FOUR EUROPEAN CITIES WILL BE YOUR HOME

Every summer since 2012, students on The Catalyst have shared countless "pinch me" moments on their study-abroad journey. How could it be otherwise, when they take a whole month in London, Paris, Vienna and Berlin to do the most immersive and intensive academic learning of their lives? The Catalyst is led by passionate professors whose standards for high-impact learning are second to none. We make sure our students start The Catalyst motivated to work hard and push themselves every day. So that when they come home, they're on fire for globally engaged success in their careers.

Would learning like a local in four of Europe's greatest cities level up your summer?

Program Dates: 18 May - 16 June 2025

How did The Catalyst impact you?

"In my Google interviews (5 of them), I was asked about The Catalyst every time. They wanted to know how I solved problems and worked with new people from different parts of the world. No doubt: I work at Google because I did The Catalyst."

HIGH-IMPACT COURSES WILL DRIVE YOUR SENSE OF DISCOVERY

You probably attend plenty of Powerpoint lectures already. You won't on The Catalyst. Instead, our world-class faculty will walk with you five miles or more most days, through mist, sunshine and a blister or two. As our field visits and on-site teaching challenge you to meet each day with passion and clarity. From Catalyst Biology to our Homeland Security course, you'll crisscross our cities as our faculty lead you on a quest toward the power of your own confident voice. Along the way, be ready to get the steady rush of hands-on learning that your future employer will value.

Are you someone eager to go past your comfort zone?

LEARNING IN CONTEXT WILL POWER YOUR IDEAS

On The Catalyst, the two courses you take will bring life-changing locations to life. Both will push you harder than you've ever been pushed before. Do you want to explore the London hospital where the first PTSD soldiers were treated in 1916? Or stand on Omaha Beach in Normandy, France and learn about D-Day and World War Two where the battles raged? Whatever courses you take, The Catalyst will broaden your perspective on the world and boost your employability after college.

While you study abroad, your friends taking two courses at home will be spending about $4000 in tuition alone. Whose summer will be worth more in a decade's time?

What were Catalyst courses and professors like?

"Seven years later and I am still reflecting on my experiences from those two Catalyst classes. Working at a media company in Berlin wouldn't have happened for me--a kid from a Wisconsin farm town--if I hadn't had those professors and that program to push me."

IMMERSION WILL GLOBALIZE YOUR PERSPECTIVE

From arrival to departure, your whole experience on The Catalyst will be a pathway toward global awareness. At first, we help you get your balance as a global citizen and traveler. But then it's you navigating subways and busses, surrounded by new languages, foods and customs. With free afternoons each day and your 5 days of "Acceleration Break", you'll have ample time to become an expert voyageur on your own global journey.

Is becoming a confident and curious citizen of the world something you think might boost your job prospects?

A BOLD COMMUNITY WILL GROW YOUR GRIT.

The Catalyst is not meant to be an easy program. You're likely to feel a huge sense of accomplishment and pride after you do it. Because like everyone on a quest to learn and grow, you're going to face moments of real adversity. Years after doing The Catalyst, our alumni report that their summer abroad taught them not just vitally important academic skills but also how to summon their grit, compassion and creativity to manage adverse situations as they arise in their career lives.

When you achieve a meaningful goal, how do you feel about yourself?

What was The Catalyst learning community like?

"I loved meeting my fellow students. They came from all over the US. From the first day we went out and explored all our cities. I felt like our entire group was there to work really hard and to support each other.”

THIS SUMMER WILL MAKE YOU GLOBALLY EMPLOYABLE

The US Departments of State and Treasury track what employers want in new hires. So do the faculty who teach on The Catalyst, some of whom consult for Google, Microsoft, Air BnB, Adobe and Prudential. These sources tell us the same thing. That global experience is a requirement to being hired today. Why? Because global experience means you are curious. It means you can solve problems and rely on your grit. It means you have empathy and self awareness. 100% of our alumni report they were asked about The Catalyst in a job interview.

What will this summer give you to talk about in a clutch job interview?

Has The Catalyst helped you with your career?

"I am living in Atlanta with a fellow Catalyst Alumni, who happens to be my wife, and am working in my dream industry of television and film production. The first thing they asked me about when they interviewed me for this job was what I learned when I studied abroad.”

EUROPE'S MOST MOVING CLASSROOM

LONDON, PARIS, VIENNA AND BERLIN

May 18 -June 16, 2025

CONTACT US

Dr. Doug Mackaman, Director

The Catalyst Program

Text: 651-341-1806