Students make abroad plans

Recently, a number of University of Richmond students found out where they would be studying abroad in the fall.

Sophomore Garrett Fundakowski said he would be attending a Council on International Educational Exchange program in Bonaire. Bonaire is a tiny Carribbean island off the coast of Venezuela that is a municipality of the Netherlands, Fundakowski said.

He said, "I will be stationed at a marine research facility on Bonaire taking classes in coral reef ecology and marine conservation efforts.

"It is aimed to provide hands-on experience in marine research so I will also be completing an independent research project and publishing a paper on my research in the program's journal."

He said this program was his first choice, and that he had picked it because he wanted his study abroad experience to be unique. "I will be logging over 50 [SCUBA] dives and conducting my own research in addition to learning about conservation efforts in a pristine marine environment where over 50 percent of the coast is part of a national marine park."

He said he considered marine science to be a dream job, so he was excited to explore that interest more through study abroad in Bonaire.

Austin Nuckols spent last semester in Edinburgh at University of Edinburgh. He said, "I had fun, I joined a lot of societies and got to meet a lot of cool people." Nuckols joined sketch comedy ground and worked on a musical called the "Mystery of Edwin Drood," he said.

Nuckols was similar to Fundakowski in that he was fortunate enough to receive his first choice. However, he did not have any particular reason for wanting to study in Edinburgh prior to applying, he said. He said he would definitely recommend the experience to other students.

Contact staff writer Brennen Lutz at brennen.lutz@richmond.edu