On Sept. 2, 29 students departed for the First-Year Study Abroad Experience (FYSAE), where they will spend their first semester at Arcadia in London and Stirling.

This semester, 17 students will learn in London, while 12 will study in Stirling, Scotland. Students in the 2021 FYSAE class included the 1,000th participant in FYSAE, a unique study abroad opportunity that emphasizes global connections and cross-culture experiences.

“The FYSAE program is one of the best self-learning experiences that the University provides,” said FYSAE Peer Mentor and Spanish Studies major Chelsea Rutt ’18, who participated in FYSAE in fall 2014. “The first year at any academic institution is incredibly formative, but completing half of the first year abroad, in a culture that differs from their own, pushes students past their social norms and encourages them to gain a new perspective.”

And new perspectives are what many are searching for in their study abroad experiences.

“I really like traveling but I’ve never left the East Coast,” said International Business and Culture major Erika Nunanker ’21, who is heading to Stirling. “I come from a small town in Pennsylvania, and I felt like I needed to be more culturally aware.”

Before departing for Europe, students compared “to do” lists, which included afternoon tea, Irish and Scottish dancing, city tours, ziplining, and castles. Some were even thinking of further excursions, such as visiting the Louvre in Paris, kissing the Blarney Stone in Blarney, Ireland, and exploring ancient sites in Greece.

“It’s not everyday you get to travel,” said Sports Psychology major Malachy Hurd ’21, who will travel to London. “I want to gain a better understanding of different cultures. I think it’s going to be a great time gaining experiences.”

Admitted students are invited to apply for FYSAE based on their academic accomplishments. FYSAE students earn a full semester of credits while abroad, similar to their Glenside campus counterparts.
 

Learn More About FYSAE