50 Years Later: Fribourg Returnees Reflect

Posted in News Story  |  Tagged alumni, returnee, switzerland

In the 1973-1974 academic year, a group of 20 Georgetown University students embarked on a transformative year of study abroad at the University of Fribourg in Fribourg, Switzerland. This experience would become a defining chapter in their lives, shaping their perspectives, careers, and relationships. Over the past five decades, these students have kept their bonds alive through periodic reunions, culminating in a special 50-year celebration in Fribourg on May 31, 2024 through June 2nd, 2024. For three days from May 31st to June 2nd 2024, several former Hoyas gathered to reminisce about their study abroad experiences and share in each other’s company. 

In their own words

Check out more about the program at the time, the reunion weekend, and the thoughts of the attendees in their own write-up. We were also provided a list of the cohort for that year.

Interviewed Alumni

The Office of Global Education (OGE) interviewed program participants about their time abroad, what came after, and how they feel looking back on their experiences. Seven of the alumni share their insights and reflections on the profound impact of studying abroad and offer valuable wisdom to current students considering a similar path.

Steve Jardine:

“Studying abroad in Fribourg made me understand being an American.”

Steve Jardine’s decision to study abroad in Fribourg, Switzerland during the 1973-1974 academic year was driven by a passion for language and a desire for immersive learning. As a student in Georgetown’s School of Language and Linguistics, which was a school at GU between 1959 and 1994, when it was integrated into the College of Arts & Sciences, Steve had the option to study in Nice, France or Fribourg, Switzerland. He chose Fribourg because it offered a unique opportunity to use both his French and German language skills in a multilingual environment. Like many of his peers, Steve was drawn to the program by his interest in language immersion, eager to put his linguistic knowledge to practical use.

For Steve, the year in Fribourg was more than just an academic pursuit; it was a journey of personal growth. Coming from a relatively sheltered background, the experience of living abroad was eye-opening. “The exposure to different cultures, the growth in independence was big for me. Self-confidence grew during that year,” Steve reflects. The challenges of navigating a new country, communicating in different languages, and adapting to a foreign culture contributed to what he describes as a pivotal year in his life. “It was a very formative year for me in so many respects.”

The differences between studying abroad then and now are stark, and Steve is quick to highlight the role that technology—or the lack thereof—played in his experience. “If you wanted to keep in touch with mom and dad, you got out your pen and wrote a postcard or you wrote a letter,” he recalls, noting that the absence of cell phones and instant communication meant that students had to navigate challenges on their own. “The whole notion of self-reliance, self-confidence. It was a totally different era. You didn’t have the safety net that a cell phone provides you… there was no cheap communication that people had.” Despite these differences, Steve believes that studying abroad remains a valuable experience for today’s students. “Now, having said that, it’s still a great experience. And everybody who is the least bit interested in a foreign culture or a foreign language should do it,” he encourages.

Remarking on how it was expensive to call abroad – “a dollar per minute” – Steve recalls the time he and his roommates were woken up in the night by a call. “It turns out my mother and father called without thinking what time of day or night it was in Switzerland. But they said ‘You know, we haven’t heard from you in six weeks. We just wanted to make sure you weren’t dead,’” he says, able to laugh about it now. 

When asked what advice he would give to students preparing to study abroad, Steve’s message is simple yet profound: “Soak it all in.” He emphasizes the importance of embracing the opportunity to experience different cultures. “Just being exposed to different cultures makes you more appreciative of what you have as an American in some respects, makes you understand history better.”

Mary Vidas:

“Don’t be afraid to do something on your own that you know you haven’t done before.”

Mary Vidas, a family law lawyer and Georgetown University alumna, chose to study abroad at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland primarily to immerse herself in French, which she had studied in high school but had not mastered. She was motivated by Georgetown’s Foreign Service School’s emphasis on language proficiency and the desire to challenge herself in a new cultural environment. The experience of studying abroad significantly expanded her horizons, instilled a sense of pride in being American, and allowed her to form lifelong friendships with fellow students.

