The U.S. Army believes education is more than what is learned in the classroom, according to the ROTC website. This is the founding idea for the Cultural Understanding and Language Proficiency program.

CULP is designed to give Army ROTC Cadets the opportunity to not only see the world, but experience it. Each year, exceptional cadets are given the chance to travel to one of more than 20 countries and immerse themselves in its culture.

UNA CULP Cadet Josie Lott said she had the opportunity to visit Guatemala with CULP.

“CULP isn’t really an academic major based program, but if I had to say how it affected me as a business major, it would be that Guatemala gave me a better perspective of how small the world really is,” Lott said.

Another ROTC student, senior Victoria Moore, visited Liberia on her CULP trip.

“Seeing poverty first-hand made me grateful for the things I have here in America,” Moore said. “I know that our infrastructure and government systems are not perfect, but I’ve learned to be appreciative of the many luxuries we can enjoy here in the states and the security of our Armed Forces that we can trust in.”

She said visiting other countries opened her eyes to other cultures.

“Most people when they think of African countries think only of poverty. Liberia has a very unique history and people group that love Americans and appreciate the aid the U.S. gives to their country,” Moore said. “My experience in Liberia inspired me to travel more outside the states.”

Cadets chosen will go on one of three different venues during travel: host nation military-to-military exchange, humanitarian service or educational trips entailing total cultural immersion.

Whatever the chosen students do, they will do it for approximately one month, including a five-day soldier readiness process, according to the ROTC informational website.

For more information regarding this program, contact the ROTC offices in the Wesleyan Hall Annex.