Faythe Schulte ’23 spent the spring 2022 semester deepening her knowledge of French culture by interning for an architectural firm in Paris and enrolling in French architecture, literature, and art history courses. Equally important, Schulte says, was what she learned while walking the streets of Paris.
“When you explore new places, you learn so much by meeting new people and truly experiencing the culture,” Schulte says. “At my internship, I learned the routines of a typical French work day, which I would never have had the opportunity to experience if I hadn’t studied away.”
Schulte is a double major in French and environmental science and sustainability (ESS). Encouraged by Assistant Dean for International Student Services Lenée McCandless, Associate Professor of French Briana Lewis, and Assistant Professor of ESS Matt Bethurem, she applied for Boston University’s Paris Internship Program. The program includes eight weeks of intensive French-language and liberal arts coursework, followed by a seven-week internship.
Schulte’s internship at Les Ateliers Masurel Architectures focused on completing renovations of a co-working space in the most sustainable way possible. Her responsibilities included project planning, sourcing materials, and contacting contractors. Aside from working on the space, she visited worksites around Paris and helped with tasks around the office.
Schulte noted that her favorite places to visit in France were Saint-Émilion and Giverny (home to Monet’s Gardens). Outside of France, she enjoyed Prague, which she had the chance to visit on a weekend.
“If you have the opportunity to study away, definitely take it,” Schulte says. “This experience truly changed my life! I learned so much about myself while immersing myself in a language and culture that I love.”
After Schulte graduates, she plans on teaching English abroad for a year in a French-speaking country. Eventually, she would like to pursue a dual Ph.D. in French studies with anthropology, sociology, or history and ultimately become a professor.
“There are so many benefits to studying away during college,” Allegheny Assistant Dean for Global Education Brita Doyle says. “You’ll make new friends, gain new perspectives on your field of study, discover your strengths, and better understand the world.”
Allegheny College students can study away at over 35 programs in 15 countries, including foreign and domestic locations, which can be credited to major or minor requirements. Plus, when Allegheny students study away on a sponsored program, they can take their institutional and federal financial aid with them. Knowledge of a foreign language is not a requirement of most programs.
Get in touch with the Office of Global Education to discover Allegheny-sponsored study away opportunities.