Mary emphasizes the importance of immersing oneself fully in the local culture, not just academically but socially, which she believes contributed to her confidence and assertiveness in her career. “Respect the fact that you’re in another culture,” she advises future study abroad students. “I think college is very much a good space to take the time [to go] study abroad.”

She still, however, connected with her own American culture whileabroad. “I would host dinners in my little tiny apartment. I remember hosting Thanksgiving and obsessing over whether I was going to find a turkey in Switzerland or not!” 

Despite changing her professional path from the Foreign Service to law, she credits her time abroad with shaping her worldview and making her a better lawyer. “It’s my impression that universities are not putting as much emphasis on the benefits of study abroad,” she says. “Maybe it’s because of the pandemic, or technological advances. It could be that travel is much easier nowadays.” However, she stresses that it’s still a valuable experience. “I do not think that I would be as good of a lawyer as I am today without that experience.” 

Throughout Mary’s career, she has continued to travel extensively, always respecting and engaging with the cultures she visits. Her advice to students is to remain open to new experiences, respect the cultures they are in, and embrace the opportunities that studying abroad provides for personal growth and lasting connections. 

Irene Maksymjuk 

“Be as open as possible to the breadth of experience that’s available to you; don’t live in an English-speaking bubble.”

Irene Maksymjuk’s decision to study abroad in Fribourg, Switzerland during the 1973-1974 academic year was rooted in her unique upbringing and a deep-seated desire to connect with her international heritage. Growing up bilingual and bicultural, Irene had long felt an itch to experience life in Europe and explore that side of her identity. By the time she reached Georgetown, she had already studied French since her junior year of high school, making the choice to attend a Francophone university a natural one. The University of Fribourg, known for its academic rigor and authentic immersion experience, stood out as the ideal program for Irene. 

“I wasn’t interested in a program geared towards American students,” she explains, “I wanted to be integrated into a new country. At the time, I had no idea what I wanted to do professionally. I was excited to be an international student, and [I was] academically and personally interested in history and cross-cultural communication. “ 

Irene sought out a fresh perspective on her American identity and place in the world  through interactions with her European classmates. “In working with students interested in studying abroad, that often happens,” she reflects; “stepping out of your own culture enables you to see it with some distance and objectivity.” This distance allowed her to examine her own emotional reactions to things and understand how they were shaped by her personal values and the new cultures she was encountering.

Reflecting on how study abroad has changed since her time in Fribourg, Irene sees a significant shift. “Study abroad is quite different; there’s much less study in another language, more programs run in English, and programs tend to be shorter term.” She observes that today’s students are so focused on their next steps that they leave little room for an extended experience abroad, which she emphasizes can provide invaluable professional skills and experiences for today’s globalized workforce. Irene cautions, “There seems to be a very strong shift to careerist thinking, and there’s no room in one’s schedule for an extended experience abroad, which I think is wrong and short-sighted.” 

When asked what advice she would give to students preparing to study abroad, Irene’s message is clear: embrace the full breadth of the experience. While it’s understandable that it can be comforting to stick with English-speaking peers, Irene believes that,“The whole point is to get outside of one’s comfort zone.”

Bob Shanks:

“I had a wonderful career and the way I look back at Georgetown is like– that was the first step of my whole life.”

When Bob Shanks decided to study abroad in Fribourg, Switzerland during the 1973-1974 academic year, he did so with a clear goal in mind: to prepare himself for an international career. His choice of Switzerland wasn’t arbitrary; having studied French, he sought a program that would allow him to deepen his language skills while immersing himself in a culture that fascinated him. Among the French programs available, Fribourg stood out as the best fit, offering the perfect environment for his personal and academic aspirations. He wanted an immersive experience that would grant him cultural adaptability and understanding. Considering that he went on to live all over the world (including in Brazil, Taiwan, and Japan) and work in international business, one could say that he quite succeeded!

