London, England; Florence, Italy; Granada, Spain. Imagine living in one of these places for an entire semester. More than 120 Marywood students are considering it, judging by the turnout at the recent Study Abroad Fair sponsored by the Office for International Affairs.

Representatives from four different programs met with students to share information about their programs. The Study Abroad Fair also provided information on 12 direct enrollment, exchange, and sister schools.

Students who studied abroad in the past attended the fair to speak with any interested students and share their experiences. The most popular places Marywood students have traveled to in the past include England, Spain, Italy, Australia, and Ireland.

Along with the semester-long programs, Marywood faculty also lead trips to different countries during winter and spring breaks, as well as in the summer. This March, there are 6 spring break trips being led by faculty.

David Crisci, associate director for international affairs, talked about how studying abroad is an “eye-opening experience” for students: “most students say they have gained so much intellect and experience from studying abroad, their favorite part is definitely the culture experience.”

To qualify to study abroad at Marywood, students must have at least a 2.5 grade point average. Additionally, in order to be eligible to study abroad for an entire semester, students must be at least in the second semester of their sophomore year. However, for the faculty-led trips; all students are eligible.

Nicole Claase, a senior art administration major, studied abroad in Florence, Italy and had what she described as an “unforgettable experience.” While abroad, she had the opportunity to travel to the Netherlands. Claase said that the best part of the experience was being immersed in the culture, being exposed to beautiful Italian art, and attempting the Italian language.

“It was a little scary at first being culture shocked and getting used to the time difference, but once I got over that it was amazing,” said Claase, who highly recommended studying abroad.

For more information on studying abroad, contact Dave Crisci at [email protected].