My Decision to Study “Abroad” a Second Time: Journey from Glenside to D.C.

While wrapping up my First Year Study Abroad Experience at the Arcadia London Center last April, I knew that my priority upon returning to Glenside in the fall would be to investigate what other abroad opportunities I could take advantage of through Arcadia’s Civic & Global Engagement department. Lots of research was done in the summer months, but I wasn’t yet sure if it would be easy or even possible for me to commit to another entire semester away from Glenside while simultaneously trying to graduate a year early. Now, one month into my semester in Washington, D.C., it’s more than clear to me that Arcadia can make anyone’s dreams a reality!

I started my search for a potential next destination on Arcadia’s Study Abroad website. Very conveniently, I was able to select my major, Media & Communication, and see recommended programs for me. The top two best matches were a London program (similar to the one I had just gotten back from) and Arcadia’s affiliate program with American University, the Washington Semester Program (WSP). 

This opportunity piqued my interest, and as I returned to campus in the fall and began my role working with the Study Abroad Mentor Program, I learned that one of my co-mentors had just gotten back from WSP the previous spring. I was able to pick her brain about all of the exciting details, but I was still nervous that I wouldn’t be able to make it happen because of my accelerated degree track. 

My first order of business was to meet with Arcadia’s representative for the program, Scott Terry, to figure out all of WSP’s complexities. He gave me great information and recommended that I talk to my advisor as soon as possible, because she’d be the person to make the final decision of whether I could pull this off. My advisor was unbelievably accommodating and assured me that I could still both graduate early and make the most of this amazing opportunity if that’s what I wanted! I knew immediately that I had to do it– I submitted my application to the program and was accepted soon after. 

One helpful aspect of participating in a partnership program like this through Arcadia is that you get access to resources across multiple universities, making your possibilities essentially limitless. While starting my internship search process, I was connected with an advisor from American University who helped me curate my resume and cover letter. I received an offer from the very first internship I applied to, and my top choice! My big-city internship is writing weekly op-eds for a left-leaning news group, Robert Weiner Associates, at the National Press Club in D.C. It’s exactly what I wanted; I get to write and have my work published in national newspapers while making great connections in the fields of journalism and politics. And when I’m done, I’ll be able to take everything I learned back to Arcadia and share the pros of WSP with other Media & Communication students.

Because of Arcadia’s partnership with American University, tuition for WSP is only as much as I’d pay in Glenside. This is a HUGE benefit; Arcadia prioritizes making studying abroad/away affordable and accessible for everyone. My friends at other universities may not even be able to consider studying abroad once because of the immense costs, but I’ve been able to spend two semesters away because of Arcadia’s dedicated Civic & Global Engagement department. I was slightly nervous about having to pay around $2,000 more for housing through American University, but I didn’t have to worry long because WSP awarded me a generous scholarship! I’m not on campus, I’m living in third-party housing– it’s an extremely nice apartment complex in downtown D.C., about 1.5 miles from the White House and Metro Center area.

I work at my internship in Metro Center three days a week, so my housing location is perfect for me. My apartment is about an hour commute to campus, but it’s not too bad, because I only have classes at American on Mondays and Fridays. I’m taking three block seminar courses that are WSP-specific, and I’m taking an additional elective course for fun. Both Scott Terry and my advisor walked me through the exact process of transferring these courses back to Arcadia at the end of the semester– I feel fully confident about which will count for the AUC and which for my major, and also about how the transfer will affect my overall credits and GPA. Aside from academics, I’m taking advantage of American’s chorus group and 200-person student-run dance club, AU In Motion. I’ve had so much help from Arcadia and American faculty to make sure I’m maximizing my time and opportunities in WSP and am comfortable with any and all logistics and details. 

I was nervous before going to London that, coming back, I would struggle to reintegrate into the Arcadia community. It was the opposite, in fact– I was able to dive into even more leadership and mentorship roles, make even more friends, and enhance my college experience even further after being invigorated by the experience of traveling abroad and discovering my independence. For this reason, I knew that going to D.C. for WSP wouldn’t be a risk; it would only bring more growth to my college journey and allow me to better ascertain what I want for my future by trying out new places and adventures. 

So yes, after only being back at Arcadia for one semester post-London, I’ve left again– and I know that when I return to Glenside in the fall for my final year on campus, I’ll be able to bring more value to my community than ever before.