Alumni testimonials
Botswana: University Immersion in Southern Africa More testimonials »
The ACM Botswana program presented me with an array of experiences which, from the phenomenal to the mundane, challenged my understanding of development, Africa, people, and myself. I appreciated equally opportunities to meet current and former presidents and listen to federal budget presentations and the opportunities to ride khombis and to work side by side with Batswana women discussing and laughing about clients and husbands in mixed English and Setswana. I alternately cherished and struggled with the slow pace of life, the subtle, roundabout conversations, and the overwhelming heat, but through these transformations confronted serious questions about research, international development, my involvement in different communities, the political and social systems of my own country, and the intricacies of friendship. It was an extraordinary journey.
—Laura Eberly, Botswana, Spring 2008
Brazil: Semester Exchange Programs More testimonials »
I had always wanted to learn Portuguese, but my college wasn't offering any Portuguese classes at the time. I discovered the Brazil Exchange program and found it attractive because everything would be taught in Portuguese, and I would be with all Brazilian students. When I arrived in Brazil, I knew less than ten words in Portuguese. Luckily, I caught on quickly and after about two months, I was completely conversational; after six months, I was fluent. Juiz de Fora had few tourists, so I was a total celebrity! I was known as Ivi (pronounced Evie), the American, all over town. I can't imagine a better place to spend a semester or a better way to learn Portuguese.
—Eve Aguilar, Brazil Exchange, Spring 2008
Chicago Programs: Business, Entrepreneurship, & Society More testimonials »
While I am confident that my college has been the right and best place for me to pursue my studies, I also realize the importance of investing in my education beyond the classroom, and the ACM Chicago Programs have provided a fantastic opportunity to do so by engaging us through experiential learning. I have immensely enjoyed living in the city of Chicago, and I look forward to applying how much I have developed personally, professionally, and academically in the program to my educational experience going forward.
—Eric Boyken, Chicago Business, Entrepreneurship, & Society, Spring 2009
My semester in Chicago on the ACM Chicago Arts program was hands-down the best semester of my entire scholastic career. I had the opportunity to meet amazing people, explore talents that I didn't even know I had, work at an internship that I loved, and learn about Chicago, a city that I grew up in but never understood so well until now. Most importantly, there was a sense of freedom and independence that you don't really get in more conventional classes on-campus. You really are living on your own in the middle of the third largest US city. It was phenomenal!
—Brittany Alston, Chicago Arts, Fall 2008
Looking back at my ACM Urban Studies experience, I realize just how much I learned in those few short months. Sure, I learned the CTA like the back of my hand, found great hangout spots I still visit when I'm in the area, and learned that there are 77 areas in the city of Chicago. What I learned most, however, was that it doesn't take a "superhero" to create positive change. The community members and leaders I met during the program amazed me, and I still find myself recalling the lessons I learned from them. I remember that they were just people like me, and that I can create change to help improve the lives of both myself and the people around me.
—Susan Taylor, Chicago Urban Studies Spring 2004
Costa Rica: Field Research in the Environment, Social Sciences, & Humanities More testimonials »
During my four months in Costa Rica, I was exposed to and soaked in more culture, language, social nuance, and wildlife than I had thought possible. Every step of the way, the ACM staff and my host families were there to support me in my research, personal growth, and weekend endeavors. The combination of the quality of support and instruction from the ACM staff and the generosity of spirit that pervades Costa Rica made the experience rich and unforgettable.
—Ryan Casserly, Costa Rica, Spring 2008
Costa Rica: Language, Society, & the Environment More testimonials »
My semester in Costa Rica was the best semester of my college career so far. I learned more and grew as a person more than I thought possible. My independence grew as a result of navigating in an unfamiliar place, and seeing that I was capable of succeeding at this increased my confidence. Both my San José and rural stay families welcomed me into their homes and provided me with their own unique perspectives on Costa Rican life and culture. I especially enjoyed having the freedom to travel and explore the country, and I developed incredibly close friendships with my fellow ACM students. I am so grateful for the opportunities this program offered me, and it is an experience I will never forget.
—Natalie Talbert, Costa Rica, Fall 2008
Florence: Arts, Humanities, & Culture More testimonials »
I had no idea what to expect when I left Wisconsin in my way to Florence. During the ACM Florence Program, Italy challenged me in ways I could never have imagined. Whether through finding out the hard way that bus number 13 is never on time, or discovering the connections between Renaissance etiquette and modern survival, living in Florence taught me to accept my own mistakes and become a more creative problem solver. Discovering these abilities changed how I view and make art, altered how I interact with people, and, I must admit, taught me to love coffee, too!
—Jennifer Halbman, Florence Program, Fall 2007
India: Culture, Traditions, & Globalization More testimonials »
Although spending five months in Pune, India was one of the most challenging things I have ever done, it was also one of the most fulfilling. India is a place where intense beauty and sadness are both intertwined and inseparable to an extreme that I have yet to see anywhere else. I felt such a sense of empowerment and success when I became able to navigate the streets of Pune by myself, or when I could hold a conversation in Marathi with my host mother or a rickshaw driver. Those little things caused me to gain a much broader understanding of the world.
—Katie Blanchard, India, Fall 2008
The Japan Study program gave me the opportunity of immersion in a language I had long studied and provided me with some of the most memorable experiences of my life. From picking the bones out of a fish at 6:30 in the morning while discussing hydrogen power (in Japanese) with my dorm manager to eating fresh taiyaki with friends while talking about the eye-opening international perspective we were gaining from studying abroad, I could not have had a more rewarding or beneficial experience. The level of language and cultural education that I had on the Japan Study program is something that I will carry with me for the rest of my life, and is something for which I am tremendously grateful.
—Keaton White, Japan Study, Fall 2007
London & Florence: Arts in Context More testimonials »
I can truly say that my semester abroad on the ACM London & Florence program was the most eye-opening, mind-expanding experience of my life to this point. At no point in my college career have I acquired knowledge more applicable and pertinent to my life. The wisdom gained goes so far beyond the coursework, as well. Whether you are hanging out at Speaker's Corner at Hyde Park in London or people watching in a busy piazza in Florence, you are sure to gain a whole new perspective on the world. All I can say is, go abroad, soak it up while you can, and take as much home with you as possible when you leave!
—Lee Homan, London & Florence, Spring 2008
Newberry Seminar: Research 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
The Oak Ridge Science Semester was an extremely positive and motivating experience for me. It gave me the opportunity to experience the scientific community first-hand. Not only did I work with incredibly knowledgeable and genuinely helpful people, but I was able to see what a career in science can really be like. I was given the opportunity to develop my own research project, a daunting but exciting proposition for an undergraduate. I was even able to present my work at a national conference. No other research experience has prepared me so completely for graduate work.
—Arron Wolk, Oak Ridge Science Semester, Fall 2007
Tanzania: Ecology & Human Origins More testimonials »
Going on the study abroad program to Tanzania was one of the most important decisions I have ever made. Not a day goes by that I don't look back at my time in Tanzania and wish I could go back there again. I really discovered myself as a person and learned to observe everything in a new perspective. This will continue to be one of the most influential and wonderful experiences of my life. Ninapenda Tanzania!
—Cyndi Pinkus, Tanzania, Fall 2006