Carroll College students took their learning far beyond the classroom this summer, engaging in transformative global education programs in Zambia and Scandinavia. These faculty-led study abroad experiences exemplify Carroll’s mission to prepare students for lives of purpose and service through international engagement and hands-on learning. In addition, several students participated in individual study abroad programs in Italy and the United Kingdom through Carroll’s international partner institutions, further extending the college’s global reach.
Zambia: Medicine, Service, and Cultural Immersion
Eight Carroll students, led by Associate Professor of Biochemistry Dr. Chrissie Carpenter ’02, traveled to Livingstone, Zambia, for a three-week academic and service experience through the course SA 489: Medicine & Public Health in Zambia. In partnership with African Impact, the program offers an immersive introduction to Zambia’s healthcare system and public health challenges.
During their first week, students worked in local clinics, assisting with patient intake and shadowing healthcare professionals in departments such as outpatient care, HIV/TB services, maternity, and pharmacy. The second week shifted focus to public health education, where students helped lead community workshops on topics like nutrition, cervical cancer, women’s health, and HIV awareness.
Cultural excursions, local engagement, and daily life in Zambia added depth to the experience, fostering deeper empathy and understanding of global health disparities. This program reflects Carroll’s Sed Vitae curricular commitment, an educational philosophy that connects academic learning with meaningful global experience.
Scandinavia: Wellness, Policy, and Cultural Insight
Meanwhile, Associate Professor of Psychology Dr. Julian Nolen guided 15 Carroll students through Norway and Sweden on a two-week journey exploring the intersection of health, policy, and culture. The course, Health, Policy, and Humanity, asked students to consider: How do other countries understand and support mental health and holistic wellbeing?
In Norway, students explored Oslo, visited the Oslo Opera House, experienced the sensory healing practice of forest bathing, and participated in wellness traditions like sauna therapy at SALT. In Sweden, they examined food insecurity’s connection to mental health through a visit with the director of Matmissionen, a social supermarket in Stockholm. Students also encountered outdoor fitness culture, attended local concerts, practiced mindfulness, and sampled Scandinavian staples like lefse.
Rather than seeking definitive answers, the program encouraged students, many of whom aspire to careers in healthcare, to reflect critically and compassionately on global perspectives of wellbeing and what they might carry forward in their own professional journeys.
Individual Global Engagement: Italy and the United Kingdom
In addition to these faculty-led seminars, several Carroll students pursued individual study abroad experiences this summer through Carroll’s partner institutions. Chase Graham and Stella Adamszak are currently studying in Italy through Siena Italian Studies, where they are engaging with Italian language, culture, and history while immersed in the day-to-day rhythms of Siena’s vibrant community.
Meanwhile, Ashlynne Jefferies is participating in the International Security and Intelligence Program at Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. This intensive academic program provides students with a deep dive into global security policy, intelligence frameworks, and international relations, offering a unique perspective at the intersection of politics and ethics.
These individual experiences showcase the flexibility and breadth of Carroll’s study abroad partnerships, enabling students to tailor their international learning to their academic and career goals.
Expanding Access to Global Education
These summer experiences are just a glimpse into Carroll College’s growing portfolio of global learning opportunities. From semester-long exchanges to short-term faculty-led seminars, Carroll offers programs that equip students with the intercultural competence and global perspective needed to address the complex challenges of the 21st century. To follow more global journeys, visit facebook.com/carrollcollege, Instagram.com/carrollcollegemt.
Learn more about study abroad at Carroll: carroll.edu/studyabroad.