A group of 11 Elizabethtown College students spent a week abroad in Germany and Switzerland to attend briefing sessions at the United Nations and various other organizations as part of the School of Business’s Geneva Program from May 11 to 18.

The Geneva Program is part of Associate Professor of Economics Dr. Sanjay Paul’s International Organizations Seminar. The course is open to all majors and classes and is intended to foster an understanding of key global issues. The program allows students to take a hands-on approach to examining foreign affairs by attending briefing sessions at international organizations.

“The program allows Elizabethtown students to get outside their comfort zone, make connections with students abroad and to experience life, however briefly, in Europe,” Paul said. “They gain the opportunity to hone their communication and intercultural skills and establish friendships with fellow students in Europe.”

Elizabethtown College students in front of the United Nations Embassy

Students from a variety of majors began the trip by spending two days with students at the Konstanz University of Applied Sciences in Germany.

“The students from Germany were kind enough to treat us with amazing hospitality and share their culture with us,” Alexandra Swendrowski ’26 said. “I will never forget these experiences, and I truly believe this group will be great friends for many years to come!”

During their visit to Konstanz, students visited the German Customs Office on the border between Switzerland and Germany. Later, they traveled to Geneva, Switzerland by train. Over the next several days, they explored the U.S., Swiss, German, European Union and Holy See Missions, the World Trade Organization, the United Nations, and the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art.

A primary educational focus of the program was international leadership. Students were encouraged to lead their peers and professors in examining international policy and foreign relations. Evenings were free, allowing students to immerse themselves in European culture and take ownership of the trip.

Elizabethtown and Konstanz students stand in front of the United Nations Embassy

“Our professors continually treated us as co-leaders, leaving us in charge of making reservations, asking questions, organizing meetings, and finding transportation,” Blake Stolarik ’26 said. “This allowed us to learn about leadership through hands-on experience.”

Etown students worked during the spring semester in Paul’s International Organizations Seminar to create research projects on topics ranging from climate change to China’s rising influence and presented their findings along with Konstanz students in Germany. For one of their Mission visits in Geneva, they were also joined by students and staff from the University of California and the University of Geneva.

Funds from the Etown School of Business’s Michael J. Lorelli Scholarship were used to offset student expenses. The Lorelli Fund provides students with research experiences and high-impact internships that create opportunities for real-world learning.

“The collaborative effort with the Konstanz group and the visits to various international organizations provided the students with an understanding of how to work together with people from a different country and culture,” Paul said.

This September, Etown students will continue the collaboration with Konstanz students by returning the hospitality and hosting the German students on Etown’s campus.