Students' Study Abroad Experiences
Dominican University of California students have studied all over the world. Here are stories of a few of them.
Studying Mackintosh in Glasgow
by Lauren MacDonald
Having recently returned from a research trip to Glasgow I find that my thesis The Modern Face of the "Glasgow Style": Architectural Masterworks of Charles Rennie Mackintosh has taken on new dimensions. Glasgow, Scotland during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was the center of a progressive modern movement in the visual arts. The architecture of Charles Rennie Mackintosh exhibits advancements in modernity flourishing under a progressive social and economic environment, while supporting Scottish nationalism through symbolic representation. Since deciding on my thesis topic I longed to travel to Glasgow and see the works by Charles Rennie Mackintosh for myself.
In October of this year my desires were fulfilled. For eight days I was free to research and explore in Glasgow. I was awestruck by the architectural masterpieces developed by Mackintosh at the turn of the twentieth century. His masterpiece, The Glasgow School of Art (still a working art school) reflected the quintessential element of the "Glasgow Style", those of the combination of modern materials and the native style to create a new architectural style for Glasgow and Scotland. All my readings of these unique structures came to life. The opportunity to do research in Glasgow enabled me to gain an understanding of the environment in which Mackintosh was creating. Glasgow was intoxicating, the active pace and friendliness of the people combined with the amazing architecture had an overwhelming impact on me, inspiring me to pursue further research in this area and return to this city soon.
Lauren MacDonald is a senior double majoring in History and Art History. She is applying for MA and PhD programs for fall 2003.
Study Abroad - Aboard Ship
from The Torch, summer 2002
Study abroad isn't just for language majors any more. Opportunities for American college students to study in foreign countries have exploded in the last thirty years. As the world continues to become a global community, students find that the experience, besides being a fascinating adventure, can impact their future careers. More and more businesses are selecting candidates with international experiences.
Peterson's Guide to Study Abroad lists more than 1,900 overseas programs sponsored by 120 American institutions of higher learning covering 278 fields of study. Units are transferred to the students' own college or university.
Recently, two Dominican students opted for an unusual study abroad experience: Semester at Sea, sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh. Incoming seniors Kendra Faith Ford of Valley Springs, California, and Kelsy Cooper of Willow Creek, Montana, studied on board ship as they visited a number of countries.
Letters from Amsterdam
Alyssa Haber-de Leon and Jacob Shafer recently emailed these messages to OISS. Alyssa is an International Studies major and Jacob is a Politics major at Dominican. Both are spending a year studying at the CIEE Study Center at the University of Amsterdam, in the Netherlands.
Our housing is awesome, we live on the Prinsengracht Canal, about two blocks from the Anne Frank House. I can hear the bells of Westerkerk every 15 minutes. Amsterdam is a great city to walk around in, but I am also enjoying riding my used bicycle (I spray painted it bright purple) And also, the public transport here is very easy to use...so it is fun and easy to explore the city.
Last Thursday there was an event here in Amsterdam called Museumnacht. Over 30 museums in the city are open from 7 pm to 2 am, and there were special trams and boats that carried participants all around the city. Jacob and I and several friends started the evening on a canal boat traveling from the Anne Frank House to the Rijksmuseum. The Rijksmuseum is huge, and we got kind of lost on the second floor, but we ended up seeing paintings by Rembrandt, Van Gogh, and Vermeer. After that, we walked to the Stedelijk modern art museum, and then took a tram from there to the Botanical Gardens. We ended the evening at Nieuwe Kerk church listening to Gospel music, and then walked home in the pouring rain. I've gotten so used to the sporadic rain and heavy winds that walking home soaking wet at 2 in the morning doesn't even seem like a big deal.
Amsterdam is a wonderful, laid-back city. I love the quietness of these city streets. My classes follow this Amsterdam laid-back attitude--it is a tradition here to always start a 2 hour class 15 minutes late AND take a 15 minute break in the middle of it. I am learning a lot; both in and out of class; and I am so excited to get to incorporate this awesome experience into my regular California life.
I hope that you're doing well, I'll see you in a few months!
Alyssa Haber-de Leon
* * * *
Our stay here in Amsterdam has been an amazing, eye-opening experience. Though the Dutch culture differs from America in subtle ways, those differences really come to the fore with immersion into the everyday life of the Netherlands. People here are friendly and honest, though some of their manners may (and did) seem a bit blunt to the outside observer. The progressive social policies make this an especially interesting place to live, learn and study. I have had the opportunity to travel to other parts of Europe, but I know that even if I hadn't, Amsterdam would have afforded me more than enough learning experiences. I highly recommend this place for anyone looking to expand their mind and horizons.
It is hard for me to reflect on this Amsterdam experience because I feel like I am just caught up in this whirlwind of new experiences. I feel like I am exploring something new every day. I love the canals and the many birds that have flown in off of the ocean to spend the winter in the Amsterdam waterways. I love the open-air organic market where I buy bread, vegetables, and cheese every weekend.
Jacob
Letters from Denmark
"What about Denmark?" My friend asked. I wasn't sure at the time she asked what agreeing to study abroad would do to enhance my life. In August 2004, my best friend and I began our journey to study in Copenhagen, Denmark. I am a politics and psychology double major, thus my biggest concern was striking a balance between meeting my semester requirements from Dominican and still getting as much out of the study abroad experience as I could. I was accepted into DIS's (Denmark's International Study) Politics of the European Union program where I took several classes pertaining to the workings of the EU, European security issues, as well as electives that contributed to the psychology aspect of my degree. However, while the classes were amazingly well taught and intellectually challenging, a much larger part of my education was absorbing the culture beyond the classroom walls. Everything I had taken for granted at home, from grocery shopping to riding the metro downtown, became a new and exciting part of life while learning the amusing idiosyncrasies of Danish culture. While based in Copenhagen, I had the opportunity to travel to Paris, Barcelona, Madrid, and Venice with friends. In addition, as part of the DIS program, I went on study tours to Berlin, Prague, and parts of southern Denmark to meet with various members of parliament and foreign ministry leaders. Though the weather was often difficult to cope with in the winter months, the change of seasons and the change of perspective I witnessed within myself were both unique and unforgettable. I truly value every high and low experience in Denmark, and now when asked, "what about Denmark?" I smile, and think of the past, present, and future that my four months abroad helped define.
Elizabeth Allison, DIS Fall 2004
