In the summer of 1974, a group of Meredith students traveled to the United Kingdom for a British Studies program. Created and directed by Professor of Religion Roger Crook, this was the first study abroad program offered at Meredith College.

Professor Emerita Betty Webb, ’67, who would follow in Crook’s footsteps as leader of study abroad at Meredith, described how the 1974 program shaped the College’s later international education offerings.

“The first summer program, lasting 10 weeks, began with a two-week intensive study period here on campus – with classes meeting six days a week,” Webb said. “After this residency, students headed for eight weeks of additional study (and more Saturday classes) in London, thus ensuring that Meredith abroad programs were, from the get-go, defined by their academic rigor.”

In 1977, Webb led a study abroad program herself for the first time. While there were a variety of challenges, starting with a canceled flight from New York to London, she would go on to dedicate much of her career to international study.

“By the end of the summer, I knew that directing study abroad programs was something I wanted to do as often and for as long as I could,” Webb said. “I retired having directed plus or minus 40 programs, never doubting that this was the work I was meant to do, work I continued to love.”

The work of Roger Crook, Betty Webb, and numerous other Meredith Abroad leaders have made an enormous impact on alumnae over the past half-century. As a way of marking this milestone, Meredith College will celebrate the Meredith Abroad 50th Anniversary on November 21, 2024, in Johnson Hall Rotunda.

Lifelong Love of Travel

Kathy Midgette Anderson, ’76, was one of the students who participated in that first program in 1974.

“Being an English major, I suppose I had a natural desire to visit England, and I was thrilled to be able to go on the trip for that reason alone,” Anderson said. “However, the experience became much, much more for me. On our first night in London, Dr. and Mrs.[Mary Ruth] Crook taught me to ride the Tube. Little did I realize how that would enable me to leave my small, safe, and protected world, and participate in new and different ways of life. My world was expanded, and I was changed in a profound and wonderful way because of it.” 

Anderson’s assessment of the lasting impact of Meredith Abroad programs is echoed by many study abroad alumnae.

Recent Costa Rica program alumna Rosemary Vega Escutia, ’23, said she gained skills she uses daily.

“Studying abroad at Meredith has given me the tools to be a traveler, not a tourist,” Escutia said. “I know where to look to dive deeper into culture and connect with locals. It has also given me a multitude of skills I use daily – such as cross-cultural communication, independence, and time management. And, of course, it increased my language proficiency.”

Maintaining Meredith Abroad’s Foundational Values

Led by Dr. Brooke Shurer, director of international programs, and Senior Associate Director Elizabeth Yaros, ’06, the Office of International Programs (OIP) strives to meet the needs of current students.

According to Shurer, it’s no accident that Anderson and Escutia had similar experiences with Meredith Abroad. 

“While we’re always evolving, we strive to maintain the foundational values of Meredith Abroad, established by Dr. Roger Crook and Dr. Betty Webb,” said Shurer. “These include prioritizing academic rigor, embracing a ‘traveler versus tourist’ mindset, integrating with the Meredith degree, and developing strong independent travel skills for life. These principles still guide our programs 50 years later and continue to set Meredith Abroad apart.”

Shurer says study abroad is not a “one size fits all” experience.

“We understand that each student enters Meredith with a myriad of personal, academic, and professional goals, as well as unique life experiences, identities, and circumstances that travel along with them,” Shurer said. “Our programs and resources have continued to evolve to help students find the best fit.”

The locations visited most often through the 50-year history of study abroad at Meredith include Italy, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Spain, Costa Rica, and France, among others. 

Recent examples of new programs include more discipline-specific and graduate-level options, as well as an on-campus course that includes a spring break study abroad experience.

OIP also works to provide resources and support that will help students thrive while abroad.

“We’ve added new workshops on funding study abroad, navigating mental health abroad, as well as workshops and robust online resources for navigating identities abroad.”

Shurer credits study abroad program faculty leaders for ensuring the consistent quality of Meredith Abroad programs.

“I cannot express enough gratitude and admiration for the Meredith faculty who develop and lead these programs, as they are the ones carrying on this special legacy,” Shurer said. “They embrace the immense challenge and responsibility of teaching abroad because they see first-hand the transformative impact on our students’ lives.”

