Past Participants
As you investigate your off-campus study options, we suggest you speak with a former participant of the program(s) you are considering. Many times, students find that program alumni prove to be invaluable resources during the program selection process. The OCS staff has put together the following list of past participants from our Partner Programs. Please do not hesitate to contact them with any questions you might have.
Matt Manley, English major. Studied on the CIEE Dakar, Senegal – Language and Culture program.
What do you feel you accomplished academically? 
The CIEE academic program, as well as day-to-day life, especially challenged me in my language acquisition. Having taken only three semesters of French at Whitman, I was challenged to speak French at all times (and very poorly at the start). I also took an introductory course in Wolof, one of the numerous national languages of Senegal. Knowledge of Wolof not only ingratiated me to locals, but its syntactical makeup and vocabulary also gave me insight into Senegalese culture. See more
Elizabeth Hockett, an Art History and Visual Culture/Studio Art double major ’11, studied in Florence, Italy with Studio Art Centers International (SACI).
To really experience Florence, or any other foreign country, beyond its tourist attractions, I had to be brave and venture outside the easy study abroad circles. This is where my Italian language course became the most important class I was taking. Stumbling through conversations about bread types with bakers and chit-chatting with dried fruit and nut vendors at the Mercato Centrale were some of my most frustrating yet exhilarating moments while abroad. More…
Rachel Sicheneder ’11 studied in Costa Rica.
When I came to Costa Rica, I had great plans of hiking the rainforests and doing exciting research up in the clouds of misty mountains. What I didn't expect was an internship at the Presidential House. However, when the opportunity to work with a program called Costa Rica Multilingual presented itself I couldn't turn it down. More…
Sociology major Alex Kearns ’11 studied in Botswana with Pitzer College during the fall 2009 semester and then spent the spring 2010 semester at The Philadelphia Center in Philadelphia, PA.
Pitzer College in Botswana is not an academically rigorous program, but what it lacks in academic strength it makes up for through cultural experiences. Unlike some other programs, which offer classes in a foreign university, the Botswana program challenges students by immersing them in communities across Botswana. More…
Danny Kaplan ’10, a Race and Ethnic Studies major, studied in Amman, Jordan with the School for International Training (SIT).
I conducted an Independent Study Project (ISP) as part of my major. I basically wrote a thesis using field research on a topic of my choice. My ISP addressed globalization in Jordan via Starbucks and its significance regarding Arab coffee culture.
Ramadan was a challenging month. More…
Tyler Calkin ’09, a studio art major and English minor, studied at the Studio Art Centers International (SACI) in Florence, Italy.
Academically, I gained an incredible amount of knowledge about the art of the Italian High Renaissance – and I was able to apply this understanding practically, as I saw many of the works I studied in person. I also learned the historic art of stone carving. This was actually the most valuable aspect of the program for me; I was able to participate in a cultural and artistic tradition strongly tied to Italy and to Florence. Having the experience of carving stone gives you an incredible new lens through which to view and appreciate the sculpture of both the Renaissance masters, and the artists and artisans working in Italy today
More…
Environmental Sociology major Sarah Nostdal ’09 studied in Quito Euador with SIT Ecuador: National Identity, Ethnicity, and Social Movements.
I did an independent study project that dealt with my experiences living with an indigenous family and working with monkeys at an animal rescue center. While in Ecuador I had the opportunity to live in three different households all with very different lifestyles. More…
Jack Mountjoy ’09, an economics and politics major and a music minor, studied at The American University in Cairo, Egypt.
Nothing beats taking interesting classes about the Middle East while actually living in the Middle East. I was able to learn a year’s worth of Arabic (both Modern Standard and Egyptian Colloquial) in just a semester with great teachers and constant practice outside of the classroom. More…
Environmental Humanities major Celi Schoenike ’09 spent a summer in Kenya with School for Field Studies (SFS), a summer in Morocco with the School for International Training (SIT), and a semester in Florence, Italy through Syracuse University.
I’ve never learned more about the things that are most important to me than in the field - actually out doing and learning through experimentation, intimidation, enthusiasm, courage, encouragement, camaraderie. More…
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