Alumni testimonials
Botswana: Culture & Society in Africa More testimonials »
I chose the ACM Botswana program because I wanted to study in an industrializing country, and get outside my "comfort zone". As it turns out, Botswana is a really comfortable place to be! It's a very peaceful country, and people there are very friendly. Botswana is rapidly acquiring the western socioeconomic system spread through globalization. Many people in Gaborone speak English, eat spaghetti, wear jeans, and stay current on international news events. Rural areas are less "globalized," and there is much to learn from people there, too. Botswana also has some of the most fantastic wildlife in the world, with the Khama Rhino Sanctuary, the Nxai Salt Pans, and the Okavango Delta as just a few must-visit destinations.
—Will Gallmeyer, Botswana, Spring 2008
My experience in Brazil was unforgettable. My host family was great and everyone I met was extremely receptive. Living in Brazil made me a better person and gave me a new outlook on the world. I would do it again given the opportunity.
—Warren Takashima, Brazil Exchange, Spring 2007
Like many 20 year-olds on the Urban Studies program, my career goals at the time were to do something to help other people. On the program, I realized that social work - while necessary - is not the band-aid approach I wanted to be a part of. Upon graduating from college, I spent eight years working for the Minnesota State Senate, and now lobby on behalf of early childhood issues, where I have had a direct influence on the resources made available for early childhood programs for at risk families. The ACM Urban Studies program, for me, was as much about realizing what I didn't want to do in life as finding out what I did want to do. I would not be doing what I am today were it not for my experience in Chicago in the spring of 1994.
—Eric Haugee, Chicago Urban Studies, Spring 1994
My ACM Field Research experience in Costa Rica was amazing and unforgettable! I will always appreciate and love the personal relationships I developed with people in the program and the host families. Additionally, this program gave me the invaluable opportunity for professional growth in both a foreign language and independent research. Costa Rica is not only amazingly beautiful and ecologically diverse, but it also has an amazing history and culture. I wish I could go back and study there all over again!
—Lacey Ramirez, Costa Rica Field Research, Spring 2004
Costa Rica: Latin American Culture and Society More testimonials »
When I look back on my experience in Costa Rica, there are so many memorable moments- I learned so much about the culture, the language, and the people while I was there. My little abuelita taught me to cook picadillo de papas and keep a positive attitude. I learned how to navigate through the countryside even after my bus broke down. The natives of Guatil de Santa Cruz taught me how to turn clay into beautiful pottery. Above all, the scenery and people were amazing!
—Michelle Nikolai, Costa Rica Latin American Culture & Society, Fall 2005
One of the things I loved the most about the Florence program was the intense language classes. Learning the language helped so much with learning about the culture. I also fell in love with the city - for me, Florence is the best place to learn about art.
—Emily Ho, Florence Program, Fall 2007
The ACM India Studies program was the keystone in my career as a scholar of South Asia. At the time, it was perhaps the only opportunity in the American academy to study Marathi, and the program gave me a firm foundation in that language. I learned to live in India and to conduct real field research on the program. I was introduced to key scholars and intellectuals in Pune, and this gave me inspiration for future work. I also had the time of my life and made lifelong friends, several of whom also became professional scholars of South Asia.
—Christian Novetzke, India Studies 1991
On the Japan Study program, I learned to become extremely independent. Being in a foreign country, where you're basically on your own, forces you to grow up quickly. I was no longer able to depend on my mother or father to get me out of binds, and having this self-sufficient trait is something that would have taken a lot longer for me to acquire had I not participated in Japan Study. Not to mention, my Japanese is amazing now.
—Laura Woodland, Japan Study, 2007-08
London & Florence: Arts in Context More testimonials »
It wasn’t reading Dante on the steps of Santa Croce in Florence, feeding the pigeons in Piazza San Marco, or learning to make pasta carbonara from my Italian host family (who I'm still in touch with!). It wasn’t seeing London from one of those famous double-decker buses, climbing on the bronze lions in Trafalgar Square, or touring the Globe Theatre before going to their new production of Romeo and Juliet. But, somehow, all of these experiences, when combined with countless others on the ACM London & Florence Program, opened my eyes to new possibilities and added an international perspective to my studies and my life. Before going on this program, I had barely traveled outside the Midwest; now I have visited more than a dozen countries and have a career in international education, so I can help other college students have meaningful study abroad experiences, like the one I had with ACM.
—Meghan Beltmann, London & Florence, Spring 2004
Newberry Seminar in the Humanities More testimonials »
The Newberry is an ideal environment to challenge one's intellectual limits. The first time we met as a group, our professors emphasized the strength and quirkiness of the Newberry's “community of scholars." During the course of the semester I was continually amazed by the amount of partnership and collaboration that took place not only within our seminar, but also within the library as a whole. As I got more and more involved in my research, I found myself bouncing ideas off of a variety of individuals: from classmates to professors to librarians. Moreover, scholars within the library are unbelievably accessible. It’s also impossible to overemphasize the amazing location of the program- I still glow when I talk about my semester in Chicago.
—Jennie Morrison, Newberry Seminar in the Humanities, Fall 2007
My mentors were of immense help during this program. They both were always available to explain essential concepts to me or help me with things not only pertaining to my specific project, but also helping me out with graduate school searches and whatnot. I felt that I could always count on their assistance and that was very reassuring during this semester.
—Past participant, Oak Ridge Science Semester
Tanzania: Human Evolution and Ecology More testimonials »
Since returning, I’ve surrendered to my fond memories of the place that taught me so much, and I’ve channeled them toward my work now that I’m back. My grades are better–my schoolwork is fortified by a command of knowing how to research and analyze. My focus is sharper, I may not know exactly where I will be working in the future, but I know what my passions are and what I stand for and the causes for which I will be working. Being back means keeping your experience alive. It means encouraging others to learn the same lessons you learned, and it means decentralizing our own orientation in the world for a more inclusive perspective of all people.
—Danae Roumis, Tanzania, Fall 2006