Hannah Steinlauf

“Ever since I was in high school, I’ve dreamed of traveling the world. I saved up money from my part time job and applied for scholarships to take part in my senior class trip to Greece, and had the best time of my life. I left my first international experience wishing for another taste of Europe.

Coming to Ramapo, I knew I had big plans for my future. I wanted to attend grad school, get my PhD, and become a history professor. I wanted to graduate early. I wanted to stay involved with my favorite activity, dance, and I wanted to join Greek life. Most importantly though, I wanted to study abroad and spend a semester in another country. So, I worked full time all summer, applied for multiple scholarships, chose to sit out on plans with my friends, so that I could afford to study abroad for a full semester and explore Europe while I was here.

I chose to go to Dublin, Ireland not only because of the flexibility of going to a school in which all the classes are taught in English, but also because they offered an Irish Cultural Heritage Certificate. In order to take this certificate, I took four Irish history classes, went on multiple field trips, and worked hands on with archaeologists who had published many papers about the very places I was going to see, like the burial tombs at Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth, or the hills of Tara and the monastery at Glendalough. This experience not only got me involved with the history of Ireland, but was extremely important to me as I am considering returning abroad to complete my Masters Degree–potentially in Irish or Celtic history. While in the program, I met many great friends through the field trips and the small size of the cultural heritage program. I even planned a weekend trip to Budapest with a friend I met here!

Even though I was not on mainland Europe, I was lucky enough to visit many countries such as Scotland, Northern Ireland, France, Spain, the Netherlands, and as previously mentioned, Hungary. I realized how much different cultures connected across Europe, and even though there are slight differences or language barriers from country to country, I was able to learn about the people and the history everywhere I went. I learned how to communicate with people, branch out and make friends and manage my time and money in order to prioritize what I really wanted to do while abroad. Having to budget things such as groceries, public transport and travel without actively holding a job helped me grow as a person and what was important to me. As a history major, I wouldn’t trade my experience abroad for anything, because it taught me so much about not only the history of the world, but also my presence and impact in the world.

Studying abroad in Dublin truly changed the course of my life and academic future, but I didn’t have to compromise anything I wanted to when coming to college. I still get to be a part of greek life, and the dance company, and I’m still graduating within three years, instead of four. I still want to become a professor, and my experience abroad proved that to me more than I knew before. But best of all, I got to spend 3 and a half months in another country, traveling throughout Europe, and learning things about myself that I never would have learned staying home.” – Hannah Steinlauf ’25 is a History major with a minor in Museum and Exhibition Studies. She is the Vice President of Harm Reduction, Diversity, equity and inclusion committee and is currently involved in Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority, Leaders in Service, and the Dance company. She received her Irish Cultural Heritage Certificate, Global Seal of Biliteracy (Spanish), and was accepted into Alpha Lambda Delta First Year Honors Society. She made Dean’s List in fall 2022 and spring 2023. She received the Deans scholarship, and was Employee of the month at Tio Taco in July 2023.

Program:
ISA at Dublin, Ireland through Maynooth University