have lived up to chris’ engaging cultural spirit. i will treasure always this year of my life, and often reflect on it, smiling, knowing that it was indeed real, better – more challenging and more rewarding – than i ever could have imagined.

Austin Leininger (Scotland, 1998-99)

My year abroad in Stirling, Scotland through the EAP program at UC San Diego was an amazing and life-changing event. Arriving home from Scotland, I wanted to get back on the plane and go back. I still want to live there at some point, and may have the opportunity through a priest exchange with the Scottish Episcopal Church.

The people there were quite simply real. They were down to earth, friendly, had their priorities straight and were gracious and filled with gratitude for the blessings in their lives. By contrast, many Americans are self-centered, have an entitlement complex, have misplaced values based on media and materialism, and are quite simply spoiled. That’s not to say that Americans are bad people, but my own values and nature truly resonated with the people of Scotland.

So what made the experience so amazing? I know a big part of it is my lifelong fascination with castles, the middle ages, Scottish history, etc. But it was also an amazing opportunity to study in a new context, to actually experience the history of a place by going there and living in it. The culture, the Scottish highland and country dance, the cuisine, the amazing climate (I LOVE fog, wind, and rain!!), the living history, the change in driving and walking… it was one of the most wonderful years of my life!

I had a kilt fitted whilst studying there, which I wore for my wedding in 2003, I am continuing with my (limited) Gaelic and plan to learn more, and much of my favorite music comes from my time there. Broadening my horizons was a big part of the experience, and one which I plan to continue as I make plans to travel to far and distant places in the coming years. Ray and Verena were a big part of making this experience possible, and for that I am profoundly grateful.

As for life and other such stuff… I graduated with my Masters of Divinity on May 20th, got hired as the new Assistant Rector of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church on May 26th, got ordained on June 3rd, and packed up and moved to Davis on June 12th! What a whirlwind of events! My wife Jane, our dog Ginger, and our cat Fred have all endured the move with patience and grace, and are all very pleased to be living in Davis now!

Jennifer Chang (England, 1997-98)

When Ray and Verena told me about their plans to gather at The Land and celebrate Chris’ life, my first thought was “Has it really been ten years?” That means that it’s been nine years since I left UCSD to spend a year in Norwich, England, yet it seems as though only half that time has passed. It was while gathering my thoughts for this communication that I realized that this was most likely due to the fact that I haven’t recently thought about my time abroad; writing this letter has given me the opportunity to reevaluate how the experience affected me.

Living in the United States, I think it can be easy to forget that there are billions of other people whose wants, needs, ideologies and lives are different – but not less important – than ours. I’d like to think that spending a year outside this country increased my interest in other (non-American) points of view. Traveling through Europe was also a confidence-building experience; I came away from it knowing that I could take care of myself. Finally, while it is difficult for me to know whether it was specifically my time abroad or just progressing through my 20’s (probably both) that have contributed to the two points above, one thing I know would never have happened had I not gone to England is the friendships I made there. I wish I could say that I was still in touch with all the students I lived with, but seeing the few with whom I still correspond go on to med school/grad school/theater in London/etc. and keeping them apprised of the changes in my own life has been meaningful.

I never had the opportunity to meet Chris. But as the list of scholarship recipients has grown over the last nine years, I can’t help but think that it’s remarkable how much he has continued to touch people’s lives.

Mike Scanlin (Founder)

Chris was one of my very best friends. We met on our first day at UCSD as I was unpacking my Apple II computer. Chris came over and said “Oh, so you’re into computers? Nice. I’m Chris, by the way.” That was just the way he was… friendly and outgoing.

We were buddies all through college and after. Both of us did the EAP program to Europe in our junior year. And after college we spent some time together in Holland and in Germany. Later, we ended up working together for several years at a high tech company.

Anyone who knew Chris knows what a well-rounded and stand up guy he was. A rare combination of someone who was genuinely good in both the arts and sciences, and a pleasant person to be around.

Chris would really dig the scholarship fund that has been set up in his name. It represents him so well… It creates goodwill towards others in different cultures, helps worthy students further their studies, and promotes a sense of adventure.

It is a lasting and perpetual tribute to a great person and a great friend.