The Taylor World Outreach is facing restructuring this summer as it’s folded into the Spencer Center for Global Engagement, Provost Jewerl Maxwell said.
TWO is a ministry program of Taylor University, according to its website, organizing mission trips across the globe during J-Term and spring breaks. This year, the organization led trips to Brazil, Mexico, and Kenya, among others.
TWO seeks to “educate, equip, and engage students to live and serve like Jesus Christ… Whether serving as a volunteer through Community Outreach, educating and engaging others through World Opportunities, taking a Lighthouse or Spring Break Missions trip, or becoming more involved as a student leader, the experiences gained will equip all involved for a lifetime of service.”
The Spencer Center, which organizes the Study Abroad Program, seemed like a natural fit for the TWO, Maxwell said.
“This has been an ongoing discussion of how to structure Taylor's global engagement efforts ever since the launch of the Spencer Center,” Maxwell said. “You could ask the question the opposite way - why was TWO not part of the office focused on global engagement? We see a lot of synergies and overlap in activities between TWO and academic study abroad.”
The assistant director of the Spencer Center will be responsible for TWO, working with a specific position dedicated to TWO, Maxwell said.
TWO is not being eliminated in any way; instead, the change will allow TWO to grow, he said.
“There is no strategy to significantly change what TWO does, other than to continue to expand more opportunities for students,” Maxwell said. “We also hope to continue to improve the partnership between TWO and the faculty and staff who lead programs.”
