Nichols, a human nutrition, foods, and exercise major, and political science major Emily Barcalow took part in a live interview from Switzerland with President Tim Sands during his annual State of the University Address on Feb.
Barcalow and Nichols are both participating in the Presidential Global Scholars program, which encourages interdisciplinary and innovative plans of study to help students become global citizens. Even though they arrived at the Steger Center only three weeks ago, they were already able to share stories of growth, learning, and connection. To underscore the importance of this type of experience and the reason the university has set goals to increase study abroad access, Sands invited Barcalow and Nichols to describe, in real time, the impact studying abroad was having on their education.
The students spoke with the president remotely from the Olivio and Lucy Ferrari Library at the center. After the address, Barcalow, who was traveling for the first time outside the U. This experience has provided all that and more. She and Nichols described how earlier that same day they had taken a short train ride from Switzerland to Como, Italy, where they toured the city with Italian Professor Valentina Dodi as part of their regular Italian language class.
He and his classmates are preparing to travel to Naples and Pompeii to see firsthand what they have been studying in class. Both Barcalow and Nichols are recipients of scholarships that made it possible for them to study abroad. Take Italian, try it out as you travel, apply what you learn in the classroom in all that you do outside of the Steger Center, then take that with you as you move into graduate school and your professional life. A highlight for me has been talking with locals and having conversations with them.
We always start in Italian and go from there. Should be great fun! As the semester unfolds, they intend to also volunteer with an after-school program and at other town festivals. At the department level, the Global Education Office , which manages study abroad scholarships, and the Steger Center are both working to increase access by expanding infrastructure and program offerings.