Why Study Abroad Remains Important

Catherine Rodgers, ’76, who served as director of Meredith programs in Italy and the United Kingdom, believes that international study is more important now than 50 years ago.

“With instant communication possibilities and faster transportation choices than in the past, we are in many ways a much smaller world today,” Rodgers said. “It is vital that students understand the fragility and responsibility of living in this modern age. Understanding one’s own culture plus learning about and appreciating other cultures is crucial for global citizens in the 21st century.”

Callie DeBellis, current director of the Meredith in Italy program, agrees with Rodgers.

“Even though today’s technology gives us opportunities that didn’t exist 50 years ago to immerse ourselves in other cultures, we more often than not surround ourselves with what is comfortable and similar to what we already know,” she said. “Studying abroad forces us out of our comfort zones, which is when the true transformations happen.”

For example, Liz Craig, ’12, gained language skills and more by studying in Costa Rica with DeBellis and members of the biology faculty. 

“Studying abroad allowed me to embrace new challenges. I’m so proud of myself for spending a summer in another country where I was just learning the language,” Craig said. “Because of that time spent immersing myself in Spanish, I went on to pursue a minor in Spanish at Meredith, and I’ve been able to use my language skills in my personal and professional life.”

Unique Nature of Meredith Abroad

“Our Office of International Programs does an outstanding job of preparing our students, wherever they are going, to successfully study abroad,” Rodgers said. “I don’t know of another college or university that offers such support and guidance for both faculty directors and student participants.”

DeBellis agrees that the preparation the OIP provides faculty and students before departure sets Meredith apart. 

“We invest hours into our in-depth orientations for students so they start thinking about the culture before they leave the U.S., which helps them transition more smoothly into their host country,” DeBellis said. “Our faculty also take part in hours of training to prepare them to wear all the hats we don when abroad.”

The OIP helps make study abroad special at Meredith, said Jasmine Williams, ’17, who spent a semester abroad in Botswana and a summer with the Meredith in Italy program.

“The team there is welcoming, passionate, and caring when it comes to helping make the decision to study abroad and the process along the way. They are the absolute best,” Williams said. “I also appreciated the choice of programs, between a Meredith College study abroad program or an affiliate program. That variety is nice to help pick the perfect program based on what you want to get out of the experience and that in itself is so special.”

Support as Students Spread Their Wings

The support from OIP and other faculty is important, especially for those students who have limited travel experience.

Katie Murphy, ’18, studied in the U.K. Program after one year at Meredith.

“I studied abroad the summer after my freshman year at Meredith in London with Dr. Webb, Dr. Wolfinger, and Professor Rodgers. It was my very first time overseas, and also the longest stretch of time I had spent away from my family up to that point,” said Murphy. “[The faculty leaders] gave me the confidence to travel to Germany on my own for one of our extended weekends. They made me feel safe and supported, but also strong and capable.”

Murphy said she “gained an indescribable amount of confidence” that first summer.

“I then had the opportunity to study abroad again the next summer in Spain and then back in the U.K.,” Murphy said. “The second summer I had the chance to learn lessons like planning to be prepared, but also to save time to enjoy things you stumble upon spontaneously. And staying flexible when plans don’t work out the way we hoped.”

Amanda Smith, ’04, became a lifelong traveler thanks to study abroad. Smith “grew up in a family where military service was the only way anyone traveled abroad” but that changed thanks to Meredith. 

“Dr. Webb would take us to different cities each week and then we would have to figure out how to get back to Sansepolcro. Each time I would get a little more confident about being able to handle the unpredictable situations that happen when traveling,” said Smith. “It is that confidence that has allowed me to travel the world. When I miss a train connection or a reservation gets lost, I know I have the skills to find a solution.”

Students are not the only ones who benefit.

“What makes Meredith College study abroad special is that it has ripple effects that extend into each student’s community,” Smith said. “The confidence and skills that I got through studying abroad opened up possibilities for the rest of my family.”

After graduating, Smith took her parents and sister on a trip to Europe, which inspired her sister to later get her master’s degree at Trinity College in Dublin. Smith, who teaches high school social studies in Eastern North Carolina, has also used travel to inspire her own students.

