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Fiona O'Connor of Stafford spent fall 2018 semester learning off campus from Baldwin Wallace University

By Billie Owens

Fiona O'Connor, of Stafford, was among 31 Baldwin Wallace University students who spent the fall 2018 semester learning off campus.

With support from the BW Study Abroad Center's Independent Study program, students created individualized immersion experiences in Australia, England, Ireland, Italy, Morocco, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Washington, D.C., and on the high seas. 

O'Connor, a graduate of Le Roy Central School, traveled to Washington, D.C., for an individualized immersion experience at The Washington Center (TWC). As the largest independent, nonprofit academic internship program in the country, TWC brings together exceptional and dedicated college students; civic, governmental and business leaders; hundreds of colleges and universities; scores of public and private internships; and more than 50,000 alumni. Founded in 1975, TWC is a unique educational center based on a fully integrated mix of professional experience, academic coursework and real-life challenges. TWC works to arrange the very best internship opportunities in Washington by coordinating with highly regarded companies, international organizations, nonprofits, and key government agencies and offices.

The BW Study Abroad Center engages students through global exploration and off-campus study that enhances personal growth, educational enrichment and career development as part of the university's liberal arts effort to cultivate contributing and compassionate citizens. Through faculty-led and independent study abroad opportunities, students can build strong communication skills, enhanced critical thinking and personal confidence from trekking the unknown.

Baldwin Wallace University, founded in 1845, was one of the first colleges to admit students without regard to race or gender. An independent, coeducational university of 4,000 students, BW offers coursework in the liberal arts tradition in more than 80 academic areas. Located in Berea, 12 miles from downtown Cleveland, BW offers students the cultural, educational and business advantages of a major metropolitan area.

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