Rebecca Daml
St. Catherine University
Major: Business Administration: Marketing & Management
Minors: Sales & Spanish
New people, new places, and new opportunities have all contributed to this incredible experience I’ve had thus far studying at Chestnut Hill College (CHC) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I knew I wanted to participate in this program even before enrolling in my first year at St. Catherine University (St. Kate’s) in St. Paul Minnesota. With my major consisting of a concentration in marketing, I wanted to see how different regions of the United States market and conduct business in comparison to what I knew from growing up in Minnesota. Furthermore, I wanted to be close to New York and Washington D.C. since they have a great deal of influence on our nation.
Chestnut Hill College has a very similar feel to St. Kate’s - everyone is friendly, class sizes are small, and values are similar. CHC is smaller in size compared to St. Kate’s but I don’t quite notice it as much as I thought I would. The biggest difference between the two school is that CHC is co-ed whereas St. Kate’s is all women’s in its undergraduate programs. I’ve made both male and female friends here and don’t feel as much of a difference as I anticipated. Another neat aspect about CHC is the fact that it too (like the other ACSSJ colleges/universities) had been founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph. I enjoy seeing similar topics discussed and I enjoying interacting with the sisters on campus. I notice more sisters on campus at CHC in compared to St. Kate’s because of how close their housing is to the students’. Furthermore, many sisters are employed with various positions on campus.
The Association of Colleges of Sisters of St. Joseph Student Exchange Program has allowed me to meet so many wonderful people, see beautiful places, and participate in exciting events! From the beginning, I was nervous if it’d be financially feasible to study in a different state. Through this program, I paid St. Kate’s tuition and CHC’s housing and meal plan. In fact, all of my scholarships, grants, and federal loans remained intact and as a result, not only was my tuition covered, but $5 of my housing and meal plan was paid for by the various forms of financial aid I receive.
In conclusion, I’m about halfway through the semester and I’m so grateful for everything I’ve had the opportunity to do and will do!
Chestnut Hill College has a very similar feel to St. Kate’s - everyone is friendly, class sizes are small, and values are similar. CHC is smaller in size compared to St. Kate’s but I don’t quite notice it as much as I thought I would. The biggest difference between the two school is that CHC is co-ed whereas St. Kate’s is all women’s in its undergraduate programs. I’ve made both male and female friends here and don’t feel as much of a difference as I anticipated. Another neat aspect about CHC is the fact that it too (like the other ACSSJ colleges/universities) had been founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph. I enjoy seeing similar topics discussed and I enjoying interacting with the sisters on campus. I notice more sisters on campus at CHC in compared to St. Kate’s because of how close their housing is to the students’. Furthermore, many sisters are employed with various positions on campus.
The Association of Colleges of Sisters of St. Joseph Student Exchange Program has allowed me to meet so many wonderful people, see beautiful places, and participate in exciting events! From the beginning, I was nervous if it’d be financially feasible to study in a different state. Through this program, I paid St. Kate’s tuition and CHC’s housing and meal plan. In fact, all of my scholarships, grants, and federal loans remained intact and as a result, not only was my tuition covered, but $5 of my housing and meal plan was paid for by the various forms of financial aid I receive.
In conclusion, I’m about halfway through the semester and I’m so grateful for everything I’ve had the opportunity to do and will do!