“I quickly discovered that I could use my travel experiences to make the curriculum more relevant to my students. Students became more engaged when I shared my experience visiting a Hindu temple in India or participating in an archeology dig in Colorado,” Smith said. “Over the 16 years that I have been an educator, I have spent every summer traveling. Each fall I return to teaching because I’m excited to share my experiences with students. Travel has turned me into a lifelong learner.”

Traveler Not Tourist

Again and again, alumnae of Meredith Abroad mention how meaningful Meredith’s “traveler not tourist” mindset was. Shurer notes that Meredith Abroad alumnae “know study abroad is not a vacation.” This immersion in a new culture inspires alumnae to explore the world on their own.

“Studying abroad at Meredith was the spark that ignited my love for travel and seeing the world,” Williams said. “I am grateful that I learned early in life during my time at Meredith that I am happiest when I am exploring and experiencing different ways of life. Now, that is all I want to do and will hopefully always do.”

Emily Necessary Fowler, ’98, who participated in the Italy/Switzerland and United Kingdom program, said the memories she shares most often involve the resilience she gained through the experience. 

“Although the ‘big stuff’ – seeing the Colosseum in Rome, visiting Paris, or the Lake District in Britain – all gave me a stamp in my “global citizen” status, it was actually the missed trains, changes of plans, unexpected adventures – both alone and in a group – that make for the funniest little stories that reveal big life lessons,” Fowler said.

On a recent visit to London, Fowler returned to some of the locations she experienced during her time there with Meredith.

“I was surprised how much it meant to show my husband Kensington Square, where the study abroad students lived during my London stay. Showing him where we walked, our pharmacy, our proximity to Kensington Park, Hyde Park, and Notting Hill, plus the homes on the square fulfilled a ‘homesickness’ I didn’t know I had,” Fowler said. “Meredith Study Abroad – just like Meredith itself – cultivated a sense of home and connection to the people and places we visited that is both priceless and irreplaceable.”

Amanda Beasley, ’04, studied abroad in Italy, Switzerland, and the U.K. She said the experience helped her see the world as “far more nuanced and multi-dimensional.”

“Meredith Abroad gave me the confidence and courage to study abroad for a semester, to live for a year in another country after graduation, and to travel around the world on my own for a year,” Beasley said. “It gave me relationships with faculty and other students that lasted beyond that summer and have been some of the most important in my life.”

Ginger Neustadt, ’05, was a Wings adult education student when she took part in the Meredith Abroad program.

“Betty Webb encouraged me to do this at 64 years old, and I had no clue what it would be like to study abroad with younger students,” Neustadt said. “But they accepted me and the experience helped bond me with them. I became a part of their group, and it built a lifelong connection to Meredith.”

Neustadt, who later served on the Meredith Board of Trustees, established a study abroad scholarship for Wings students.

“This is a life-changing experience that older students should not be afraid to take,” Neustadt said. “It is rewarding to me to see Wings students get this opportunity. By studying abroad with a support system, you can learn how to travel on your own.”

Support from donors like Neustadt and many of the other alumnae included in this feature has allowed Meredith Abroad to continue to be an affordable option. Meredith awards more than $150,000 in study abroad scholarships each year.

“It’s critically important for study abroad programs to remain financially accessible for all Meredith students, even as travel costs around the world continue a rapid rise,” Shurer said.

OIP relies on Giving Day donations to Study Abroad to lower program costs for students and award scholarships to participants.

“Thanks to the generous support of Meredith alumnae and friends, our study abroad scholarships help these programs continue to be a financially realistic investment for students and families.”

This financial support is evidence of the importance many alumnae place on international programs.

Amanda Beasley believes studying abroad is something of a tradition at Meredith. 

“I love knowing that there are decades of Meredith alumnae – some before me and many after me – that will have similar experiences living, learning, and traveling in the same places that I did during my summer abroad.”

Associate Director of International Programs Elizabeth Yaros, who studied abroad in Spain and in the Italy/Switzerland program as a Meredith student, now helps current students experience the benefits of studying abroad.

“When I reflect on this important milestone in the life of the College, I’m reminded that the priceless legacy of Meredith Abroad is the 50 years worth of study abroad alumnae/i who are continuing to live out the transformative lessons and skills of study abroad in their families and communities,” Yaros said. “How grateful we are to the generations of faculty, administrators, generous benefactors, and, most importantly, students, who have kept the light of Meredith Abroad aflame for  half a century. Here’s to 50 more years!”