FCRH Honors Global Engagement
Drawing on a long-standing tradition in Jesuit education, the FCRH Honors Program is committed to the education of students as global citizens and transformative leaders for justice in the innovation age. Intercultural communication is vital to foster an inclusive environment and address global challenges.
Study Abroad
Fordham University offers over 100 study abroad programs in more than 50 countries and on six continents. In recent years, Honors students have studied in countries such as El Salvador, Denmark, Germany, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
European Urban Experience
Olivia Griffin (FCRH’25, Urban Studies) learned sustainability and urban planning from a Scandinavian perspective in the top 2023 GDS-Index global cities: Copenhagen, Denmark and Gothenburg, Sweden. Through the course “European Urban Experience,” she traveled the continent learning the food markets of Barcelona, the redeveloped harbor of Gothenburg, and the revolutionary waterways and cycling infrastructure of Copenhagen. She met with local officials and experts in the fields of sustainable design in transportation and public space.
A Semester at Trinity College Dublin
Ashley Conde (FCRH’21, English, Theology and Religious Studies) studied for a semester at Trinity College Dublin. She took two advanced English courses— “Digital Humanities Now” and “Hamlet in Theory”— and two theology courses— “Jewish Thought and Practice” and “Imagining Moses and the Exodus in the Arts.” Each class was around 12 students– the same size as her Honors seminar classes, which fostered great discussions. Learn more about Ashley’s experience.
In addition, Honors students take advantage of courses with a study abroad component, taught by Fordham professors.
The interdisciplinary capstone course MVST 4998 Medieval Spain, taught by Professor of History David Myers and M. Christina Bruno, Associate Director at the Center for Medieval Studies, offers Fordham students an opportunity to embark on a pilgrimage along the route from León to Santiago de Compostela. Being a remarkable medieval pilgrimage and the greatest surviving itinerary for medieval monuments and landscapes, the Camino de Santiago has enjoyed a remarkable revival in recent years, attracting thousands of pilgrims and stimulating discussions about connections between the medieval and modern pilgrimage to Santiago.
The Camino de Santiago was an incredible opportunity to step outside my comfort zone and do something wild. 200 miles of hiking on a continent I'd never even visited, all while enriching my academic experience at Fordham. Walking the Camino with my Medieval History class gave me the chance to ask my professors questions at each Cathedral, museum, and restaurant we visited, and allowed me to experience the Spanish language, culture, and history firsthand. During this trip, I learned more about the experience of a pilgrimage than I could ever learn over the course of a semester (or even a year!) in a classroom. I discovered the pains of bandaging blisters and rising early to walk day after day, but also the joys of making friends on the trail, practicing my Spanish, and growing in my spiritual values. Looking back at this experience, I'm really grateful that I did something so experiential and unique as my study abroad experience at Fordham, and I would definitely encourage other Honors students at Fordham to take advantage of this program and try something new!
Rhianna Dains (FCRH’26, English)
Undergraduate Research Abroad
Honors students pursue amazing opportunities for research abroad to enhance their undergraduate studies and deepen their understanding of world cultures.
- Alexander Gannon (FCRH’25, Integrative Neuroscience & Philosophy) received the DAAD-RISE Scholarship, enabling him to carry out research on the mechanisms of collective decision-making at the University of Konstanz. Funded by the German Federal Foreign Office, RISE (Research Internships in Science and Engineering) Germany offers undergraduate students from North American universities the opportunity to complete a summer research internship at top German universities and research institutions.
- Julia Gudis (FCRH‘26, Biological Sciences) was awarded the ThinkSwiss scholarship to undertake research on the treatment of brain tumors in Basel. Funded by the State Secretariat for Education, Research, and Innovation, the scholarship program aims to promote research opportunities in Switzerland for American students.
Global Outreach
Source: https://rosehillhonors.blog.fordham.edu/2025/02/25/global-outreach-honors-in-mexico/
Honors students frequently participate in the Global Outreach, a service and cultural immersion program promoting social justice and community engagement. Guided by Fordham’s Jesuit mission, this program connects students with communities worldwide to explore inequality and advance anti-oppression and anti-racism efforts. Each trip focuses on a specific area of activism in partnership with local organizations.
¡GO! Mexico (2025)
In January 2025, a group of Honors students participated in an Honors-only Global Outreach trip to Puebla, Mexico, to learn about sustainable farming and the migrant experiences. This program-funded trip was an opportunity for each student to gain a deeper understanding of these social issues and practice service, empathy, and action. In particular, students learned about the real-life practices of sustainable farming, specifically in the context of small-scale family farms. “The experience in Mexico was not just a week of service learning — it was a lasting reminder that real change begins with empathy, action, and a deep respect for the environment and one another,” wrote project participants in their essay for the Honors blog.
Volunteer and Internship Programs around the Globe
In addition to GO! Projects, Honors students engage in various volunteer and internship programs outside the United States to deepen their understanding of social justice in diverse contexts.
Engineers Without Borders
Kelsey Vinzant (FCRH’20, Biological Sciences, Philosophy) and Meg Whelan (FCRH’21) first connected with each other through the Honors Mentorship Program, which pairs incoming Honors students with upperclassman peers. They also became involved in Fordham’s chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) that partnered with a community in Uganda. Kelsey and Meg, along with several other Fordham students, visited small villages in Uganda to collaborate on a project. View more details.
Greek America Corps
Nicholas Bianco (FCRH’26, Political Science) participated in a volunteer program in Thessaloniki through the Greek America Corps, an initiative that provides meaningful volunteer programs with accredited non- profit organizations in Greece. Over the course of summer, Nicholas volunteered for three different non-profit organizations: (1) Boroume, an organization dedicated to reducing food waste and donating produce to community members who are food insecure; (2) Odyssea Youth Center, which primarily aims to equip young people in Greece with vocational skills and career guidance; and (3) the Ukrainian- Greek Initiative, offering a summer camp for Ukraine children in Greece.