Travel & Teaching Opportunities

We have many travel and teaching opportunities available for our Biola alumni. You may be interested in our annual whirlwind tour of Sacramento or a trip to China, North Africa or Thailand. Or perhaps you have other international interests that you would like to discuss with Wycliffe representatives or our faculty. Read on for more information about each opportunity.

Sacramento

This 16-hour, one-day event includes a round-trip flight, a whirlwind tour of the Capitol building, a visit to the California Department of Education, meetings related to curriculum, assessment and legislation, and networking meetings with state education officials. This tour is directed by Glen Thomas and June Hetzel. Contact for the next date.

China

John Liang, Associate Professor in the School of Intercultural Studies, has traveled to China during the summers of 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. He hopes to bring groups of teachers to China in the future. Activities include service, research, teaching, networking, conferences, presentations, and school observations. Please contact if interested in traveling to China during the summer.

Africa

June Hetzel, Ph.D., Biola alumna and Dean, and her husband, Geoff Hetzel, engineer, have taken teaching teams of 10-12 to Africa during the summers of 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2008. These trips involve teaching grades 1-9 students who are learning English and speak three languages. Each teacher prepares his or her own English Language Learner curriculum. Teachers must be willing to volunteer teach for at least two weeks and have previous experience with second language learners. Networking with local educators, meeting with local leaders, sightseeing, and day and week-end excursions included. Applications, interviews, teambuilding meetings, and support-raising are required in the spring preceding the trip. Spouses and older children (teens or older) potentially may come as team members, but must apply and be accepted, participate in all meetings, and be willing to serve in support capacities. If interested in short-term or long-term teaching in Africa, email .

Thailand

Melanie Reimer, a Biola alumna, has committed her full-time career and ministry to service at Grace International School in Chiang Mai, Thailand. She has worked for Grace for several years and oversees their homeschooling extension program that supports missionary families throughout Thailand. The families she serves are involved in a variety of ministries such as translation work in remote tribal locations and reaching out to the Thai nationals.

Grace International School continues to look for additional teachers to help serve these families. Teachers must have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, strong interpersonal skills, insight into K-12 curriculum and a desire to serve. If interested in serving at Grace Christian School or taking a vision trip to this location, contact Melanie at or visit Grace International School. Additional needs at Grace International School include regular classroom teachers, volunteers and a variety of support staff, such as computer technicians, office personnel, classroom aides and facility workers.

Wycliffe

Wycliffe Bible Translators is a key organization in fulfilling the Great Commission of Matthew 28. So many of our Biola alumni serve in various capacities of Bible translation work, including Jim Smotherman, Biola Education Alumni of the Year in 2006, who gave his entire career to placing teachers all around the world so that the work of Bible translation might continue. Jamie Farr has now taken Jim’s place at Wycliffe and is recruiting teachers for placement all around the world.

Perhaps the Lord is calling you to teach overseas. If as you pray, you feel led to explore more options in this area, here are some great websites and a personal contact:

  • Wycliffe
  • Mission Teach
  • Tim Stranske, Ph.D., Biola Alumnus, Biola Associate Professor of Education, and MK (missionary kid),