In the summer edition of the magazine we asked alumni to share their study abroad experiences from their time as a student. A number of alums enjoyed the trip back in time and the excuse to dig through their photo albums. Enjoy their stories!
Theresa with her husband, Chad, in France last September.
Theresa Doyle-Nelson, ’81
Though an elementary education major, I also took some French classes, and soon felt a pull to spend a semester in France. At first, my conversational French was wobbly and the culture took some adjusting to. Before long, however, I could carry on decent-enough conversations, grew to appreciate the French lifestyle … and was hooked on the pâtisseries!
This past fall, 44 years later, I returned to France for a month, to my favorite town: Lisieux, home of St. Thérèse. This time, I went with my husband, Chad Nelson, SBU Class of 1979. And the pâtisseries still tempted me each day!
(Above, at left, Theresa is pictured in a youth hostel in Paris during her SBU study abroad experience. Note the painting on the ledge behind her. Theresa purchased it from the artist who painted it at Montmartre (northern Paris); she has treasured and displayed it since her semester abroad.)
Andrew R. Mancuso, ’09
Andrew Mancuso (at left) in Morocco.
I knew I wanted to study abroad at some point during college well before I enrolled at St. Bonaventure.
As I progressed through my studies at SBU, taking the newly offered Arabic courses (this was 2007), I realized I wanted to go somewhere different than Italy or Ireland (preferred destinations of students at the time). So, I put in a fair amount of research and effort to coordinate a program that would fulfill the SBU education requirements.
I ended up going to Morocco to study at the renowned Al-Akhawayn University in the Atlas Mountains of Ifrane. Here, I took coursework in Arabic and Islamic studies, ate some of the best food I had ever tasted, and made lifelong friendships with people from around the world.
We took frequent trips to Fez, Marrakech, and went on an expedition into the dunes of the Sahara Desert. I will never forget the time I spent there, and all of the valuable cultural lessons I was taught still stick with me today. SBU helped me realize this unique experience and I am enormously grateful for that.
Craig Vicini, ’07, ’08
I had the privilege of participating in Bona’s summer Oxford program in the mid-to-late 2000s.
The experience of living and learning at the University of Oxford was truly revolutionary, opening my eyes to a broader worldview and stimulating a sense of intellectual curiosity that has not dissipated.
The conversations shared and the memories formed with my fellow Bonnies, our outstanding program directors and our University of Oxford tutors, all amid the charm and the beautiful Gothic architecture of Oxford, were truly unforgettable.
From my first arrival at Somerville College (then home to Bona’s program) to our day trips to London to the feeling of using “cheers” properly for the first time, I will always remember my time with the Oxford program as some of the very best moments of my college years.
When taking photos with the SBU banner or flag in China, the group had to take it out and put it away quickly due to its religious nature.
Michelle Burke, ’99
My business law professor, Don Swanz, and his wife, Mary, took students to China in the winter of 1997.
It was an amazing experience! We toured the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace and took classes at BIT (Beijing Institute of Technology).
I’ve always had a passion for traveling, but this launched it to a new level.
I’ve been fortunate to continue my love of traveling through hiking adventures in Iceland, Italy and Norway (this summer). I’m also a co-adviser of our travel club at our public high school and it’s a joy to pass this excitement to young people.
John R. Kennedy, ’06, ’08
I studied in the summer 2005 Francis E. Kelley Oxford Program. The classroom education was great, but the experience outside the classroom was truly exceptional.
I had a life-threatening illness at the end of the program and was “stuck” in England for an additional six weeks, as I could not fly. I was shown that the Franciscan values taught at St. Bonaventure were real. Two former Russell J. Jandoli School of Journalism professors (Barbara and the late Alan MacKenzie) ran a new bed and breakfast nearby and gave me food, shelter and care as I recovered. We had never previously met.
SBU provided the books I needed to be caught up in my studies when I returned. Cards and emails of well wishes poured in from all over the world, many from professors and alumni I had never met. There are no adequate thanks I can ever provide to the Bonaventure family for helping me ultimately achieve a full recovery. Go, Bona’s!
FOR THE NEXT EDITION
We’ve all heard the stories – alums running into each other in airports, concerts and at the beach. Where was the most unexpected place you’ve met a fellow Bonnie?
