Student blogger and honors student Julia Vasinda ’11 recently interviewed Bill Meiers, Associate Dean of the Honors Program and English Instructor, as part of her senior thesis. She shares her Q&A, which discusses Arcadia’s unique First Year Study Abroad Experience (FYSAE), as well as some of the benefits and challenges of studying abroad.

“Well [FYSAE] is a good feeder program, so obviously students who want to go abroad, but after looking at the academics, we look a lot into what kind of person they are.  Mostly this is done through interviews; it is almost like interviewing just to get into college. We ask them about their goals in terms of study abroad.  Whenever anyone just says travel, travel, travel, that is not really what we are looking for.  We just want to know that they are going to be successful… But really, FYSAE is kind of a self-selected group; they have to really want to go.”

Read more of the interview.