Delivering Unique Opportunities

hanks to the Student Exchange Program created by the Association of Colleges of the Sisters of St. Joseph (ACSSJ), three students from affiliated colleges across the country immersed themselves in New York City and all it has to offer, while spending a semester studying at St. Joseph’s University, New York this fall.

“The program allows opportunities for students to expand their experiences by studying on another campus — studying with new faculty members, making new friends, and accomplishing their personal and professional goals,” said Martha Malinski, executive director of the ACSSJ.

Malinski believes the program started in the 1970s or 1980s, predating the ACSSJ itself.

“My favorite thing about the program is hearing about the ways in which (students) find new academic, social and professional opportunities to grow,” Malinski said. “Many of the students continue relationships with other students, faculty members and staff after their semester on another campus.”

Two students from Fontbonne University in St. Louis, Missouri, and one from Mount Saint Mary’s University in Los Angeles, California, studied at St. Joseph’s Brooklyn Campus.

“I must admit I initially chose St. Joseph’s University because of the location,” said Damion Tripp, 20, a psychology major from Kansas City who attends Fontbonne University. “New York City has a lot of opportunities and very distinct cultures. After looking at St. Joseph’s, I knew for sure that this would be my ideal choice and that I’d get a very good experience out of it.”