Arts and Letters Review: Spring 2026
News
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” — Marcel Proust
For many students, a study abroad experience is their first chance to travel independently, beyond what is familiar, and to engage with and learn from other cultures. When they return, almost every student describes the experience as “life changing,” a sentiment that, while it may seem cliché, holds true year after year. And perhaps that sentiment is rooted in the reality that the destination was never just a place but a pathway to new ways of seeing the world and understanding ourselves.
The study abroad and study away programs in the College of Arts and Letters underscore our commitment to global learning and engagement. This eighth issue of the Arts and Letters Review is devoted to sharing some of the stories of CAL students and faculty who champion and make tangible that commitment.
Global learning has a measurable impact on students. Through hands-on site visits, volunteer work, internships, and deep engagement with history and culture, the critical thinking and intercultural communication skills gained in these programs encourage a thoughtful understanding of what it means to be a global citizen: interconnected, interdependent, and human.
As we add new programs and preserve longstanding ones, we will continue to cultivate authentic connections that transcend borders and transform lives.
— Traci Zimmerman (‘92, ‘94M), Dean of the College of Arts and Letters
