Blog: The Gift of Global Learning

Studying abroad at Father Ryan High School is more than travel. It is a transformative journey that shapes students into thoughtful, faith-filled global citizens ready to make a meaningful impact in God’s world. Every day, our world becomes more interconnected. It is the imperative of any high school to prepare its graduates to embrace new cultures with empathy and curiosity and build essential skills in intercultural communication and global awareness.

“Travel—whether it be domestic or international—provides students with the opportunity to broaden their horizons and experience new ways of relating with the world around them,” explains Andrew Reducha, Associate Academic Dean at Father Ryan. “Experiencing new cultures and surroundings gives our students the opportunity to reflect on their own beliefs and values while teaching them the skills to communicate more effectively and across different viewpoints and cultures.”

Research underscores the power of study abroad to grow as learners and leaders, with benefits including:

• Improved academic performance
• Language proficiency skills
• Enhanced career prospects
• Soft skills like adaptability, problem-solving, and cross-cultural understanding
• Personal growth, self-confidence, a deepened sense of purpose, and maturity 

In fact, studying and visiting a foreign country can create new neural pathways that improve problem-solving and information retention. 

Father Ryan’s Approach to Study Abroad and Exchanges

For the past 25 years, Father Ryan has offered a variety of international travel opportunities, typically two per year, and open to students in all grade levels. These faculty-led trips take the Father Ryan experience on the road. In 2022-2023, Father Ryan added its signature French exchange program with Saint-Denis International School for French students beginning their sophomore year.  Located in Loches, a small town in the Loire region, students spend a month studying and living with a French host family.

Our trips this school year thus far underscore the distinctions of our approach to study away from our campus:

• During Fall Break, 19 freshmen through seniors traveled to Lisbon and Porto, Portugal, with three faculty chaperones to experience Portuguese culture. From creating their own ceramic tiles at an azulejos tile workshop, touring monuments and iconic sites, to attending an English-speaking Mass, a traditional music performance, excursions, and group dinners of Portuguese cuisine, students learned real-world skills as they learned to navigate a country where English is not the primary language, fostering an appreciation and respect for different cultures.
• In September, a group of students traveled to Rome for the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. Their pilgrimage included visits to some of the holiest sites in our Church, culminating in the Canonization Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. In a joyful moment that quickly spread across social media, our students presented Pope Leo XIV with a Father Ryan hat, a moment viewed more than 250,000 times and one that beautifully showcased the spirit of our community to the world.

The start of the 2026 calendar year kicks off a new exchange program with Xaverian High School in Brooklyn, N.Y. Open to juniors, the exchange gives students the chance to meet and connect with peers and form lasting friendships. Ten juniors have been selected to represent Father Ryan and travel to New York in February to experience what high school life is like for teenagers growing up in New York City.  Next fall, those same students welcome the ten Xavierian students who hosted them to Nashville.

Our global program continues this Spring Break, as we take a group of students to Venice, Florence, and Rome, Italy, for study and cultural immersion.   

“As Father Ryan continues to grow these programs, we are prioritizing building intentional and lasting partnerships that serve our students beyond a typical one- or two-week trip,” Mr. Reducha explains. “Each experience is mission-driven to challenge students to achieve their spiritual, academic, and personal potential by offering opportunities that are not possible within the structure of a typical school day.”

Students’ Perspectives on Traveling Abroad

We spoke with two Father Ryan students, senior Aiden Sissons ’26 and Colleen Alvis ’25, who is a freshman at George Washington University, about their unforgettable experiences traveling through Father Ryan and the impact global learning has had on their studies and life.

COLLEEN ALVIS ’25

• Participated in the Father Ryan French exchange program with Saint-Denis International School as a junior in May 2024, returning late June 2024
• Studied French at Father Ryan for four years
• Majoring in international affairs at George Washington University and continuing French studies with hopes of pursuing a career in diplomacy

I have always been passionate about all things global, particularly languages and geopolitics. The opportunity to immerse myself in an international community as more than just a tourist was too inviting to pass up.

My experiences with my host family were definitely the highlight. They took me on weekend trips to other parts of France, but the most significant parts of my homestay were the many moments where I was integrated into family events. I was invited to dinner parties, potlucks, game nights, and countless other events that made me feel like I was truly living in the community rather than just visiting.

Having complete language immersion, while at times intimidating, made me experience French in a completely different way than in a classroom. I developed more confidence, especially in my speaking, which has benefited me significantly while continuing my French studies in college. The staff at St. Denis were also incredibly accommodating; they understood my limitations with the language while constantly encouraging me to step outside my comfort zone. Having experience studying abroad before coming to college has been invaluable. 

My time in France helped reiterate that the world is more connected than we think. I also learned the importance of connections across borders. I believe that fostering a global community, even in an individual sense, is one small step towards creating a more tolerant and compassionate world. Going on an exchange in high school is a unique experience for which I am immensely grateful, and that has undoubtedly broadened my perspective. Having to adapt quickly to a new language, school system, and culture was difficult at times, but navigating those experiences significantly increased my overall resilience, which has been particularly useful as I settle into my first semester of college. The immense personal growth and countless memories that I have gained have made my experience well worth it. The best experiences rarely come from doing something easy.

AIDEN SISSONS ’26

This past October, Aiden participated in the Portugal trip, his second study abroad experience with Father Ryan. In fall 2024, he went to Greece with Father Ryan.

Aiden created a “day in the life” video of the trip that captures the awe, joy, and impact of these experiences.

These trips are an important part of Aiden’s robust and rich experience at the school, in and out of the classroom. "I feel like [Study Abroad] exposes you to so many new ideas and new experiences that you could never get back in America,” Aiden says. “It really helped to open my mind."

A Hayes Scholar and one of our top students, Aiden is:

• Historian of Oak House
• A member, National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society—Aiden takes a mixture of AP and High Honors courses, taking Spanish III High Honors last year
• A member of Purple Masque Players and is in the fall play and spring musical
• A Student Ambassador
• A Science Olympiad participant
• One of two Father Ryan vocalists for the highly selected 2025 Mid-State Honors Choirs

Visit fatherryan.org/academic-opportunities to learn more about our study abroad and exchange programs.