UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Seventeen undergraduate students from the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) spent Maymester exploring the intersection of information technology (IT) and national security in Stockholm, London and Paris.
The study abroad program gave students an opportunity to examine how IT is shaped by international security, policy and culture. The students recently presented highlights of their experience to IST leadership.
“Studying abroad can change the trajectory of a student’s life,” Andrea Tapia, dean of the College of IST, said following the presentation. “These students served as ambassadors for the college, Penn State and the United States, and we couldn’t be prouder.”
This was the College of IST’s first embedded study abroad program. The program began during the second half of the spring semester, with students completing classroom lectures and practical assignments. After final exams, they departed from Washington, D.C. and traveled to Europe, where they spent time in Stockholm, London and Paris. They returned to the United States during the first week of June to complete the Maymester session.
The trip was part of IST’s "Information Technology in an International Context" course, which combines a structured academic curriculum with firsthand exposure to different cultures and international environments. IST faculty members Chris Sebora, assistant teaching professor, and Joseph Squillace, associate teaching professor, led the program.
The course explores how a country’s culture, economy, policies and technology infrastructure can influence how information technology is designed, adopted and used. Students examine three key areas: technology infrastructure and security; economic and policy factors; and social and cultural influences. Through coursework and the study-abroad experience, students develop the analytical skills to understand how these factors shape the way technology is used by organizations and communities around the world.
“In each country we visited, students met with individuals from industry and academia to talk about the very things they’re learning in class,” Sebora said. “They heard firsthand about risks and security concerns regarding cyber strategy, cyber threats and critical infrastructure and how it is similar and different from the U.S. perspective and how it is integrated and works within their country and NATO.”
In Sweden, the students met with the Institute for Security and Development Policy, a think tank focused on international security and foreign policies. They also met with representatives from the Security and Defense Industry Association, with whom they discussed the importance of collaboration across academia, industry and government.
In the United Kingdom, the students met with the Institute for Public Policy Research to learn more about the country’s immigration and government policy. They saw firsthand how immigration and political tensions are shaping public opinion, policy and everyday life.
In France, the students met with several speakers from the Institut Montaigne to discuss security, public policy and some of the international security challenges currently faced by Europe. They connected what they learned in class to real-world security challenges as their hosts described emerging cybersecurity threats and the challenges of coordinating digital security across countries.
“Studying abroad can be a life-changing experience,” said Squillace, who completed a Fulbright assignment in Eastern Europe last fall. “Students get excited about how they can apply their studies to cybersecurity careers with State Department jobs and going overseas to do cyber jobs at the government level.”
In addition to academic engagement, the immersive program provided opportunities for the students to experience international flights, ferries, plays, museums and cultural cuisine. In local coffee shops and pubs, they engaged in conversations that offered perspectives not found in the classroom.
The following students participated in the Maymester experience:
- Khera Abogourin, third-year student majoring in cybersecurity analytics and operations
- Meetra Barger, third-year student majoring in cybersecurity analytics and operations
- Matt Cleary, fourth-year student majoring in cybersecurity analytics and operations
- Jessica Gage, third-year student majoring in in security and risk analysis, intelligence and modeling option
- Emma Haase, graduated spring 2026 with a bachelor’s degree in security and risk analysis, intelligence analysis and modeling option
- Eric Hetzel, third year student majoring in cybersecurity analytics and operations
- Braeden Jones, fourth-year student majoring in cybersecurity analytics and operations
- Amber-Chelsea Kibera, fourth- year student majoring in cybersecurity analytics and operations
- Colin Kooney, fourth-year student majoring in cybersecurity analytics and operations
- Cameron Lantz, fourth-year student majoring in security and risk analysis, intelligence analysis and modeling option
- Patrick Liney, fourth-year student majoring in cybersecurity analytics and operations
- Daman McBride, third-year student majoring in data sciences, applied data sciences option
- Jessica McNulty, fourth-year student majoring in cybersecurity analytics and operations
- Ashley Rodz, third-year student majoring in information sciences and technology
- Mason Spikula, third-year student majoring in data sciences, applied data sciences option
- Jack Szuba, third-year student majoring in cybersecurity analytics and operations
- Nicholas Wilson, third-year student majoring in cybersecurity analytics and operations