Mids Broaden Cultural Knowledge, Experience

For Naval Academy Midshipmen, a new school year brings opportunities to immerse themselves in a plethora of cultural venues both within the United States and abroad.

The Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies is a division that works together with other academic departments at the academy to support students and faculty in studying and conducting research around the world.

“Since 2005, the center serves to enhance opportunities for midshipmen in education as it relates to the Middle East, and the culture that is tied to the students,” said Brannon Wheeler, director of the Center for the Middle Easter and Islamic Studies, and professor of the department of History.

Through the support of international and regional study programs, curricular innovation and community outreach, the center has become a valuable resource on Middle East and Islamic cultures.

“We constantly bring new resources to the Academy,” said Wheeler. Two speakers will be visiting the academy this fall. Scott Peterson, coming in September, is the Istanbul Bureau Chief for the Christian Science Monitor and a photographer for Getty images. One of the most well-traveled and experienced foreign correspondents of his generation, Peterson has reported and photographed conflict and powerful human narratives across three continents, which include making numerous reporting trips to Iran since 1996.

Sebastian Junger, coming in October, is the internationally acclaimed, best-selling author of

“The Perfect Storm,” “A Death in Belmont” and “Fire.” He has covered major international news stories in Liberia, Sierra Leone and other places around the world. During his visit, he will talk about his experiences while filming in those regions.

Another set of smaller lectures are also given throughout the year by recognized personalities.

“We try to bring artists, musicians, policy makers, princesses, ambassadors, professors and scholars from Middle Eastern backgrounds to come and speak to the class,” Wheeler explained. The center also hosts international conferences and seminars through the school year.

“We usually bring six to seven people who we think are the world’s experts on a particular topic,” said Wheeler. “These are great opportunities for the midshipmen to listen to the speakers, and be able to engage one-on-one with these experts.”

Each year, the center expands the faculty affiliated with the center. The center has two dozen affiliated faculty from a range of different disciplines, especially language and cultural studies, history, and political science, said Wheeler.

“We offer grants to those faculty, so they can travel, enhance themselves professionally, and be more effective in the classroom,” he said.

With the center’s support, midshipmen are also able to travel and experience the world during their summer training.

“This past summer, we supported students going to Israel, Turkey, Kuwait, Armenia and more,” said Wheeler. “Also, every year our faculty participate in cultural immersion trips. Language immersion programs and semester abroad opportunities are available.”

The center is also a leading supporter of the Middle Eastern Studies and Jewish Midshipmen Clubs, said Wheeler.

“We are trying to reach out to different organizations. We’ve had faculty participate in programs where you send members aboard aircraft carrier strike groups and amphibious strike groups,” he said. “Ultimately it’s all about giving more to the midshipmen, so they can have more opportunities to study the region, learn and travel.”

A good education comes from knowing more than what is in your backyard, Wheeler concluded.

“We live in a global world where if you want to be a leader, you need to know about the rest of the world and be aware of other cultures.”