Reflecting on his experience, Bob doesn’t describe it as a radical transformation of his identity. Instead, it was a period of significant personal growth—a time when he began to truly understand who he was and what it meant to be an adult. “It was a major part of my growing up and finding out who I was,” Bob recalls. “An important part of me becoming an adult and a responsible adult.” The absence of today’s technology, which now keeps people constantly connected to their home environments, played a crucial role in this development. Without the instant communication and constant updates we take for granted today, Bob found himself with a greater sense of independence. “It gave me an opportunity to grow up maybe a little bit faster than I would have, and to become a more responsible person. It gave me the opportunity to make choices that I wouldn’t have had to have made if I hadn’t gone on the program.”

Bob contrasts his study abroad experience with that of today’s students, who live and breathe technology and instant communication. While this connectedness can ease the sense of isolation, Bob says, “[With today’s technology] you’re right back to your old life [when abroad]…. Today’s world is so incredibly connected and wired together. So, you’re [not] as much cut off from [your] domestic life,” he notes. In his time, being distant from the U.S. news and being fully engaged with Swiss media and culture allowed him to see his own country and values more objectively. “Being there for a longer period of time definitely encouraged that objectivity even more,” he adds. “You just assume that’s the way life should be like. I think you’re able to see that much more objectively, and look back at all those things you grew up with and see them more from outside of yourself.”

Despite the pervasive presence of technology today, Bob believes it’s still possible to have an immersive study abroad experience. However, he emphasizes that it requires a conscious effort. “You have to make choices that optimize the opportunity that you have when you’re overseas, to really get a fully immersive experience, that’s very different from what you grew up with,” he advises. For students embarking on their own study abroad journeys, his advice is clear: “A year seems like a long time when you’re young, but it’s really not. From day one, [dive] in and try to get as much as you can out of it. Be intentional, before you go, in terms of what you want to achieve and what you want to get out of it, and then make choices that are most consistent with that so you can actually bring it home.”

Bob’s reflections on his year in Fribourg serve as a powerful reminder that the true value of studying abroad lies not just in academic achievements but in the personal growth that comes from stepping outside one’s comfort zone and embracing the unknown.

Steve Jonathan: 

“I remember wanting to do this from the moment I set foot on campus.”

From early on, Steve Jonathan had his sights set on studying abroad in Fribourg, Switzerland. Unlike programs that catered primarily to American students, the Fribourg experience promised something more immersive and authentic. “I think what was even more important is that we were really in a university of Swiss and other international students. It wasn’t like a mini US campus abroad.” He valued the opportunity to integrate fully into the local academic environment, taking nearly all his courses in French, with exams conducted orally in the European style. The program also allowed him to explore other languages, like Italian, further enriching his linguistic skills. 

Steve’s time in Fribourg laid the foundation for a career that would span continents and industries. “I can draw a dotted line from the seven or eight stops on my CV that start with the Peace Corps and [my study abroad experience],” he reflects. After graduating, Steve’s comfort with stepping into unfamiliar environments—honed during his year in Switzerland—led him to Togo, West Africa, with the Peace Corps. This experience in turn opened doors to a career in global markets and consultancy, where he continued to work on international projects. 

One of the most memorable aspects of Steve’s year in Fribourg was witnessing the direct impact of global political events on everyday life in Europe. He vividly recalls arriving just as the Yom Kippur War broke out in October 1973, which led to a series of geopolitical shifts, including the Arab oil embargo. “The week we got there… the U.S. support [for Israel] led the Saudis to declare an oil embargo when oil spiked from what seems impossible to comprehend for two or three dollars a barrel,” Steve explains. The ripple effects were felt across Europe, with movie theaters and pubs closing early, and energy conservation measures becoming the norm. For Steve, this was a real-time lesson in international finance and economics, experienced outside the classroom. “It was just really interesting to see the impact on a continent-wide economy from this political development.”

Steve’s study abroad experience in Fribourg was not just about academic learning—it was about becoming comfortable with discomfort and gaining a broader perspective on the world. This mindset, fostered in the streets and classrooms of Fribourg, carried him through his career and life, from the Peace Corps to global market companies. 

