SUNY Oneonta students have taken the world by storm this summer, with nearly 70 embarking on a record number of immersive, international learning adventures.
This year, the university offered seven different summertime faculty-led programs (FLPs), which are short-term study abroad opportunities. Lasting anywhere from 1 to 4 weeks, FLPs incorporate coursework, cultural experiences and often service-learning opportunities. Students get to apply their classroom knowledge in a completely new setting and learn unique subject matters not regularly taught on campus.
This is the most extensive summer offering SUNY Oneonta has had, and the Office of Global Education hopes to offer seven FLPs again next year.
Red Dragons Explore the World
“Faculty-led programs give our students a ‘mini study abroad,’ if you will, and foster deep academic exploration while enhancing cultural awareness, making the learning experience truly unforgettable,” said Office of Global Education Director Michelle Lopez.
We’re incredibly happy to be able to offer so many life-changing opportunities for experiential learning, something we prioritize at SUNY Oneonta!”
In one of the world’s happiest countries, Finland, eight students got a behind-the-scenes look at the nation’s innovative educational system. During the longest trip, in the United Kingdom, 11 students engaged in the Philosophy of Life & Death, delving deep into discussions about mortality, suffering and the meaning of life. Ten budding photography students traveled to Portugal to develop their storytelling skills and create a documentary portfolio. In Colombia, nine students explored the Andes’ cultural identity, focusing on history, migration, and the “Paisa” identity.
Twelve students traveled to Cuba to examine community health goals and struggles around the world by considering the Cuban healthcare system, with a particular focus on the effects of geopolitics and globalization. In Guatemala, 13 students worked with local communities around Lake Atitlán to develop sustainable water solutions. Finally, in Ecuador, 12 Oneonta students engaged in humanitarian work and cultural immersion, addressing poverty and supporting vulnerable Latin American youth.
A Cautionary Tale
Studying abroad is addicting, according to James Karsch, a junior Geography major from Brooklyn, NY, who “always wanted to be a citizen of the world,” but hadn’t had much opportunity to travel. All of that changed last year when he enrolled in the “Water and the Environment of Guatemala” faculty-led program, taught by Dr. Tracy Allen, dean of the School of Sciences. This year, he decided Cuba, chaperoned by President Alberto Cardelle, would be his next trip.
“It was an action-packed week there with President Cardelle, who was not only a great teacher but a great campanero,” Karsch said. “We went from hospitals to clinics to farms with homeopathic medicines and much more. And though I was (unlike many of my fellow students) not a pre-med type, Dr. Cardelle supported my request to do my final paper on the geographic vectors of health care through the lens of a single infectious disease…now that I’m back home, I am working in the hot sun to make bank before my next passport stamp: study abroad this year in Japan!”
Making Global Learning Accessible
For many students, taking advantage of an FLP opens doors that may not otherwise be accessible—financially, academically or experientially. Nineteen students who took part in the Summer 2025 FLPs received more than $18,000 in scholarship funds.
For Daniel Melendez, a senior Childhood Education major from Long Island, traveling to Portugal was an “enriching and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
“Being able to travel outside of the country for the first time was an amazing experience,” Melendez said. “I have learned so much from living in the Portuguese culture for two weeks: I was able to learn how they live, act, and go about their daily lives. This is something that I would love every college/university student to enjoy as it has given me the chance to do something that I thought would never happen and turned out to be the best trip of my life.”
Marley Wells, a senior from Monticello, NY, studying Early Childhood/Childhood Education, said her trip to Finland was “truly life-changing” and completely shifted her perspective as a future educator.
“The way Finnish educators interact with their students, rooted in mutual trust and respect, was both eye-opening and inspiring, and I look forward to incorporating some of these classroom philosophies into my own classroom,” Wells said. “Experiencing Finnish culture firsthand was equally impactful. Witnessing how citizens treat one another and care for the land with such deep respect was truly beautiful. This experience has left a lasting impression, and I would wholeheartedly recommend this experience to anyone seeking inspiration, both personally and professionally.”
10 SUNY Oneonta students participated in a faculty-led study aboard course that covered concepts of documentary photography