One of the goals of the Centre is to undertake and promote research related to the theory or practice of some aspect of transformational education. With this in mind, the Centre invites graduate level students who are members of the CATE Centre to apply for “scholar” status in the Centre. The scholar status is for a set period of time usually extending from admission to a research degree program until the project is completed and the degree awarded. In all cases the status will not extend beyond 5 years for a master’s level degree and 7 years for a doctoral degree.
Chrischona (Gibson) Sodji graduated from Cairn University in 2020 with an MS in Educational Leadership and Administration. Her research investigated the nature of international best practice for schools which seek to provide national students with a transformational Christian education experience. It was an action research project which foreshadowed a commitment her husband and she would make to establish a school modeled on the findings of her research.
Her interest in the subject began as a child of missionaries serving in Europe. She first attended a local Austrian school and then later the Vienna Christian School, which a team of educators from Black Forest Academy, led by Mr. Dick Derksen (also a CATE member) had established to serve the global mission community.
David Durance is the current President of TeachBeyond and leader of several other educational organizations committed to providing transformational education services on a global platform. He was the Regional Director of Asia for TeachBeyond for five years before his appointment to the senior position in TeachBeyond.
He holds an Economics degree (With Distinction) from the University of Regina in Canada and an MBA (BGS Honor Society) from the University of Massachusetts (Amhurst). He is currently enrolled at Trinity International University in its PhD leadership program. His research interests are transformation steward leadership, organizational change, and the embracing of organizational mission-vision-values across cultures.
Mr. Benjamin R. Bowman is a graduate of both Asbury College and Asbury Theological Seminary where he received his B.S. Ed and M.Div. He serves as a Global Member Care Specialist and People Services Administrator for TeachBeyond. In his 10 years with TeachBeyond, he has also served from 2010-2018 as a high school history teacher and Secondary School Coordinator at the Christian International School of Prague. Among his contributions to higher education, he serves as an adjunct professor of education at Prairie College where he is designing a course entitled Christian Philosophy of Education in an International Context for the Masters in Education Program. He is currently working on his Doctorate in Education with an emphasis in Organizational Leadership and Christian Mission from Grand Canyon University. The focus of his work will be on teachers as agents of transformation in international classrooms.