Education and Camp Guide 2.1 - Flipbook - Page 4
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The Baltimore Sun | Sunday, February 1, 2026
Learning Experiences
On and Off Campus
Enhance Education
Today’s students have opportunities
to broaden their education both in
and out of the classroom
By Carol Sorgen, Contributing Writer
S
tudents in Morgan State
University’s actuarial science
program not only can look
forward to numerous career
opportunities, says Department Chair
Candice Marshall, Ph.D., but also have
the opportunity to participate in the
department’s international experience
in Bermuda.
“From office visits to dinners with
actuary professionals, the students are
able to learn a lot about reinsurance in
a short amount of time,” says Marshall,
explaining that Bermuda was chosen
as the international destination because
it’s the reinsurance capital of the world.
(For the uninitiated, reinsurance is the
arrangement whereby an insurer transfers all or part of a risk to another insurer. “It’s insurance for insurers,” says
Marshall.”)
Morgan is the only Historically Black
College or University (HBCU) offering
a Bachelor’s of Science in actuarial
science. It’s a competitive program,
says Marshall, noting that there are
more than 300 students, not only from
Maryland but from other states and
countries as well, applying for just 30
spots. Marshall adds that for students
pursuing this field of study, there are
many scholarship opportunities available.
“This is a growing field,” Marshall
says. “Job prospects are numerous,
and not just for actuaries but for software engineers, data analysts, CEOs,
CFOs and more. Actuaries are needed
in the areas of math, economics and
finance, to name just a few. Our program incorporates the disciplines of
mathematics, finance, accounting and
economics to create a synergistic program that fully equips our graduates for
the workforce. This is a great program
and a great career option for students
who love math but don’t necessarily
know what to do with it. There are a lot
of options.”
Salisbury’s Study Abroad Program
Broadens Horizons
Salisbury University has a long tradition of study abroad opportunities,
beginning in the 1970s with shortterm faculty-led trips, through to the
1990s when students could take part
in semester-long studies, to the current
program, begun in 2006, when students
could study for a semester or a year at
one of the school’s partner universities,
paying the same tuition as they do
when at Salisbury.
“Affordability and accessibility now
provide more opportunities to more
students,” says Sean Cooper, Ed.D.,
senior lecturer and study abroad adviser in Salisbury’s Janet Dudley-Eshbach
Center for International Education.
The numbers of students studying
abroad have fallen somewhat postCOVID from about 350 to this year’s
current 200 but are inching back up.
Popular countries of choice include
Spain, Scotland, Japan and Italy.
All majors are welcome to pursue a
Salisbury University student Joshua Turner studied in Seoul, South Korea
study abroad experience, says Cooper,
and indeed, he’s a strong believer that
everyone should study abroad. “I studied in Japan, and it really broadened my
experience of the world,” he says.
“Many of Salisbury’s students are
from the DelMarVa area,” Cooper continues. “Studying abroad helps them
understand more about their place in
the world, what it’s like to be an outsider, and our shared basic humanity.
“In terms of career benefits,” Cooper
adds, “developing interpersonal, intercultural, foreign language and networking skills are valuable tools in the workplace.”
Cooper observes that he sees the
change in students who have returned
from their study abroad. “They’ve come
out of their shell, they’re more willing to
engage, and more open to becoming
friends with international students.”
Joshua Turner is one of Salisbury’s
students who has taken advantage of
the study abroad program. Turner, who
is 26 and originally from Baltimore,
is currently majoring in finance and
expects to graduate this spring. He
recently completed a semester in Seoul,
South Korea.
“I chose Korea because I wanted an
experience that truly stood out,” Turner
says. “Everyone I knew who studied
abroad went to Europe, and I wanted
to take a different path. Asia felt like the
right move not only as a life experience,
but also as a way to differentiate myself
professionally. I also knew Seoul had
a growing reputation in global finance,
so it felt like a perfect place to immerse
myself both culturally and academically.”
Turner adds that this was his first
international experience. “It was a huge
step for me on every level, adding
that the biggest highlight of his time
abroad was meeting people from all
over the world. “I had the chance to
teach English to Buddhist monks, learn
Korean, and experience the amazing
nightlife and energy of Seoul. The only
real challenge was the language barrier,
but with help from my Korean friends
and the language course I was taking, I
