Academics

Abington hosts immersion program for U.K. students

An immersion program brought students from England's Bucks New University to Abington for one week. Credit: Pamela Brobst / Penn State. Creative Commons

Penn State Abington hosted students and faculty from England’s Bucks New University (BNU) last week as part of an immersion program that has welcomed BNU students to the campus for the past several years. Abington students volunteered as buddies for the English visitors and attended the various seminars and activities.

English students enjoy a welcome lunch with their Abington student buddies, faculty and staff in the campus solarium. Credit: Pamela Brobst / Penn State. Creative Commons

English students enjoy a welcome lunch with their Abington student buddies, faculty and staff in the campus solarium. Credit: Pamela Brobst / Penn State. Creative Commons

English students enjoy a welcome lunch with their Abington student buddies, faculty and staff in the campus solarium. Credit: Pamela Brobst / Penn State. Creative Commons

English students enjoy a welcome lunch with their Abington student buddies, faculty and staff in the campus solarium. Credit: Pamela Brobst / Penn State. Creative Commons

English students enjoy a welcome lunch with their Abington student buddies, faculty and staff in the campus solarium. Credit: Pamela Brobst / Penn State. Creative Commons

The iconic Lion Shrine serves as a gathering place for the English students and their Abington buddies. Credit: Pamela Brobst / Penn State. Creative Commons

The iconic Lion Shrine serves as a gathering place for the English students and their Abington buddies. Credit: Pamela Brobst / Penn State. Creative Commons

The iconic Lion Shrine serves as a gathering place for the English students and their Abington buddies. Credit: Pamela Brobst / Penn State. Creative Commons

A Bucks New University faculty member and Abington student Stacey Braun battle for the trophy at the traditional bowling event between students of the two colleges. Credit: Pamela Brobst / Penn State. Creative Commons

Students from Abington and England have made it a tradition to go bowling to celebrate the halfway point of an intense week of lectures and field experiences. Credit: Pamela Brobst / Penn State. Creative Commons

English students enjoy a welcome lunch with their Abington student buddies, faculty and staff in the campus solarium. Credit: Pamela Brobst / Penn State. Creative Commons

English students enjoy a welcome lunch with their Abington student buddies, faculty and staff in the campus solarium. Credit: Pamela Brobst / Penn State. Creative Commons

English students enjoy a welcome lunch with their Abington student buddies, faculty and staff in the campus solarium. Credit: Pamela Brobst / Penn State. Creative Commons

English students enjoy a welcome lunch with their Abington student buddies, faculty and staff in the campus solarium. Credit: Pamela Brobst / Penn State. Creative Commons

English students enjoy a welcome lunch with their Abington student buddies, faculty and staff in the campus solarium. Credit: Pamela Brobst / Penn State. Creative Commons

The iconic Lion Shrine serves as a gathering place for the English students and their Abington buddies. Credit: Pamela Brobst / Penn State. Creative Commons

The iconic Lion Shrine serves as a gathering place for the English students and their Abington buddies. Credit: Pamela Brobst / Penn State. Creative Commons

The iconic Lion Shrine serves as a gathering place for the English students and their Abington buddies. Credit: Pamela Brobst / Penn State. Creative Commons

A Bucks New University faculty member and Abington student Stacey Braun battle for the trophy at the traditional bowling event between students of the two colleges. Credit: Pamela Brobst / Penn State. Creative Commons

Students from Abington and England have made it a tradition to go bowling to celebrate the halfway point of an intense week of lectures and field experiences. Credit: Pamela Brobst / Penn State. Creative Commons

This year, the students focused on the themes of "American Sports Management in Theory and Practice" and the "American Criminal Justice System in Legal, Cultural and Historical Context." The activities and field experiences, organized under the auspices of Dr. Gary Calore, Division Head, Social Sciences, included:

-- A visit to the chamber of Penn State alumnus and Philadelphia Municipal Court Judge Gerard A. Kosinski and a tour of the office of Penn State alumnus and Philadelphia District Attorney R. Seth Williams.-- Lectures by Abington faculty members including Sean Griffith , author of the best-seller "Gaming The Game: The Story Behind the NBA Betting Scandal and the Gambler Who Made It Happen," and Michael Bernstein, assistant professor of psychology.-- Visits to Philadelphia’s sports arena for behind-the-scenes tours.

Dolores Rafter Arevalo coordinates numerous international programs at Abington. Students from Hof University of the Applied Sciences in Germany regularly visit the college, and Arevalo’s Office of Global Programs is also the point of contact for about 40 students from around the world who are pursuing their degrees at Abington.

In addition, the office provides support for courses with international travel components each academic year.

“Study abroad should be the cornerstone of an undergraduate education," said Arevalo. "However, I understand that many students for personal, academic or co-curricular reasons may never have the opportunity. So in addition to sending students abroad, Penn State Abington brings the world to our campus.”

For more information about international programs at Abington, go to www.abington.psu.edu/global-programs.

Last Updated April 8, 2013

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