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Summer 2003

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For many years, Villanova has been expanding a far-reaching study abroad program. This semester, for example, 145 students took leave of the campus and landed in 21 different countries scattered throughout the globe. In its latest initiative to expand study abroad opportunities, Villanova University’s Office of International Studies has teamed up with the College of Commerce and Finance to offer the Global Citizens Program. This program, in its inaugural year, affords entering freshmen the opportunity to spend their second semester in London, taking classes and interning for six weeks in the business arena.

Studying abroad has long been the exclusive domain of upperclassmen, while younger students concentrate on getting acclimated to campus life. However, the numerous benefits to heading overseas as a freshman cannot be overlooked. For example, it promotes intellectual curiosity and challenges pre-accepted worldviews at an earlier juncture, while the student still has time to alter his collegiate path accordingly. It also leaves the student with enough time to study abroad again if he so desires, in London or some other locale. Additionally, displaying the independence and drive necessary to spend four months in a foreign country at so young an age certainly makes a student stand out to a potential employer or graduate admissions counselor. To sum up, as director Lance Kenney said, “A strong university is one that makes students aware of their place in the world as early as possible.”

Participants begin their adventure with five three-credit courses broken down over a ten-week period. For the final six weeks, students take on an internship in the London financial sector. Courses, designed to expose students to European business practices and lifestyle, include British Thought and Culture, Legal Environment Business and Society, Intro to Macroeconomics, and Directed Study Tutorial. The courses are taught by Villanova-selected faculty at a program study center, rather than at a London university. Though this differs from most of Villanova’s semester study abroad programs, it is necessary because freshman Commerce & Finance course requirements are so specific.

The Global Citizens program is open to freshmen admitted early action to the College of Commerce and Finance; currently, there are six students participating. Early action candidates receive information about the program and an invitation to participate immediately after acceptance, before the college decision deadline arrives. Interested students must then submit a brief essay to the Office of International Studies. Though anyone meeting the criteria may apply, director of International Studies Lance Kenney recognizes a common thread among this year’s students: most have some prior degree of familiarity with the international experience, be it a foreign-born parent or substantial past travels.

Kenney, in collaboration with Dr. Stephen Stumpf, dean of the College of Commerce and Finance, designed the unique program. The original motivation was to help distinguish Villanova University to prospective entrants deciding between this university and others of approximately the same academic caliber. They also sought to make Villanovans more aware of international issues in the context of the global business market. Thus, they teamed up with EUSA- European Study Abroad to implement the Global Citizens Program. Villanova has been working with EUSA for the past three years, through the successful London Summer Business internship program. EUSA has a commendable reputation, having placed over 9000 American students in internships in a variety of fields since 1984.

While abroad, the students have ample opportunity for cultural immersion: they reside with collegiate Londoners, in the newly-renovated Sorbonne House. The residence hall is located in Kensington, one of London’s safest and most prestigious neighborhoods. Kensington, a bustling and vibrant center-city locale, is home to numerous restaurants, shopping areas (including well-known Knight Street), and two stations of the pristine London Underground. The accommodations are also a stone’s throw away from many world-famous London sights, including Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, the Victoria and Albert Science Museums, and the Natural History Museum.

London provides an ideal setting for the College of Commerce and Finance freshmen to work, study, and live. First and foremost, London is a premiere international finance and business capital, consistently on the cutting edge of technology and at the forefront of decision-making. The lack of a language barrier circumvents many obstacles, a factor that is particularly relevant given the age of the participants. Finally, it goes without saying that London is a celebrated mecca of culture and history. Kenney invoked the words of Samuel Johnson to capture that sentiment: “The man that is tired of London is tired of life.”

The Global Citizens Program strives to ensure that Villanovans take full advantage of the many cultural opportunities at their fingertips. The program begins with a comprehensive orientation to help ease the trans-Atlantic transition. Throughout their stay, participants embark on group excursions to Oxford College, Warwick Castle, Blenheim Palace, Stratford Upon Avon, and Stonehenge. Additionally, should students struggle with homesickness, culture shock, or just getting lost in the maze-like London public transportation system, they have myriad resources at their disposal. Evening “advising hours” provide a forum for advice and problem solving, and the freshmen may approach resident staff at any time, should the need arise.

Feedback from the Global Citizens Program has been extremely positive. Participants and their parents have emailed the Office of International Studies to share their excitement and express their gratitude. Kenney looks to expand the program in coming years, doubling or tripling the number of participants and moving into other cities.