Batten Spotlights

Tyler Noll '26

Environmental Studies · Ifrane, Morocco

Studying in Morocco changed how I understand environmental problems. You can read about desertification, or you can stand in the Sahara and watch it happen.

Kainaat (Kai) Trehan '24

International Studies · Political Science · New Delhi, India

Living and learning with peers who challenge your limits while remaining ever-ready to help is a dichotomy I truly cherish.

Breana Mahoney '24

Art · Communication · Tokyo, Japan

Studying at Rikkyo University in Tokyo pushed me to find community in places I never expected.

Eddie McDonald '25

Sustainability Management · Political Science · Chesapeake, VA

Serving as SGA President while in the BHC taught me that real impact starts with listening — then doing the unglamorous work.

Andrew Steiner '26

Political Science · History · Daegu, South Korea

Keimyung University gave me a window into a society that values education and community in ways that challenged my own assumptions.

Jessica Wilson '25

Sustainability Management · Earth & Environmental Science · Bordentown, NJ

The BHC pillar of environmental stewardship isn't just an idea — it's something you have to practice every day.

Josh Spicer '24

International Studies · Political Science · Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria

Bulgaria wasn't on my radar until I started researching options. It turned out to be exactly the kind of place that changes how you think.

Casey Bennett '25

Chemistry · Williamsburg, VA

Being involved with the BHC and campus community has equipped me with time management skills I'll use for the rest of my life.

Cara Caruso '24

Business · Biology minor · São Paulo, Brazil

São Paulo is a city that never stops moving. Studying there taught me to keep up — and to slow down enough to actually see it.

Julliette Coffey '27

Women's Golf Team · Suffolk, England

Coming from England, I wasn't sure what to expect. The BHC gave me a community I didn't know I needed.

Ryleigh Taylor '24

International Studies · Political Science · Parramatta, NSW, Australia

Australia felt familiar enough to be comfortable and different enough to be genuinely educational.

Alen Curovic '26

Mathematics · Computer Science · Gothenburg, Sweden

The BHC pushed me outside my comfort zone and gave me connections I'll carry for life.

Stephanie Clark '26

International Studies · Hispanic Studies

Between the Model UN, the Arts, and a semester abroad, the BHC gave me the confidence to keep making connections.

Melina Cabral '23

Business · Supply Chain Management certificate · Seekonk, MA

Studying in Murcia, Spain gave me a broader worldview and a real sense of what it means to be a global citizen.

EB Smeltzer '25

Biology · Recreational Therapy · Roanoke, VA

Volunteering at Bon Secours Hospice showed me how listening is the most powerful form of service.

Divinity Richardson '23

Earth & Environmental Science · Chesapeake, VA

Growing up in Hampton Roads made environmental science personal. The BHC gave me the tools to do something about it.

Connor Merk '23

Political Science · Business · Communication minor · Stafford, VA

The BHC taught me that leadership isn't about having all the answers — it's about asking better questions.

Brandon Kwon '23

Mathematics (BS) · Pre-Engineering · Fredericksburg, VA

The interdisciplinary seminars changed how I approach problem-solving — even in mathematics.