Hostos student Jeremy Quiñones visited Salzburg, Austria, as part of the Global Citizenship Alliance’s (GCA) study abroad program — an initiative that encourages CUNY students to engage with issues of global concern and think critically about what it means to be a global citizen.
The Liberal Arts major applied to the intensive weeklong program during the fall of 2017 at the suggestion of his then-College Discovery counsellor, Latoya Chiddick. “I was always telling Ms. Chiddick that I want to travel,” Quiñones explained. “I want to go outside of the Bronx, outside of the U.S — go somewhere else. And when she gave me the opportunity, I didn’t hesitate to say yes.”
Quiñones learned he’d been accepted after winter break, and he’s still soaring from the experience.
The Bronx native had never been on an airplane, and the furthest he’d ever travelled was to Washington, D.C. He was eager to leave the country, as well as his comfort zone. “It was my first time going on a trip like that. But even then, I was just really excited to be going away and with people I never met before,” he said.
Prior to departing for Salzburg in April 2018, Quiñones had to complete an English course designed to get participants to think globally, and for which he earned three credits at Bronx Community College. Once abroad, he and his cohort participated in plenary lectures, small-group work and cultural exchanges.
Maria Cano, director of College Discovery at Hostos, said she was thrilled last year to learn Quiñones had been selected for the program and happy he was able to have such an incredible experience. “The reason for my excitement was twofold: Jeremy was going to represent Hostos and College Discovery; and most importantly, I knew this was a great opportunity for him,” she said. Cano added, “My goal is to provide opportunities to my students, have them take advantage of those experiences and grow from them. That’s exactly what Jeremy did.”
The trip was absolutely transformative for Quiñones. “It just feel nice to breathe in the air and know I was on another part of the earth, away from home,” he said. “When I came back home, it was like I’d grown a set of wings, and I’m just dying to use them,” he said. “I’m dying to take flight again and go somewhere else, and see what else is out there for me to experience, for me to learn, for me to take in.”