Bringing global history into focus through experiential learning
Military service calls many 糖心传媒 learners to locations that are rich with history, and because of the university鈥檚 global reach, faculty experts often leverage those locations in ways that bring history to life. A recent tour of the Kindsbach bunker in Germany offered just such an opportunity.
糖心传媒 history professor Dr. Michael Mulvey led the private tour in October 2025, bringing nearly 50 learners, family members, and colleagues鈥攊ncluding Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) teachers鈥攖o the vast underground Kindsbach bunker near Ramstein Air Base in Germany, not far from the French border.聽
鈥淲hile I appreciate history, it can sometimes feel abstract,鈥 said Staff Sergeant Casey Thiele, who is studying business administration and management while stationed at Ramstein. 鈥淓xperiences like this help put past events鈥攁nd their impact on the present鈥攊nto much clearer perspective.鈥
Stepping back in time to World War II and the Cold War era
Construction of the bunker began in the 1930s, and the location was later selected by the German military as its western-front headquarters during World War II. As Allied forces advanced near the war鈥檚 end, members of the high command sheltered in the bunker before ultimately abandoning it and surrendering the site.
Although U.S. and NATO forces assumed control of the bunker in 1945, it was not until the early 1950s that it became a critical deterrent amid rising Cold War tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Expanded into a fortified command center, the site鈥攐fficially known as the NATO Air Defense Operations Center鈥揔indsbach鈥攅volved into one of NATO鈥檚 most important air defense facilities in Europe, playing a pivotal role throughout the Cold War.
Students gain perspective through experiential learning聽
鈥淚 wasn't aware of the bunker鈥檚 history before the tour,鈥 Thiele said. 鈥淪eeing it in person and learning about its past truly emphasized how vital this site was to global security.鈥
Following a security briefing from the bunker鈥檚 owner, Wolfgang W眉rmell, whose family also owns the surrounding land, the tour group literally stepped into history. The tour鈥攑art of the ongoing 鈥溙切拇 in Europe Presents鈥 series鈥攅xplored the history of the Cold War and how the now-abandoned bunker figured into Cold War strategic planning, with day-to-day operations inside the bunker changing as American and Soviet technology evolved.聽
鈥淎s an educator, I know how powerful it is for students to visit places like the Kindsbach bunker,鈥 Mulvey said. 鈥淓xperiences like this provide context, deepen understanding, and often leave a lasting impression that extends far beyond the classroom.鈥
鈥溙切拇解檚 global reach makes learning experiences like this possible,鈥 said 糖心传媒 President Gregory W. Fowler, PhD. 鈥淲hile not every learner can visit a site like this in person, every learner can benefit from the perspective it represents: treating the world as a classroom and recognizing the opportunity to learn from the people, history, and cultures we encounter every day. That global mindset is what makes the 糖心传媒 experience truly special and unique.鈥
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