Mass communication professors journey from India to NGU and back
Posted by The Skyliner on February 18th, 2009Jon Harris
Staff Writer
Professor Shur Gopal, Dr. Linwood Hagin, department head and 11 other students will be traveling to India, Gopal’s home country for a missions trip over break. (Photo by Chris Timmons / The Skyliner)
In 2001, Shur Gopal, a communications specialist in India, stumbled across North Greenville College during a Google search. Now, eight years later, he is taking a group of students on a media missions trip to his home country.
About 90 days prior to the beginning of the fall 2001 semester, Gopal found a job opening for a video instructor at a small Christian college named North Greenville.
“I really wasn’t sure at all if this was going to work out, but for the fun of it, I e-mailed [my resume] to Dr. Hagin,” Gopal said.
Gopal was previously a communication lecturer, senior educational television producer in Delhi, visiting professor at colleges and universities in India and one of the principal consultants for satellite television channels. Gopal launched five satellite TV stations, taking each channel from conception to completion.
Dr. Linwood Hagin, mass communications department chair, and others were very impressed by his extensive resume. Dr. Catherine Sepko, dean of humanities, communicated with him through e-mail on a consistent basis.
“He had the credentials, but probably what made me more and more [interested] was we just kept communicating,” Sepko said.
Since there was an issue of distance, Dr. Sepko proposed a unique idea to interview him. Dr. Jimmy Epting, NGU President and Dr. Lee McCormick, former NGU Vice President, approved the idea to send him a list of questions and ask for a video response to each.
“It wasn’t long before the video tape arrived. We were going through the questions and there was something likeable about him,” Sepko said. “He was the first, out of many, that I wanted to hire with diverse backgrounds.”
North Greenville was very diligent in getting Gopal to the U.S., and through the help of Gopal’s brother, Senator Jim DeMint and Deb Blickenstaff, the senator’s assistant, the school obtained a work visa for Gopal.
“One miracle after another was happening … it was all because of prayer,” Gopal said.
Gopal began work at North Greenville in August 2001. The transition to the U.S. was not difficult; Gopal was here in 1988 and 1989 at the New House School of Communication at Syracuse University and worked for the Voice of America. He knew the culture and had no problems getting acquainted with his new job.
“I can just remember seeing his face and thinking, ‘this man has flown half way around the world to a place he has never seen,’” Sepko said.
Gopal left behind his wife and daughter. His last visit to his family was Christmas 2007. The rest of his family, including parents, two sisters and one brother, reside in the U.S.
“At that point in time, having a TV station was nothing but a vision, literally a vision,” Sepko said. “He brought a lot of skills here and really had not much equipment from which to work, but he has really worked hard to build that into much more than it is.”
Since arriving, Gopal has made advancements for the mass communications department. When he first began, the department had minimal resources, and Gopal created an editing bay out of scrap computer parts. He was also pivotal in establishing the NGU Vision News.
“He genuinely loves students and the students in his class. He’s been a wonderful asset to the campus,” Sepko said. “I’m glad he’s here; I hope he’s here for a long time.”
Hagin and Gopal will be leading 11 students on a media ministry trip to Kolkata, India during spring break, March 5-14.
“This is a typical media missions trip,” Gopal said. “We are very excited about it.”
The group will be going to help an American couple by producing various materials to help the couple in their ministry. Students’ work will consist of various projects, including creating DVDs, a website and print brochures.
“I have never left North America, so I am excited to get over there and see it all,” Alex Reynolds, junior media ministry, said. “I hope to gain a better understanding of India and what is going on there, and maybe even learn a few lessons that well help me back over here.”
In preparation for the trip, Hagin is walking the students through his previous experience in India, and Gopal is teaching them the local language—Hindi.
“It is very important for a missionary to learn the local language. Whenever you visit any country and if you get to talk to the local people in their mother tongue, they are going to fall in love with you. Immediately, you strike a close relationship with them,” Gopal said. “The students are picking up that language fairly well.”
The goal of the trip is to serve God and learn how to effectively communicate with the local people.
“I’m pumped up and excited about it. I know each and every one of us will be contributing a good bit. I hope by the grace of God it works out well and we are able to serve,” Gopal said.