A number of study abroad program directors set up on the front lawn to talk to students at the Go Abroad Fair on Sept. 8. Students were able to explore all of Lehigh’s abroad programs.
Frannie Hottinger, ‘23, attended the fair and gave high praise to Lehigh CSB: Study & Intern in Barcelona, a summer abroad program. Hottinger said she came to Lehigh hoping to have an international experience, but her time on the women’s basketball team made it impossible for her to leave campus for an entire semester.
“This was the perfect compromise,” Hottinger said. “I lived with a host family and, with the shorter summer program, I was able to be immersed in the culture as I was speaking Spanish and having dinner every night with a Spanish family.”
Hottinger said she learned about Barcelona by exploring the beaches, architecture and history. She said she better understands Barcelona as a city and is glad to have met such inviting people.
Maggie Cardosi, a North American officer at University College Cork in Ireland, studied abroad in Ireland when she was a student in college. She enjoyed it so much, she did it twice and then made a career out of talking about it.
“In Ireland, we have castles and beautiful landscapes,” she said. “But we also have really cool beach towns and great museums, which our students often get lost in.”
Cardosi said American students tend to flourish in Ireland. She said students often find commonalities with each other as simple as ‘Oh, you’re from Pennsylvania? My cousins live in Pennsylvania’ that begin a bond leading to long-lasting friendship.
Suzanne Willever, associate director for academics and outreach at Temple University’s Education Abroad and Overseas Campuses, said many alumni often tell her how much studying abroad changed their perspective on life.
“I grew up in an Italian-American household and thought the way I lived was entirely Italian,” she said. “Then I studied abroad in Italy and realized what it meant to be American and started grappling with my own identity.”
Willever oversees programs in both Rome and Tokyo, which Lehigh students can apply to. She said both campuses offer programs throughout the year and students have the opportunity to participate in an internship, as well.
Alleyna Jean-Philippe, ‘23, spent her summer interning in Dublin through the Iacocca Internship Program.
Jean-Philippe worked at the Royal Hospital Donnybrook, where she spent time focusing on health policy and staying with residents who she helped throughout the day.
She said she loved her experience and particularly enjoyed meeting people she never would have met otherwise.
“Being around new people was a highlight for me,” Jean-Philippe said. “I am so used to being around the same people every day, so being exposed to a new culture was special.”
Serve Antigua, another program offered at Lehigh, takes place over seven days during spring break. Ten Lehigh students are chosen to be immersed in service in support of the local Antiguan schools.
Denise Beatreau, director for Lehigh’s Student Access and Success, said the program is a great chance for students to pursue a service passion and engage in the community.
“(My favorite thing was) to see how the students could click immediately, in true Lehigh student fashion, and engage and learn about Antiguan university life,” Beatreau said. “I loved to see the Antiguan students learn about the American experience. That has to happen organically, and it definitely did.”
Ashley Yoon, ‘26, said she did not realize the event was occurring but was glad she accidentally stopped by, as she is interested in studying abroad at Lehigh.
“When I was younger, I went to Europe, and my parents thought I would not be able to understand the beauty of it, which I insisted I would, but I did not,” Yoon said. “I feel like now I would be able to look at it with a different perspective.”
Willever said she thinks studying abroad is one of the most enriching experiences a person can have.
“Go,” Willever said. “Live without regrets. Just go — this is the time.”
Comment Policy
Comments posted to The Brown and White website are reviewed by a moderator before being approved. Incendiary speech or harassing language, including comments targeted at individuals, may be deemed unacceptable and not published. Spam and other soliciting will also be declined.
The Brown and White also reserves the right to refuse the publication of entirely anonymous comments.