ecent graduates Meagan Wilder, BA’09 (T), and Jessica Klein, BS’09 (T), have shared experiences in the Global Scholars program at FDU’s Metropolitan Campus. Both entered FDU as freshmen in 2005, traveled to the Dominican Republic for their first study-abroad, spent a semester at Wroxton College and capped off their study-abroad experiences with a trip to Belize. Wilder, an international studies major, studied abroad four times in four years. On campus she was involved with the Global Scholars Student Advisory Committee, Amnesty International and the Human Rights and Conflict Resolution Symposium. She has been accepted into the University of New Haven, Conn., for a master’s degree in national security. She hopes to work — and travel — for the U.S. State Department. A business management major, Klein was active in the University Honors Program, the Multicultural Council, the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and the National Society of Leadership and Success. A four-year member of FDU’s Division I Knights softball team, Klein plans on a career in sports management.

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Why did you choose the Global Scholars program at FDU?
Klein: It’s one of the reasons why I applied to FDU. I liked the study-abroad program at Wroxton. I saw opportunities to travel in the program and that’s something I’d never done before. I’d never been outside the U.S.
Wilder: I felt that this would be a program that kind of separated me from everybody else. I think FDU really is a leader in global education. I have friends all over the place — California, Maryland, Washington, D.C. — and none of them are doing what I am doing.

Did the Global Scholars program live up to your expectations?
Klein: It went beyond! I didn’t really expect to have as many opportunities as I did. I’ve been to the United Nations a few times, and I’ve heard a lot of U.N. speakers on campus. Those have been real interesting. The program has changed my perspective. I’ve seen another side of things that I didn’t know existed. I’ve learned about ways of life that I didn’t understand as fully until I saw them first-hand. I have grown so much being a part of the program. Every teacher, every faculty, every friend, every roommate — a lot of people have had a positive impact on me.
Wilder: I live in Global Scholars Court, and I love it. It’s nice living with people that you know have the same general interests as you. The study abroad was like vacationing with my best friends. I knew everybody in the house [Global Scholars Court], but study abroad did bring us closer together.

Looking at the Global Scholars program overall, what do you think was the best aspect of the program?
Wilder: I would definitely say the travel opportunities. Dr. [Samuel] Raphalides [director of the Global Scholars program at the Metropolitan Campus] works really hard to pick places that I think you wouldn’t normally go, such as Cyprus.
Klein: I would have to say that going to Wroxton was one of the best experiences — if not the best experience — of my college career. It had such an impact on me. I learned a lot. I saw a lot. I experienced a lot. I also made great friendships with people while I was there — people I would have never even met otherwise. People from other countries as well as from FDU’s College at Florham. I grew up while I was there. It helped me become who I am now.

How did study abroad influence your future path?
Wilder: We met a lady who was in the foreign service when we went to Belize, and she told me what she does. I already knew kind of what I wanted to do. But talking to her I got this stirring feeling that made me feel like I was on the right path.
Klein: Since I have traveled overseas, I’m open to the idea of maybe working overseas if that fits into a job description for me. Because of coming here and the Global Scholars program, I’ve now visited nine different countries.

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Global and Florham Scholars | Florham Scholar Caitlin Taylor

FDU-Vancouver | Wroxton College | Academics | Online Learning
FDU and the United Nations | Study Abroad

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