Arcadia Hosts 2015 Colloquium

This year at the annual NAFSA conference in Boston, The College of Global Studies at Arcadia University hosted a Colloquium on First Year Education Abroad Programming attended by about 100 invitees from both US and overseas universities. 

In a departure from the usual colloquium format, a panel discussion was chaired by Dr. Peter Leuner, who as the Regional Director of Great Britain and Ireland oversees Arcadia programming for first year students in London and Scotland. The panel reflected  the range of TCGS’ extensive experience in this sector of study abroad: two US partners (Brandeis and Villanova), Arcadia’s own FYSAE program, a Scottish partner university (Stirling), two TCGS staff members with first-year specialist experience and a fall ’14 London semester Brandeis mid-year student.

Panelists were -  Kimberly Aparisio, Student Services Specialist for First Year Programs at the Arcadia London Center; Elizabeth Campanella, Director of the Office of Education Abroad at Villanova University; Jacki Daddona, Manager of Custom Programs at The College of Global Studies; Scott Van Der Meid, Assistant Dean and Director of Study Abroad at Brandeis University; Jo Hagerty, International Exchanges Manager at the University of Stirling; Nadisha Wickramaratne, a Brandeis student.

"As a student participant on Arcadia's midyear study abroad program in London, I enjoyed offering my insight on the experience to the other panelists and audience” Nadisha said of her experience on the panel. "It was also beneficial to see how the organizers of programs such as this aimed to make the experience as worthwhile as possible, and I learned quite a lot by listening to what the other panelists had to say." 

A range of considerations characteristic of first year abroad programming were discussed by the panel –  motivations; location; timing; bonding; partner relations; challenges an opportunities. In Peter Leuner’s view “we embodied the essentials of successful first year abroad programming - demonstrating that building and maintaining a strong connective tissue between partners and being clear as to the goals and purposes of such programming are central to success. Having a student on the panel was of special significance!”  The audience’s enthusiastic responses suggest a robust future for first year abroad programming.