Share your story in 100 words & share a photo if you have one: magazine@sbu.edu. We’ll print a collection of responses in the summer 2024 issue.
Chris Michel, ’08, ’10
In the fall of 2006, I fulfilled my dream of studying in Ireland in the same city where my ancestors came from – Galway.
I wasn’t the only one at the University of Galway trying to get in touch with his roots. That same semester, Martin Sheen was studying there, too. Fresh off of the last season of “The West Wing,” Sheen was returning to the land where his mother had immigrated from.
I ended up striking up a bit of a friendship with Martin, and had dinner with him and his family a few times. I also got to interview him for The Bona Venture. As a third-year journalism major, I couldn’t have been more excited.
McConnell is pictured with the Clintons and Turlough McConnell.
Lorraine Frankola McConnell, ’71
There wasn’t a junior year abroad program at SBU in 1969 when I was a sophomore, but my philosophy professor, Fr. Stephen Brown, suggested that I might like an adventure in Ireland. I knew little about that country, but courses and credit transfers were approved, so, in August, I headed off to University College Dublin.
My experiences for the next 12 months were probably similar to those of most students who went abroad. I met many new friends, learned another language, hitchhiked through Europe, and got engaged. In fact, a few years later, Bona’s chaplain, Fr. Hugh Eller, officiated at our wedding in NYC.
Two wonderful children and a terrific career in public relations followed. During many visits back to my husband’s family, near Derry in the north of Ireland, I experienced firsthand the ongoing war that continued in that part of the country. In the States, I often participated in nonpartisan initiatives to promote peace in Northern Ireland.
Flash forward to November of 1995, when the real importance of my initial trip abroad became apparent to me. President William Clinton finally negotiated a peace treaty with England’s Prime Minister John Major and he was coming to Northern Ireland. Proud that I had participated in a small way to end such a long, violent conflict, I agreed to be part of the group welcoming the president to Derry. Although I met him a few times after that in the coming year, nothing compared with that celebration in Northern Ireland. I don’t know how I wound up there, but Fr. Brown was right: I did like that adventure!
Megan Kane, ’12, (left) and Sorokes flamenco dancing.
Emily Sorokes, ’12, ’13
I studied abroad in Seville, Spain, when I was a sophomore and it was truly life-changing. My roommate and I lived with an older Spanish woman who was like a grandmother to us. She made authentic Spanish breakfast, lunch and dinner and taught us all about Spanish pop culture as we watched the morning talk shows and evening news. I still make her recipes often.
Throughout the semester, I blogged for Bona’s study abroad office, which was extra fun for me as a journalism student. Today I work in marketing at TelevisaUnivision, a Spanish broadcast company. My time abroad was key in helping me learn the Spanish language and culture that I apply in my job every day.
The participants of the 1992 Oxford program.
Cisca (Sugiro) Peszynski, Ph.D., ’93
In the summer of 1992, I participated in the Francis E. Kelley Oxford program. That year was truly special because it was the first for everything. It was the first time we stayed at New College instead of Somerville College. It was the first time Ramapo College students joined us in our program. Thirdly, we had a five-day coach tour to Scotland, Keswick and York after the six-week program.
We were immersed in British language, art and culture. We learned crisps (potato chips), chips (french fries), pavement (sidewalk), etc. The reason we made this trip was to experience something different than we were accustomed to. We visited many palaces, castles and museums.
My sincere gratitude to the program directors who became our moms and dads: Dr. Tom Schaeper and his family, Dr. Chuck Walker and his family, and Dr. Mike Russell and his wife, professor Barb Russell. I often refer back to this trip, especially when I meet a Brit in the U.S.
Bridget Quinn, ’04
From left, Bridget Quinn, Colby Krug, Erin Holzerland Mansour and Erik Bohen are pictured on their roof overlooking Galway Bay.
In 2002, I studied abroad in Galway, Ireland, with Colby Krug, Erin Holzerland and Erik Bohen. We all lived together in a flat overlooking Galway Bay and were totally immersed in Irish culture.
We also made new friends abroad, including fellow Bonaventure student Anne Tully. These continue to be some of my most cherished friendships to this day. I am incredibly thankful I had the opportunity to go!