Broadening the scope of career objectives, connecting with family roots, and living independently were all good enough reasons for NYIT students to pack their bags and head to China.

Organized by NYIT's Center for Global Academic Exchange, 14 students from New York studied at NYIT-Nanjing during the fall 2010 semester. In addition to attending classes, they participated in cultural exchange events and sightseeing opportunities designed to help them connect with their peers overseas.

"It takes a lot of courage to study abroad for the first time," explains Julie Fratrik, director of the Center for Global Academic Exchange. "I like to plant the seeds in their minds before they've even begun to think about the possibility."

Fratrik works with program applicants to ensure their NYIT degree requirements are met through their coursework in Nanjing. While she encourages the New York students to take a Chinese language course during their stay in Nanjing, she also prepares Chinese students from NYIT's partnership with Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications to meet students from New York upon their arrival. These "cultural ambassadors" advise the new arrivals on everything from how to order a meal to how to get around campus- becoming familiar faces in an unfamiliar city.

"Since I am an international student, I got to learn about both Chinese and American cultures," says Samprada Shresta, originally from Kathmandu, Nepal. Although she was out of her comfort zone, she notes that the trip to China made her "stronger and more mature."

Students experienced a variety of outcomes from their time in Nanjing. A communication arts major, Kevin Natividad (pictured above) says sharing a classroom with students who grew up with different traditions and beliefs helped him "visually understand" and gain a unique perspective that will make him a better filmmaker.

Brooklyn, N.Y., native Tracy Sit, who has relatives in China, says her trip abroad allowed her to learn more about her background without causing a break in her studies.

"I knew some history and culture about China, but definitely learned a lot more with this experience," she says. "My semester in Nanjing gave me a new view on life."

Calvin Xu, another native New Yorker, says he jumped at the chance to connect with peers from foreign cultures as well as "the ability to live in an economic and political powerhouse whose impact on the world stage has yet to reach its full potential." Xu enjoyed his time in Nanjing last fall so much that he decided to return for the spring 2011 semester.

"After this global exchange program, students will make friendships that will transcend borders and last well beyond their semester in China," says Fratrik.

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