Three recent short-term study abroad programs offered CSB and SJU students the chance to research the impact of wellness and movement on educational success in Finland and Denmark, learn more about the continuing legacy and impact of the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan and study sports marketing and sponsorship in Germany.
In all, 21 study-abroad opportunities are offered at the two schools with 12 running a full semester.
The other nine are shorter-term experiences in which students learn about their topic and nation of destination in the classroom, then spend a few weeks traveling and exploring there at the end of the semester.
Such was the case with the “Finland & Denmark – Forward Linking Science and Movement with Educational Success,” course taught by associate professor of education Diana Fenton, Ed.D. Departing on May 18, Fenton, 21 students and 2019 CSB graduate Kylie Miller journeyed to Finland and Denmark, which have been ranked as the happiest countries in the world, exploring the impact of science and wellness and movement on academic success.
The group visited Helsinki, Oulu and Rovaniemi in Finland, interacting with educators and students in primary and secondary schools. That included a visit to a high school which trains Olympic athletes. They also visited historical sites, visited a reindeer farm in the Arctic Circle and practiced mindfulness by partaking in Finnish sauna culture.
From there, it was on to the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, which boasts one of the top three exercise and sport science programs in the world. They also found time for a canal boat tour and a visit to UN (United Nations City) where a number of agencies including the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF are housed.
“Some of the things I enjoyed the most were visiting the schools and going to the museums,” said Annika Olsen, who will be a junior at CSB this fall. “The schools applied directly to my major, so they were very intriguing. The museums we visited were all hands-on and entertaining. I loved the fact that they were free to kids/students, so you often saw school groups or children with their parents constantly experiencing hands-on learning.
“The friends and memories I made (during the class and trip) will stick with me forever,” she added. “I’m very grateful to have had an opportunity like this.”
The “Nuclear Japan,” course was taught by associate professor of Japanese Studies Jeff DuBois, Ph.D. and Carol Bruess, Ph.D., the Scholar-in-Residence for Relationships and Dialogue at CSB and SJU. A total of 13 Bennies and Johnnies made the three-week trip, which also took place in May.
The group visited the nuclear ground zero locations in both Hiroshima and Nagasaki and had an extended stay in Tokyo hosted by longtime CSB and SJU educational partner Bunkyo Gakuin University.
Their journey included visits to Nagasaki’s Urakami Cathedral, which was extensively damaged when an atomic bomb was dropped on the city by the U.S. in the closing days of World War II, a trip to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and – during the Tokyo portion of the trip – excursions to the Lucky Dragon #5 fishing vessel which was irradiated after nuclear testing and the Ghigili Museum, as well as a day trip to Fukushima to see the exclusion zone and to meet an evacuee of the March 2011 Fukushima Daiichi power plant nuclear meltdown.
There was also a visit to Tokyo DisneySea, a welcome party put on by Bunkyo students, opportunities for dining and thrifting and much more.
“The heavy topics we covered allowed for deeply meaningful discussions and reflections,” DuBois said. “But those somber moments were also juxtaposed with exploration, extreme walking, and wildly fun times together.”
The “Exploring Sports Marketing and Sponsorship in Munich: A German-American Comparative Perspective,” course was taught by assistant professor of marketing Clinton Warren, Ph.D. and featured a 19-day May visit to Bavaria to study and hear from some of the biggest sports sponsorship and international sports marketing brands in the world. There was a tour of the stadium and training facilities of the FC Bayern Munich soccer franchise, the facilities of the Red Bull Munich hockey franchise and the chance to connect with leading industries like Addidas and BMW.
The group also visited the Nymphenburg Palace and Marienplatz central square in Munich among other stops, while taking time to reflect at the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site.
“It truly was the perfect balance of academic learning and cultural immersion,” 2025 SJU graduate Graham Majerus said.
“This was my first time leaving the country, and it really was a blessing that expanded my worldview. It’s one thing to learn about international business in the classroom, but seeing it first-hand in Germany made the concepts come to life. It also gave me more confidence in my ability to adapt to new environments.”
Majerus said such opportunities make the study-abroad experience accessible for students who – for whatever reason – can’t make a full semester overseas work for them.
“Not every student can commit to a full semester abroad, whether due to finances, athletics or even curriculum requirements,” he said. “A short-term program such as this one gives students a taste of international study without that long-term commitment.”
Landon Seward, a junior-to-be at SJU who was part of the Finland/Denmark trip, echoed those sentiments and said he found the experience extremely fulfilling.
“You will see more than you thought you could see,” he said. “It was great for those who want to get a quick fix of something new while fully indulging in what there is to offer for a visitor.”
