Victoria Lo ’26 studied abroad in Singapore in January 2025.
Maria Ngangsic-Asongu ’25 poses in Cannes during her semester abroad in Nice, France.
Students visited the Eiffel Tower during their J-term 2025 abroad.
Economics faculty Kristine West, PhD (in foreground), and Deep Shikha, PhD, led a J-term 2025 class in India.
From short-term programs to semester- and year-long experiences, ɫӰ students engage in global education in powerful ways, learning and making connections across the world through the Office of Global Studies.
In January 2025, St. Kate’s faculty led students on courses to India, Costa Rica, London, Paris, Cuba, and El Paso, Texas. In May, faculty will lead students on a course to Copenhagen, Denmark, to study women’s leadership and gender equity in Scandinavia. The travel is supported by the Katie Leadership Impact grant from The Manitou Fund.
Victoria Lo ’26
Students also studied independently in the University’s partner programs over J-term. Victoria Lo ’26, a communications and business administration major, studied entrepreneurship and start-up culture in Singapore in January 2025.
"There's nothing like the unique experience of study abroad,” said Lo. “I met so many new people, learned about myself, and experienced life different from mine! I saw amazing sustainable practices, architecture, and traveled to other countries. I am so thankful for the support my family and friends gave me while I went on this once-in-a-lifetime journey!"
All in all, around 100 Katies took the leap and studied abroad over J-term across four continents.
Many students choose to go abroad for a longer duration — studying over the summer, a semester, or even a full academic year on one of St. Kate’s affiliate partner-run programs. Maria Ngangsic-Asongu ’25, an international business and economics major, studied abroad spring 2024 in Nice, France, and studied business, sustainability, and immigration.
“Studying abroad was a truly unique experience that has made me more thoughtful, adaptable, and resilient,” Ngangsic-Asongu shared. “There were some challenges, like accidentally getting on the wrong bus a few times, but also many high moments — like improving my French to a level where I could converse and understand discussions. I’m really proud of myself for going on this journey, and I think I emerged from the experience with a better understanding of both myself and the world.”
Across Global Studies program offerings, students consistently describe study abroad as an opportunity for exploration, understanding their identity, and exploring what it means to lead and influence.
Nice, France (photo by Maria Ngangsic-Asongu ’25)
Program changes lead to new short-term opportunities
Global Studies is excited to support international and intercultural learning next year.
While St. Kate’s academic calendar will no longer feature J-term, Global Studies will continue to offer short-term courses. These courses will now be offered with embedded travel, in which students complete coursework during the semester and travel over spring break or after classes conclude in May. St. Kate’s is currently planning for five new faculty-led programs in spring 2026, with travel to Costa Rica, Thailand, Poland, and two courses in Mexico.
Katies have exciting plans to study abroad in summer and fall 2025, with destinations including South Korea, Sweden, France, England, Ireland, Spain, Costa Rica, Greece, Italy, and the Netherlands. Students can participate in programs during the fall, spring, and summer terms.
Finally, Global Studies is in the early stages of developing virtual global learning experiences across St. Kate’s. Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) is an innovative teaching method that connects the University’s faculty and students with peers at institutions in other countries. Together, they engage in joint learning experiences and cross-cultural collaboration — completely online. This spring, St. Kate’s piloted COIL in Building a Sustainable World, where Katies collaborated with students from the Universidad Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico to learn about sustainability issues in their home communities.
Global Studies is part of the Office of Scholarly Engagement, ɫӰ’s hub for engaged learning.
Learn more about Global Studies
All photos courtesy of the Office of Global Studies.