April 28, 2010
Photo Gallery
BRONX, N.Y. - While most Fordham University students chose the sun, sand and tropics for their spring break locale, the Rams' starting guard Kristina Bell (West Bloomfield, Mich./Mercy) chose an alternate way to spend her week off from classes and practice - in Paris, the City of Lights.
Bell's trip wasn't just for rest and relaxation as she chose to do a shortened version of a study abroad program. The junior joined 23 other students from Fordham's College of Business Administration, including fellow student-athlete, Augustus Gleason from the men's track and field team, for a seven-day learning experience in Paris, where Bell had the opportunity to learn about French politics, religion and healthcare. With her rigorous practice schedule and full time class load, Bell jumped at the opportunity to learn about life beyond our country's borders.
"Kristina is a well rounded individual who has balanced the responsibilities of a Division 1 athlete and the academic demands of a great university," remarked Fordham women's basketball head coach Cathy Andruzzi. "She is a model student athlete whose discipline and focus on the court mirrors her academic performance. The way she has maximized the educational opportunities Fordham offers is impressive"
On the trip, Bell and the other students visited and participated in lectures, workshops and tours in an exchange program hosted by the Lycée Sainte Croix, a French school for advanced education. The French students came from the CPGE section at Sainte Croix, which are prep classes for France's best business schools, and students studying for BTS Commerce International. With the exchange, the programs hope to encourage more international internship exchanges between the two countries.
"The program was a joint school, a combination of a high school and college," said Bell. "All the students spoke English, they were all bilingual - some even spoke up to three other languages."
The trip to Paris wasn't Bell's first with the program. Last year, she went to South Africa on a similar excursion.
"After my trip to South Africa last year, I really wanted to take this opportunity and go to Paris to compare the two cultures," said Bell. "Getting to compare the economies, livelihoods and social aspect of the citizens, really encouraged me to go again this year. France definitely met my expectations. It's really historical, which is very different from here."
During their seven-day exchange, Bell and her program members went on a tour of the 24-hour race track and museum, took part in a conference on the French healthcare system, visited the Medieval and Renaissance city of Old Le Mans and had dinner at a "crêperie." The junior guard also got to see the Louvre, Versailles and visited the business district of Paris, La Défense, where she and her program-members went to the Paris branch of KPMG and Barclays Bank.
"In Versailles I took a lot of pictures, everything so was amazing. The Louvre is huge, it was really cool," said Bell. "We only got to see about a quarter of it. But we did make sure to see the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo, paintings and a bunch of other cool historical statues. Even the rooms themselves were works of art, everything from the ceilings to the baseboards are preserved yearly and the detail is really interesting."
"The difference between the Old City of Paris and La Défense - the business district, was very distinct. Everything in the business district was futuristic looking with tall sky scrapers, so different than the Old World European style."
Bell also experienced Fordham ties in Paris as she attended a lecture on secularism in France led by Fordham alum, Fr. Pierre de Charentenay, a Jesuit priest in Paris. The lecture on the French healthcare system was also led by a Fordham alum.
"We talked a lot about politics and religion," remembered Bell. "In France, they don't mention religion in public places. Even the priests don't wear crosses or their religious collars any where in public. The only time dress as a priest is when they are saying mass. There is a big distinction over there between the church and the state, no religion is involved in anything political."
Both lectures were the basis for papers Bell had to write after the trip to wrap up the program. The students also were a part of a panel of Americans living and working in France. The panel talked about the possibility of working in France or anywhere else abroad post-Fordham.
"The panelists really layed out a realistic prospective of opportunities for me abroad, especially with what I want to do after college" remarked Bell.
"I think sometimes we lose sight of how impressive our students are and that they understand how to conduct themselves in every situation," said Senior Assistant Dean for Fordham's College of Business Administration, Nancy McCarthy. "Comments were made at our business meetings, from our Tour Guide, along with several members of the staff at the Sofeitel Arc de Triomphe Hotel who marveled at how intelligent, mature and respectful they were at all times. This was especially impressive because we were a group of 21 students, Dr. Barbara Porco and myself."
After her trip, Bell looks to try to do another short semester abroad this summer, in the short time between the end of school and summer work outs. For Bell, it's not just the travel but the learning experience and the potential opportunities after her career with the Fordham women's basketball team is over.