Nancy Gallagher Burg:

“For me it was a year of discovery and reflection about my country [the USA], Switzerland, the people I met, [and] the experiences I had working and traveling. I felt totally immersed and was no longer the person I was when I had arrived 12 months ago.”

Nancy Gallabgher Burg’s decision to study abroad in Fribourg, Switzerland during the 1973-1974 academic year was driven by a combination of wanderlust and a desire to enhance her education in the School of Foreign Service (SFS) at Georgetown University. Having embarked on a whirlwind visit to Europe at the age of 18, Nancy found her appetite for travel insatiable and was eager to return to the continent for a more in-depth experience. “The tour just whetted my travel appetite; I wanted to go back,” she recalls. Studying abroad offered the perfect opportunity to do so while also fulfilling the international exposure requirements of her SFS curriculum. Proficiency in a second language was a must, and since French was her language of choice, Nancy had to choose between Georgetown’s programs in Nice and Fribourg. She ultimately chose Fribourg because it offered a wider array of classes that aligned with her academic goals.

Nancy’s year in Fribourg was transformative; the program at the University of Fribourg allowed her to not only attend classes but also to integrate with the local student community. That summer, Nancy took it a step further by working in a local café, which provided her with invaluable insights into the local economy and practices. “I learned what foreigners think of Americans,” she reflects, noting how eye-opening it was to see how much Europeans knew about American culture compared to how little Americans knew about Europe. “Coming from the Midwest in the seventies, there wasn’t much international news in the media. I felt naïve and it made me realize what an impact America and its culture had on Europeans and how little interest we Americans had in them.”

Nancy’s words to today’s students are clear: “My advice to students would be to live on the local economy, attend a local university, meet other nationals, and try and stay a whole year,” she urges. She believes that the shorter durations of many modern study abroad programs prevent students from truly settling in and getting the most out of their experience. “Don’t make the stay abroad only about travel but rather take time to meet the locals,” she advises “I have observed that students who stay only one semester are finally settling in and then have to pack up and go home. It’s just too soon.”

Thomas Herd:

“That year abroad was special. Really special.”

Thomas Herd chose the program because of his interest in international affairs and his desire to enhance his language skills, particularly in French, as well as German. The experience pushed him out of his comfort zone, forcing him to adapt to a new environment and language, which he believes was “enormously beneficial” for his personal growth. 

“I feel like study abroad is very closely tied to just being internationally aware. And I think that’s really important,” he stresses. “I think you’ll learn that regardless of the language that’s spoken or the religion or the economic status all of us are pretty much the same. People are the same. We have the same desires for the most part in our lives. We want to be able to take care of our families. We want our children to have opportunities perhaps that we never had.”

Herd emphasizes the importance of immersing oneself fully in the study abroad experience, advising students to travel extensively and interact with people from different cultures. He also recalls how he travels currently, and how that impacts his growth. “I travel with friends sometimes. I often travel by myself. And you might find yourself in a train station at two o’clock in the morning and the next train is coming at six and you just have to deal with it,” he laughs. “So you learn, and you grow, and you become more self-confident.” This sentiment was echoed widely in the interviews OGE did with the Fribourg returnees. 

He also noted that engaging with local media provided him with unique perspectives that he might not have encountered in American outlets. “One of the values I learned was that it’s helpful sometimes to read the perspective from magazines and newspapers in foreign countries. They sometimes see things with a clearer eye than we do, especially about ourselves.” His interest in an outside perspective continues to the present day. “To this day, I’m still very interested in not only [domestic] politics but international affairs.”

Overall, Herd regards his time abroad as a transformative experience that broadened his horizons, and provided him with invaluable life skills. He encourages students to really dive in when abroad, especially while at Georgetown. 

“I would say take full advantage of this opportunity. You may never have this opportunity for the rest of your life. You’ll have obligations as you get older, with jobs and families and everything else. So if you’re overseas, fully embrace it.”

