Learning Without Borders

At the heart of Rollins is our mission to cultivate globally engaged leaders and problem solvers, and this past summer, Tars once again made their mark by learning and contributing across the globe. From exploring the intersection of tradition and innovation in China to collecting turtle samples in the Dominican Republic, Rollins students put their learning into action.

Our commitment to a rich, diverse collection of international education programs and field study opportunities is a major reason Rollins consistently ranks among the best colleges for study abroad. Additionally, research from the Association of American Colleges & Universities shows that executives and hiring managers are more likely to hire candidates with experience in a field-based project in a community with people from diverse backgrounds, so these hands-on opportunities not only enrich the Rollins experience but also provide essential preparation for the workforce.

As last spring turned to summer, we asked students to keep us in the loop as they readied their passports and set out into the world. Here are a few of our favorite global stories from summer 2026.

Farrell Donnelly ’27 visited museums and cultural sites and participated in community engagement initiatives during a field study in South Africa. Donnelly and her cohort gained a firsthand understanding of the country’s socioeconomic conditions, global challenges, and history that shapes its communities today.

“This field study offered a unique opportunity to examine the intersection of environmental and governance challenges,” says Donnelly, a political science and environmental studies double major. “Throughout our trip, my classmates and I observed issues such as limited access to clean water, inadequate housing, and shared community infrastructure in the townships.”

Engaging directly with the people, places, and histories she had studied throughout the semester also gave Donnelly a deeper appreciation for the challenges Indigenous communities face in preserving their cultural identities in an increasingly globalized world, reinforcing the value of experiencing those issues beyond the classroom.

“By immersing myself in a different culture and gaining a deeper understanding of South Africa’s past and present, I developed a broader global perspective and a greater appreciation for the importance of informed and engaged citizenship.”

During a field study in China, anthropology major Max Van Alphen ’29 immersed himself in cultural activities and visited both modern and historical sites to gain a deeper appreciation for Chinese culture.

“We visited sites like Lingyin Temple, one of China’s oldest and most significant Buddhist temples, and hiked through the Longwu tea terraces outside Hangzhou, where tea has been cultivated for centuries,” says Van Alphen. “We also experienced the modernity of Shanghai, like seeing the Pudong skyline, meeting the team at Deep Robotics that showed us one of their robots up close, and riding up the Oriental Pearl Tower.”

For Van Alphen, experiencing centuries-old traditions alongside rapid technological advancement brought concepts of cultural diversity and globalization to life. Seeing the connections among culture, innovation, and international business also deepened his interest in anthropology and motivated him to pursue a master’s in business.

“Seeing thousand-year-old traditions like paper-cutting and tea farming existing right next to robotics companies and glass-floor skyscrapers changed my idea of what traditional and modern even mean. China isn’t picking between old and new; it’s holding onto both at once.”

Marine biology and economics double major Sophia Fondenaer ’27 traveled to the Dominican Republic, where she and her classmates hiked in national parks and collected samples from roughly 150 turtles across multiple locations.

“This experience has been one of the most valuable parts of my college education because it allowed me to apply concepts from the classroom in a real field research setting,” says Fondenaer. “It also gave me hands-on experience with wildlife sampling and data collection while providing the foundation for my honors thesis research, which will investigate pathogenic bacterial species in free-living aquatic Haitian and Dominican slider turtles.”⁠

Participating in every stage of the fieldwork gave Fondenaer a deeper understanding of the research process and confirmed her plans to pursue a master’s degree in marine science and eventually a career in marine biology research, with a particular interest in marine microbiology. Just as important, the experience showed her how much effective conservation depends on collaboration across disciplines and communities.

“Working with [biology professors] Dr. Pieczynski and Dr. Fokidis while also learning from local fishermen and conservation professionals showed me that protecting biodiversity requires collaboration, field experience, and an understanding of the people who interact with these ecosystems every day,” says Fondenaer.⁠

International business major Mary-Michael Compton ’29 says her Verano Español experience helped her meet new friends and improve her Spanish language proficiency through immersion.

Now in its 66th year, Verano Español is one of the oldest American study abroad programs in Spain, where students spend six weeks in Madrid immersed in Spanish language and culture through coursework, excursions, and guided activities led by Spanish professor and native Spaniard Alberto Prieto-Calixto.

“I chose Verano Español because it gave me the opportunity to study Spanish in Madrid while also experiencing the culture of Spain,” shares Compton. “Being able to explore Candelario and Segovia, smaller cities in Spain, was incredible. My personal favorite was hiking in Candelario and seeing the more rural areas of Spain.”

The program’s immersive coursework gave Compton daily opportunities to speak, listen, and write in Spanish while living alongside locals in the heart of Madrid. As her confidence grew, so did her willingness to engage with unfamiliar people and places—an experience that strengthened her adaptability and deepened her cultural awareness, which she’ll need in her future career in business.

“My professors taught the material only in Spanish, and in one class, my professor and I spoke only in Spanish, learning about what we each like to do, where we were from, and who we are, which was a real bonding moment. Being in a different place with new people can be scary, but it was worth it. As the trip continued, I was able to talk confidently and realize how much culture affects people.”