Fall 2006

President's corner: why study abroad?

William J. Hynes, President

St. Norbert was born in Germany, founded the Norbertines in France, lived in Italy and Poland, and today is buried in Prague. Like our patron St. Norbert, the College encourages our students to live and study abroad sometime during their four years here. Why do we do this? We do this because living in another culture and even learning another language opens people to a wider experience of the wonderful diversity of the world.

When I was in my early 20s, I had occasion to study at the University of Geneva in Switzerland for six months. Before and after this experience, I engaged in intensive language studies. Anticipating having to speak French in Geneva, I took a month-long language course in Tours, France. Although I had a reading knowledge of theological French, plunging me into a world of exclusively spoken French was a very challenging experience. All of a sudden, I had a well-educated mind, but my language was that of a four-year-old. Day by day, my knowledge and confidence grew until I could navigate reasonably well throughout the day.

Located outside Geneva in a 12th-century chateau, the Ecumenical Institute housed students from 30 different countries. There were five South Africans who represented virtually all the major warring racial and religious groups. To speak with one was to make the others immediately suspicious. In the next six months I became friends with many of my fellow students, learning much about their denominations, cultures and values. Now I literally have friends all over the world.

Later in the spring, I lived with the Marx family in Trier, Germany. Their backyard adjoined a Roman wall. Trier had been the northern capital of the Roman Empire. Romans had been the first to plant wine grapes along the banks of the Mosel River. Here began my life-long love of wine. Each time I succeeded in putting a noun and verb together, the Marx family rewarded me with a piece of cake or a glass of wine, spurring me much further along in German than in French.

Today, our St. Norbert students have a parallel opportunity to study in Africa, Italy, Sicily, Spain, Germany, France, Ireland, England, Japan, Mexico, South America, Australia and New Zealand, just to name a few countries. They discover cultural complexities and navigate linguistic intricacies. Many find ways to advance the common good of others. For example, for a decade our students have collected funds to help local children attend school in Zambia. In short, study abroad gives our students an opportunity to begin to become global citizens.