Student Quotes
"It has opened up for me the opportunity to work in New York City. My time here at Stony Brook has allowed me to network with future employers. My goal in coming out to Stony brook was to travel to the city as often as possible and to create relationships with people in order to pursue a summer job/internship for the 2009 Summer. Much like studying abroad, students are challenged to think “outside of the box,” and are encouraged to see other parts of the country. The program has opened my eyes to the colorful and ethnically seasoned campus that I have begun to call home at Stony Brook. Had it not been for this spectacular program, I would never have had the opportunity to be a part of such a diverse school."
- D.M. from University of South Carolina
"Making the decision to apply for NSE has been one of the best choices I've made in the past couple years. I was a little discouraged with my first year in college and knew I needed a new look on it. My sister and I visited New York City last year and I knew from that one visit I had to come back. Hearing about NSE I immediately jumped on the offer. Luckily I was accepted and took the opportunity. This has been a life changing experience. I've been able to live on the other side of the country, experience a different culture; even though in the same country, west and east are quite different. I've been able to witness seasons change before my eyes, been able to visit the city as often as possible and get a new appreciation for college. I'm so grateful that this program exists because without it all these options would have never been a thought in my mind. I wasn't interested in study abroad but this was a perfect fit."
- M.R. CSU, San Bernardino
"NSE is a necessary program. One of the opportunities that many American college students miss is experiencing another culture. In the US, each state has its own unique multiculturalism. For me, finding out what another part of my country was like made me realize how vast and varied America is."
"Stony Brook offered me chances I would have had nowhere else. The somewhat remote location of the school meant that the majority of the school was on campus most of the time. I was enthralled in a University lifestyle, which is the opposite of my situation at home. (Here, people drive on and off campus every day.) I had excellent roommates and a great dorm experience, and I was able to learn how to be a devoted student. At home, I have much more responsibility outside of school. While in New York, I was able to study with world-renowned professors, who diversified my education greatly. This is not meant in detriment to my professors at the University of New Mexico. Yet, exposure to a group of people with different skill sets helped me realize the greatness of my potential in the field of music and elsewhere."
- E.M. from University of New Mexico
This program has been great for me because I am able to come to a school that is close to my heart. This school has all the qualities that I would want in a University, like a peaceful campus filled with beautiful trees and places devoted to preservation. It is an advantage because I can keep all this and still go to the New York City when I want to, and tell me who doesn't want to go New York City at least once?! Also coming to Stony Brook has expanded my understanding of people, because it is such a big campus for me I get to know more people. Over all I am happy that Stony Brook is participating in NSE and I hope it stays that way.
- O.L. University of Tennessee, Chattanooga
"Let me just say that CSUMB is amazing! If you love humanitarian work and ethics Monterey is definitely the place to be. You can even spend most of your time outdoors, people love camping hiking and it’s truly an adventure every step of the way! They have a wide variety of majors; I was a global studies major focused on human rights issues involving child soldiers, prisoners of war and the global rights of women. Every weekend there are opportunities to get out and be active! Everyone is respected here, the food is amazing and the environment is just chill down to earth and super fun. Its warm and inviting people are generally interesting and friendly. Aside from school work I joined the martial arts program and worked with a Navy Seal and earn my gold belt. I also learned how to scuba dive and surf! On the weekends we drove from Santa Cruz all the way to L.A. on route 101 along the coast, it was AMAZING!!!! I didn't get the chance to rock climb, ski Taho or water ski on the lake but those are just a few more activities... they also show NEW movies for Free on Fridays in the SCHOOLS movie cinema. The Campus is located on an old military base so you can definitely explore, if you love walking, hiking and getting out then this is def the place to be. Monterey is not as metro as say Santa Cruz and is pretty rural. But if you take advantage of all the programming available you will never be bored! I highly recommend this place! Its the best kept secret!"
- C.B. exchanged to California State University, Monterey Bay
"Doing the National Student Exchange to Hawaii was one of the best decisions of my life. I enjoyed my time greatly at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, where you truly are living in paradise. The laid-back lifestyle in Hawaii was the perfect antidote to living in New York all my life. I met some amazing people and learned a great deal from the professors at the university. Going to Hawaii allowed me to be independent, living almost 6,000 miles away, and it was a great experience. I would recommend everyone to join the NSE program. You get to live in a different city with new people and attend a different school. It was an eye-opening experience for me, and I hope to go back to Hawaii soon."
- Z.S. exchanged to University of Hawaii, Manoa
"My dream has always been to explore different places, people and cultures. In the United States alone, there are 50 states which are one whole country, yet, they vary so much in geography, climate, population, culture and lifestyle. When I went to Minnesota via NSE this summer, I felt that I traveled to another continent. It was so different from New York. After being on NSE, I feel much more enriched, a person now who can appreciate and enjoy any place outside her comfort zone."
- R.D. exchanged to Minnesota State University, Mankato
"My experience at CSU,SB was definitely one that I would never forget. I know it sounds cliché, but I have learned a lot since being out here on my own. I got to meet some great people from other schools in the exchange program, as well as people on campus. The classes are small, so that was good for me because my professors got to know me, which is good for references for Grad School. Being on the other side of the US showed me how differently they do things in California. It is always beneficial to experience new and exciting things. However, you must remember to be open to new experiences and new people, or it will be boring for you.
"The campus is clean and not too big; it kind of creates a small community atmosphere. They also have this great Outdoor Program where you can sign up for trips. The student activity fee pays for most of it so we only pay a small fee. Every weekend I’ve been out exploring California. Most recently I went surfing and hiking, camping, rock climbing, you name it!
"I am so happy that I was given the opportunity to go on exchange, so I would like to thank you for placing me here. I have made a lot of new friends from all over the place, it’s very diverse here. Just recently I met some French Canadians, and it is interesting to exchange views with people from other cultures and places."
- W.S. exchanged to California State University, San Bernardino
"The decision to join the many that have taken part in the National Exchange Program was the best decision I could have made for myself during my college years. Going to Bakersfield, California was quite an experience, even more of a culture shock. To go from a place like New York which is so rich in diversity to a city names Bakersfield, which is so much more of a religious place than I had expected, it was a big change for me.
"Going to Bakersfield gave me opportunities that I would have never experience had I stayed at Stony Brook University all four years. I was exposed to a different range of classes that I had never considered, like Judo and self-defense. In my short time there, of six months, I made friends that I hope will last me a life time. If there is only thing I could suggest to any student feeling tired of the same everyday things here at Stony brook, try something new, go to an entirely new place, with an open mind and truly live there. You will come back to stony brook, like I have, with an appreciation of what’s new and different, for the school that I left behind, Stony Brook."