STudent Experiences

“During my time at Wilkes University, I was fortunate enough to study abroad at the University of Birmingham, England for an entire spring semester. Here, I experienced a much larger campus population (almost 40,000 students!), which included an international student community who quickly banded together to study, travel, and share conversations and meals with. Being involved in Wilkes Adventure Education at my "home university," (which I began to refer to Wilkes as), I joined the hiking society and was able to experience much of what the English national parks had to offer, taking a trip into the wilderness about once a month. There was always something to do on campus with over 500 very active societies (aka "clubs!") to take part in. I even learned a new sport and joined the benchball team, and ran the campus 5k! Outside of campus, you could catch me enjoying my flat whites in the city center, at the local yoga studio, or exploring a nearby town. Overall, my experience abroad was unforgettable, and I am so thankful to have been able to travel and learn in this way, forever grateful for what it has opened my mind to.”

“I went on a faculty-led Spring Break trip that corresponded with the cross listed Political Science/History 398 class: Northern Ireland - Past, Present, and Future. Traveling to Ireland and Northern Ireland and being able to experience the places that we learned about in class brought a whole new insight to what we were learning about. To see the locations mentioned and listen to stories from individuals who were directly affected by the conflicts we learned about in class brought a whole new connection to the topic. I found it to be an extremely important experience for me outside of this particular class, as well. This study abroad experience helped me to realize where I wanted to focus my studies in the future. I am now going to graduate school for Political Science, with a focus on Comparative Politics, which I greatly attribute to both studying abroad and this class. In addition, this trip has made me want to travel more to learn about the histories of other locations throughout the world. This trip to Ireland and Northern Ireland was my first time going to a different country. This is a great opportunity if you have never traveled before, especially since the trip is for a short period of time and with a group. If someone has the opportunity to study abroad, whether it is long term or short term, they should take it. It is a life-changing educational experience that I will always recommend.”

“Studying abroad is more than simply living within another country. It is being able to live your life in a whole new world, experiencing different cultures, food, people, even how daily life is lived. I have met countless people through my adventures abroad, in fact, I was able to do a small European Tour to visit each of them. Where at each stop, I was able to see local sites, eat at local joints, and feel much less like a tourist and more like a true traveler. Studying abroad has changed my life in more ways than I can ever say, but all for the better. It has the potential to broaden your perspective on the world around you, and I will forever push to take that step and visit any country you can!”

“I was extremely grateful to have been selected to receive the Bierly Scholarship from Wilkes University. It made the decision to study abroad that more achievable! I was able to find a credible program under the help and guidance of Andreea Maierean. I want to thank especially, Eric Ruggiero and Lisa Reynolds of Wilkes Digital Design and Media Arts Program, who wrote wonderful recommendation letters for me. I was able to choose Paris as my destination after a long process of researching the best fit for me. I was able to meet the most wonderful people, had the best experiences, and have memories that will last a lifetime. I was able to go outside my comfort zone and be independent in a whole new country. I was able to work on my personal growth as an individual that I wouldn’t have had if I stayed home. I was able to meet new people that I was able to rely on and bonded with individuals from all across the US. It was an experience that is difficult to describe, but here are a few. It was breathtaking, incredible, awe-inspiring, enlightening, and absolutely gorgeous. I would love to go back to France someday to visit some of my favorite places and where I went to school. I was also able to partake in being a Social Media Study Abroad Ambassador. As a Digital Design Major, it was super cool. It fit right in with my love for advertising and marketing myself. It was so fun to use my images and videos to inspire other kids to study abroad.