By Justine Wilson
Correspondent
On the morning of Wednesday, Sept. 7, the bees weren’t the only thing buzzing around Eickhoff Hall. Powered with caffeine, their 30-second spiels and booklets, the representatives of the study abroad programs took their places at the Study Abroad Fair and waited with baited breath as students got out of class at 10:50 a.m. Some students even came to tell their stories of their study abroad semesters and summers at the fair.
Tables were set up all around Alumni Grove and were packed with interested students all afternoon. Some study abroad representatives even gave out schwag, such as ID holders and lanyards.
A group of business majors raved about their trips to Heidelberg, Germany. These students took the chance of a lifetime by immersing themselves in a completely different culture with a new family, life and experiences.
"It was the best choice of my college career," said Nicolas Castellano, a senior finance major. "I learned to live on my own and really discovered myself.”
For most students, the campus isn’t too far away from home, as about 92 percent of the College students are from New Jersey, according to the College’s admission website.
"I studied as a junior," said Jenna Nicholl, a senior management major. "I learned how to adapt to the culture, mix in with different types of people and how to act in a foreign… culture. You learn things that aren’t normal in your life that are normal in theirs. The global perspective and point of view I gained from my study abroad trip was something I never (thought) I could gain."
For the students who do not have the money to study abroad, the College and the study abroad programs outside of the College offer scholarships and financial aid. About 35 percent of students study abroad during their time at the College, according to its website, and that number is expected to rise this year.
"I really want to go to Spain, to experience the culture and to go to a Spanish-speaking country,” said Jose Rodas, a sophomore psychology major. "I didn't even know we had this many programs. It'll be hard deciding."
Some programs even allow students to do research abroad, such as The School for Field Studies program, or to work and volunteer while studying abroad. Many of the study abroad programs also allow students to go to prestigious universities throughout the world.
Whether you find your heart calling you to China, Australia or England, the College has programs to take you there.
