The excitement is getting to fever pitch as students and professors all over the globe prepare for the long-awaited Jamaica 2026 City Immersion in Kingston, Jamaica's capital, from January 30 to February 8, 2026. Kingston is a city brimming with vibrant colors and pulsating with the heavy beats of Reggae music, made popular by Bob Marley, whose "One Love" was named the song of the millennium. Blue mountains hem in the city to the north, and the inviting waters of the Caribbean Sea to the south. Jerk chicken, Jerk pork, ackee and salted fish (the national dish), hot patty, Devon House Ice cream (ranked fourth in the world), and Blue Mountain Coffee (ranked number 1 in the world) are just a few treats on the menu of the Island's delectable cuisine.
The Immersion's theme, Nurturing Shalom in the City, examines the historical context that informs the nation's strength, courage, and challenges through the lens of BGU's Eight Leadership Perspectives. The Immersion will build on the participants' inner spiritual formation while providing practical insights for their call to be agents of transformation.
Join us in Kingston, Jamaica, where we explore the Island's enchanting beauty, its challenges, and the role of Christ-centered leaders in government, religious, for-profit, and non-profit organizations. Our site visits will include the scenic beauty of the gardens, the Island's famous waterfall, and the complex, harsh reality of city life. We will sit with an incarnational leader who moved his office into the slums and re-vision a community made popular as the home of Bob Marley. Our journeys will include a visit to the Missionaries of the Poor, where the abandoned and homeless are cared for, echoing BGU's Shalom Leadership Perspective.
BGU's Jamaican graduates have led churches with transformational impact in and around the city. We will participate in their worship experiences and see firsthand the interventions they have implemented. Female leaders from businesses, government, churches, and NGO's will examine the pros and cons of transformational leadership in their various sectors. Male business and church leaders will also present and facilitate a panel discussion.
On January 30, 2026, there will be a reception for participants and students at 6:00 pm at the Terra Nova Hotel, Kingston, Jamaica. The immersion program will end on February 8. Daily sessions will be at the hotel, where accommodations, including breakfast, are available. Students are encouraged to book their stay at the Terra Nova Hotel for timely access to activities. Transportation to the various site visits will also depart from here.
You can register for 4 or 8 credits (doctoral degree) or 3 or 6 credits (master's degree). The online portion of this course begins on January 1, 2026, and ends on March 30, 2026. You can also audit the Immersion for a small fee as an educational experience (no credit hours). Additionally, your spouses, friends, and family can accompany you and share in the learning experience. Participants are responsible for making their travel arrangements. You can reach out to Dr. Yvonne McKenzie (yvonne.mckenzie@bgu.edu) or Nathalia Mighty (nathalia.mighty@bgu.edu) for more details.
Dr. Yvonne McKenzie
Professor of Record
