As the world continues to navigate the pandemic, students are eager to advance their learning across the globe. Though MMC’s campus and New York City itself has an opportunity for almost anything, it doesn’t give students the chance to explore the world first hand like Study Abroad programs offer. 

Here at Marymount Manhattan College, the Study Abroad program offers many opportunities for students to design their own experience. 

Marymount’s study abroad options include an Independent Study Abroad, where students can enroll in another Institution’s program and earn credits for it. Another option is to attend an MMC Affiliated-Institution, which is when MMC has a pre-organized partnership with specific programs around the world.

I sat down and talked with MMC’s Study Abroad Faculty Coordinator, Dr. Martha Sledge, and got more information about the current state of the program. 

“The world is out there for people who want to study abroad.” shares Sledge. “[Our study abroad opportunities] are those where you find a program anywhere in the world that you want to go study in and we help you make that a reality”. 

The coronavirus pandemic set back opportunities over the past two and a half years. With global restrictions and closed borders, students were no longer being issued student visas. Now, most travel restrictions have been lifted and students are able to go international. 

There is a simple process in getting your study abroad experience planned out. First, figure out where you want to travel to. Then, start researching programs available there. Upon your research, you may find that MMC already has a partnership with a program or university there (like our American College of Thessaloniki in Greece or our International Studies Institute in Florence). Lastly, just reach out to Dr. Sledge to get it coordinated.

As for housing, most programs or universities can offer residence halls/dorming, as well as home stays. 

“I have set up about 50 appointments with students who have expressed interest. Some, it’s a year and a half out, and some are like “how soon can I get there?”” says Sledge. 

Dr. Sledge says that students should plan their study abroad trip with her about a year in advance. “It can be done much faster than that, and I will work with whoever to try to make it happen, but start doing your research and contact me a year in advance [so it can get done].”

Film Production/English World Literature double major Hannah Decker (‘23) spent this past summer studying in Paris, France and earning credits through a CIEE (Center for International Educational Exchange) program. 

“My program was the Paris Collage Program, so architecture, history, and culture all in one.” Decker says. 

Decker curated her study abroad experience after hearing about CIEE from a friend who went to Italy the year prior. In her research, she found the Paris Collage program and knew it would be a perfect fit for her studies.

When asked about language barriers while navigating France, Hannah says “It was difficult at first but talk to them, use their language. The program I chose also had a basic French communication class offered, but I was doing Duolingo with my sister, so I knew most of it already”

“You’re young, you’re hot, and you’re ready to go!” Decker exclaims.

“One piece of advice I’d give to future students who are considering studying abroad is to just be fearless. Don’t allow anyone to hold you back or have any insecurities in traveling and going abroad alone. Learn the culture as much as you can beforehand, but if you don’t know it all, it’s OK! They’re gonna teach you so much, and you’ll just want to immerse yourself.”

For more information, options, and student testimonies about MMC’s Study Abroad program, visit the main Study Abroad page on MMC’s website, or contact Martha Sledge at [email protected].