As the last, lazy days of August tick off the calendar, around 500 first-year students begin to arrive on the Franklin & Marshall College campus, eager to start writing the undergraduate chapter of their lives.

Meanwhile 3,500 miles across the Atlantic Ocean, a smaller cohort of first-years embarks on an entirely different type of adventure. This iF&M group, comprising 10 to 12 students, springs into the college experience on F&M’s campus in Bath, England.

The students will spend 16 weeks living and learning in this historic city in the United Kingdom and discovering the rewards and wonders of world travel. They’ll also build memories that only their close-knit group will ever share.

“I especially remember the day that I climbed Solsbury Hill with the professors and students from my cohort,” recalls Sarah Chapla ’26, a member of the Fall 2022 cohort. “It was a crisp, clear morning, and the view from atop the hill absolutely took my breath away. I remember feeling so energized and exhilarated after the hike, and I still think back to that day as one of the most blissful and sublime experiences of my time abroad.”

The iF&M program is distinctive. Out of the more than 200 opportunities F&M offers that empower students to study abroad, iF&M is the only program that builds a path to global citizenship on Day 1 of their undergraduate careers. The College’s longtime collaborator in Bath is Advanced Studies in England, which has been welcoming American undergraduates for more than three decades and is renowned for its challenging, rewarding academic courses and close-knit community — core tenets of the F&M experience, as well.

“This is a wonderful first-semester opportunity, building on F&M’s identity as a global campus,” says Sue Mennicke, program facilitator and associate dean of international initiatives. “When they return to campus for the spring semester, participants maintain strong connections with their fellow iF&Mers, and their faculty mentor remains an important source of guidance and support, even as the students branch out to explore new interests. 

That faculty mentor’s persistent presence is a hallmark of the program. These professors not only teach courses in Bath, but also serve as live-in mentors and intellectual tour guides during jaunts around the region. Professor of German Jennifer Redmann, Associate Professor of Sociology Ashley Rondini, and Associate Professor of Government & Public Health Jennifer Meyer each have led the program in the last three years. Professor of History Richard Reitan will lead it in Fall 2025.

“This program takes you outside of the classroom and into the city,” Reitan says. “So when you’re walking down the streets, you’ll see the Georgian architecture, you’ll see Bath Abbey, which has a history going back to the 7th century. You’ll be able to explore the Roman baths, which are, of course, much older, and if you’re a fan of Jane Austen, you might visit The Jane Austen Centre in Bath.”

Beyond Bath, the group gets to explore some of the most well-known and captivating sites in the southern half of the United Kingdom, including Stonehenge, Stratford-Upon-Avon (the birthplace of William Shakespeare), the picturesque villages of the Cotswolds, Oxford University, and London.

“Our trips to London were amazing,” said Lucas Gonçalves ’28, an iF&M participant in 2024. “For someone living for the first time abroad, having the opportunity to visit the Houses of Parliament, the London Bridge, Westminster Abbey, and many other places was indescribable.” 

Jessica Kinker ’26 enjoyed the excursions as well, but said getting to know her short-term home town of Bath and its friendly residents was just as thrilling.

“One of my favorite things to do by myself was walk around the city until I got lost, and then attempt to find my way back without a map,” said Kinker, who participated in 2022. “It was a great way to explore new areas, and was a fantastic way to familiarize myself with the city streets and sites. It was a magical moment when the city and people of Bath went from foreign, distant things to something of familiarity and comfort.”

Once they return to campus for the spring semester, which starts in mid-January, iF&M students have many stories to share with their classmates in Lancaster, and cohorts will frequently meet up to relive memories of their shared, four-month journey in Bath. 

“It has been inspiring to witness how the shared experience of the iF&M semester has so positively impacted students’ confidence and sense of belonging as a special part of the College community,” Mennicke says.

Words of Advice for Would-Be World Travelers

Studying abroad as a first-year student is exhilarating — even a little nerve-inducing. We asked our past iF&M participants to offer advice to recently admitted students who are considering enrolling in iF&M in 2025. Here is what they had to say:

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