Andrew Daume
As Merrimack’s abroad program expands, more students are taking opportunities to add experiences from more than just from North Andover to exploring North America.
It’s a beautiful sunny morning, the birds are chirping, and the sky is blue. Jack Dwyer and Jon Vilagomez get out of bed and look out their windows. But for these Merrimack students, they don’t see a college campus, outside of their windows features vast landmarks and breathtaking views they could never find in North Andover. This is because Dwyer and Vilagomez took part in Merrimack’s ever-expanding abroad program, allowing these two, along with many other abroad students, to gain international insight and knowledge that can’t simply be replicated in a classroom. Not a day went by that these students felt the occasional boredom that living on the same college campus for 4 years may cause.
We live in a world with 195 countries, and most Merrimack students will never leave the country of their birth for many years. Some will stay in the United States their whole lives. This is where the abroad program comes into play. Merrimack’s abroad program allows students the opportunity to travel the world and earn credits, all without jeopardizing their college career paths. Students can study and intern at 50+ locations across 4 total continents, and these locations and opportunities are expanding. Merrimack’s abroad program has been around since 2012, and roughly 100 Merrimack students, 3% of the college’s student population, utilize this program to travel every year . Simona Sharoni is working hard to increase that number every year.
Dr. Simona Sharoni is the director of Merrimack’s abroad program, and as an avid traveler herself, she aims to show students the highlights of going abroad. Sharoni truly believes in the benefits of being abroad and has seen the transformation it can give students firsthand. “It offers students an opportunity to experience and engage with different cultures and languages. Many get clarity and new perspectives about their future plans.” It’s not just about the experience either, Sharoni believes “studying abroad has a transformative potential on so many levels, personal, educational, and professional. It builds confidence and character by taking students outside their comfort zones.” While a student is abroad, Sharoni is one of the many Merrimack staff that are constantly checking in to ensure students make the most of their new environment. Sharoni has insight into multiple different cultures and countries herself, and is knowledgeable in teaching students on the adjustment, but she has found that it is exceptionally rare for a student to wish to leave once they are immersed in the cultures of another country.
A perfect example of a student who never wanted to leave his international destination is John “Jack” Dwyer. Dwyer studied abroad in Rome, Italy his second semester of junior year. He loved his time in Rome, calling the experience a “dream come true. I’m very satisfied with how it turned out” Dwyer described the freedom of going abroad like “I had the pen in my hand and I was the author of my own story.” Dwyer got interested in abroad through one of Merrimack’s shorter faculty-led trips, an opportunity that Merrimack’s abroad program also offers for those who can’t commit to a long-term immersive experience or for those who just want to taste going abroad. Dwyer was initially only interested in the short-term trip, but after tasting what the world had to offer, he was hungry for more.
“The short trip didn’t even compare to the whole semester. While on campus, most tend to have the same routine, and while that’s important, breaking those routines can be extremely beneficial, especially when it comes to learning about culture, the arts, and experiencing a different lifestyle than what you’re used to.” Dwyer immersed himself in Rome as best as he could, staying up late to experience the nightlife, city life, exploring the countryside, and seeing famous landmarks. He praised the abroad adventure for challenging him as well. “Managing assignments and trying to make the most out of every day was difficult, but it taught me how to stay true to myself. The part of traveling people don’t see is the early morning airport trips, mind-boggling commute logistics, and copious amounts of walking. But that’s all part of it, and it teaches you skills that are applicable to everything in life.”
While Jack Dwyer was the author of his own story in Rome, Jon Villagomez had a different, yet just as extraordinary experience in Madrid, Spain. Villagomez has always been a huge soccer fan and an avid soccer player all his life. He has always wanted to travel to a destination that embraces the sport as much as he does, if not more. This is why he chose to travel to Madrid, a place where soccer isn’t just a sport, but rather a central part of local identity and a huge factor in social life. “Getting to watch a soccer game one day, and going to the club the next, then continuing to travel every weekend made up a truly ethereal experience,” Villagomez said This abroad experience fulfilled a “childhood dream” and emphasized how even when he felt homesick, the connections with his new international friends made him feel right at home.
He struggled with planning, saying, “It all happens too quickly. I had a lot of last-minute decisions, tickets, money, and visas could get in the way, and I didn’t realize how much time management was required. But all of this teaches a necessary lesson that standard college just can’t replicate.” Villagomez ends our interview by emphasizing how much he recommended the abroad program to students, but warned that it’s an option that should only be given to the grateful. He believes traveling abroad in college is such a privilege, and those who can’t see the opportunity through grateful eyes should reconsider their choices.
With the help of Dr. Sharoni’s guidance, Jack Dwyer and John Villagomez both had their mindsets shifted and lives enhanced by Merrimack’s abroad program and mutually recommended the program to any student interested in expanding their worldview and experiencing another culture. To any student interested in finding out more about this life-changing program, they can go to https://www.merrimack.edu/academics/study-abroad/, fill out the general interest form, and attend an information session. There is also a one-credit course offered for students who would like to determine where they would like to study abroad.
