Founded in 2002, Oklahoma Christian University’s Third Culture Kids (TCKs) group on campus is made up of students who grew up in a culture that differs from their parents’ home culture. Though it is not always the case, these students typically have had parents involved in missions or the military.
Since its founding, the group has grown spiritually and learned international awareness through being raised in culturally unique circumstances.
Senior Tyler Alm, who had a mix of Japanese and American upbringing, said he believes some of the TCKs at Oklahoma Christian have really enjoyed the companionship the group provides.
“TCKs can provide a good bridge between international and domestic students by helping find common ground among the two groups,” Alm said. “The TCKs themselves provide intercultural information to other domestic students that they would have otherwise never been aware of.”
Alm said he believes being raised with a mixed cultural background has influenced his outlook and the way he understands other cultures.
“I believe that being able to juxtapose cultures is a very important character trait that allows for intercultural understanding,” Alm said. “Growing up in Japan, and now living in the U.S., has taught me to compare cultures.”
Lia Miller is a graduate student at Oklahoma Christian who grew up in Italy because her parents are missionaries. Miller said something she enjoys about the TCK group is that they understand all the “ups and downs” of having a third culture experience.
“Some of the bad things includes being differentiated due to the initial language barrier, being set behind in school and lots of embarrassing times when I didn’t know what the cultural norm was in U.S.,” Miller said. “However, the good that it brought was a broader world view, appreciation for what I have and the situation I’m in, loving those who are different, unique dependency on God and lots of amazing Italian food.”
According to Miller, being a TCK has taught her to have hospitality, to respect others who may seem different from her and to depend on God for everything.
“Whether having been on vacation, mission trip, study abroad or whatever it may be, there is a wisdom that one can only get from having gone overseas,” Miller said. “In Nebraska, not a lot of my friends have been overseas or even have any interest. TCKs bring a broader and more global perspective to campus and helps others understand some of the things that are going on in places all around the world.”
TCK advisor Nancy Hartman said the purpose of the group is to help equip TCKs with transitional tools for navigating American culture.
“Sometimes, we expect these students to know American culture and often they do not,” Hartman said. “Their parents are often American, but the students grew up in countries other than America and are not completely familiar with many things about American culture—although they look and sound American. We expect them to know things they do not, so this group helps with that challenge.”
According to Hartman, the TCK group has events two to four times a month so TCKs have the opportunity to get together, share ideas, hear from older TCKs and get to know each other better. The group will participate in an Easter egg hunt tomorrow, and in July, they will host their 13th annual Global Reunion camp.
“The Easter egg hunt has been a popular event in the past for TCKs,” Hartman said. “Many of them grew up in countries that did not have Easter egg hunts or in countries that did not celebrate Easter at all, so this gathering is a fun cultural experience for the TCKs.”
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