Jeanne-Marie Thomas

“The best parts of that year in Fribourg were living in a truly international multilingual environment.  I met people from all over the world, I traveled as much as I could, and I made friends from everywhere! “

Jeanne-Marie Thomas’s decision to spend her junior year studying abroad in Fribourg, Switzerland, was driven by a deep connection to Europe and a desire for an immersive academic experience. Having grown up in France, Jeanne-Marie felt a strong pull to return to Europe, and the opportunity to do so through Georgetown University’s study abroad program was perfect. “Academically, I loved being able to take all my courses in French and had some excellent literature courses,” she mentions. She also took up studying German, further enriching her academic journey.

When she wasn’t in the classroom, she was fully immersed in experiencing the world around her. She made many friends from around the world as well as on her cohort while on her journeys. Some of these friendships have even stood the test of time.”Fifty years have passed, and yet a large group of us managed to assemble in Fribourg on two occasions to reminisce and be together. It was absolutely wonderful,” she fondly recalls. 

Jeanne-Marie’s year in Fribourg set the stage for a life of international adventures. She went on to serve as a Peace Corps volunteer in Benin for two years, and for the past 37 years, she has lived in Italy, teaching French at an international school. Her globe-hopping experiences can be traced back to that formative year in Fribourg. “I’m sure that year in Fribourg helped make this international life as stimulating and fulfilling as it has been,” she reflects.

Patrick Conway:

“Don’t over-program yourself when you’re there. When you’re on a Study Abroad program your learning is not found just in the classroom, studying or student groups. Learning includes understanding deeply how this different culture operates. That takes time.”

Patrick Conway shares that his experience of studying abroad in Fribourg, Switzerland was pivotal in shaping his career. Initially interested in the Foreign Service, he chose the Fribourg program due to its strong economics curriculum and the opportunity to study French in a supportive environment with other Georgetown students. He emphasizes how studying abroad expanded his horizons and led to graduate study in economics and public policy, a professorship, and a professional focus on international development (including with the Peace Corps, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund). 

“I did not imagine my future self as a PhD economist studying developing countries before I went to Fribourg,” he says. Patrick cites his study abroad stay as empowering him to experience new fields of study.  “On a whim, I studied intensive Russian during my year in Fribourg.  That wasn’t a conscious career decision.  However, 17 years later when the Soviet Union broke into separate nation-states and the World Bank looked for a PhD economist to travel to newly sovereign states Kazakhstan, Georgia and Ukraine and to contribute to initial economic reports on those countries, there I was with the academic qualifications and some fluency in Russian.  That was a seminal cultural and economic experience for me, and my freedom to experience new cultures in study abroad made it possible.”

There are many paths available to college students to foster new experiences.  Patrick muses on how the cohort-based experience of Study Abroad allowed him to grow and mature within a support group of fellow students. “Settling into a new culture for the first time is invaluable but can be discouragingly new to a student on her own.   The Fribourg program offered each of us a community of students navigating the same transition.  That made that ‘leap into the unknown’ a safer first step.” 

He reflects on not over-programming yourself and just taking the experience for what it is. “I do think that if you go on a study abroad program, you should think of part of your time there as being simply receptive. Not imposing your own [culture] but observing and reflecting upon the culture that surrounds you.”

Patrick’s advice on Study Abroad for today’s Hoyas?   “Just do it. This is something you should do. Even if you aren’t sure how all the pieces [of your Georgetown education] will fit together, that’s okay.  This is an experience you should not miss.”

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In 2024, the legacy of Georgetown’s study abroad history lives on. GU remains a national leader and mid-term and long-term study abroad, with many programs that emphasize facilitated direct enrollment and/or language immersion .While Georgetown no longer offers the year in Fribourg program, the Office of Global Education offers many programs in the Francophone world and beyond, as well as year-long programs that allow for extended cultural immersion. Check out the OGE website for more information on study abroad, and consider the wisdom of the former Hoyas interviewed in this article. Perhaps one day, you too will give an interview about the study abroad experience that changed your life.