Axe ’Em, Jacks!
NACOGDOCHES, Texas –– Dr. Philip Catton, professor in Stephen F. Austin State University’s Department of History, traded his American classroom for the bustling streets and serene lotus flowers in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on a teaching adventure he couldn’t pass up.
What could only be described as a unique and rare opportunity in the teaching profession, Catton taught two courses in U.S. diplomatic history and the Vietnam War as a visiting professor at Fulbright University Vietnam during the spring semester.
“I particularly enjoyed the spirit of intellectual curiosity and engagement displayed by FUV’s students,” Catton said.
Catton, who has a particular interest in the Vietnam War, was first introduced to the opportunity to teach abroad from an FUV faculty member with whom Catton had contact regarding his research work. The professor was participating in a fellowship at Columbia University for the 2023-24 academic year and asked Catton if he would like to serve as a visiting faculty member.
"The ability to teach a full semester in another country is a very rare honor indeed for a professor,” said Dr. Andrew Lannen, chair of SFA’s Department of History. “That Dr. Catton is also a specialist in the history of Vietnam I am sure made the opportunity all the more meaningful."
Catton, who is entering his 22nd year at SFA and teaches U.S. history surveys and upper-level courses on Asian history, has been to Vietnam several times on research trips. Though he has been to the country many times, this was Catton’s first experience teaching there.
Catton encourages professors and teachers to jump at the chance to work in a different environment to gain similar experiences as his: a new perspective, ability to compare institutional practices, and new teaching methods and materials.
FUV, Vietnam’s first independent nonprofit university, was established in 2016 in collaboration with the United States government and the Trust for University Innovation in Vietnam. Its mission is to contribute to Vietnam’s development by providing world-class education. Because FUV is an English-language institution, all students, faculty and staff are fluent in English.
Catton’s impression is that education in Vietnam conforms to the political ideas of the ruling party. However, since FUV is partially funded with American aid and its mission is to encourage critical thinking, Catton’s experience wasn’t very different from teaching in the U.S.
“Much of the history that the students had been taught at the primary and secondary school levels consisted of the rote learning of a scripted version of the past — and they were well aware of the shortcomings of their historical knowledge and this style of education. Consequently, they were a very lively bunch, keen to debate issues and subject historical events to critical analysis. In turn, I learned a lot from them about their views and about contemporary Vietnamese attitudes toward the Vietnam War.”
Catton also encourages students to embark on study abroad opportunities in different environments.
“For students, I think study abroad is a truly life-changing experience, an opportunity to immerse yourself in another culture and, as a point of comparison, learn more about your own,” Catton said.
Catton will return to his teaching capacity at SFA in the fall semester, with stories and new teaching ideas to boot.
For more information about SFA’s Department of History, visit the website.
ABOUT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY
Stephen F. Austin State University, the newest member of The University of Texas System, began a century ago as a teachers’ college in Texas’ oldest town, Nacogdoches. Today, it has grown into a regional institution comprising six colleges — business, education, fine arts, forestry and agriculture, liberal and applied arts, and sciences and mathematics. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, SFA enrolls approximately 11,000 students while providing the academic breadth of a state university with the personalized attention of a private school. The main campus encompasses 421 acres that include 37 academic facilities, nine residence halls, and 68 acres of recreational trails that wind through its six gardens. The university offers more than 80 bachelor’s degrees, more than 40 master’s degrees and four doctoral degrees covering more than 120 areas of study. Learn more at the SFA website.