Trinity Football Sees The World

Playing football in the NESCAC is a privilege. The history and tradition present on every campus in the league is unmatched by other Division III schools around the country. The education a student-athlete receives, especially here at Trinity, is life-changing and irreplaceable. So, too, are the experiences Trinity student-athletes have attending a school in the NESCAC. The College’s study abroad program is one such opportunity that many upperclassmen on the Bantam football team have taken full advantage of.
 

At most universities, especially top-echelon Division I schools, football players would never have the opportunity to participate in a study-abroad program. With the season ending in November and spring ball starting in May, most student-athletes have no time to slow down and experience their college and everything it has to offer. The NESCAC is different and the players realize that. The study-abroad program is a once in a lifetime opportunity that captains Connor Quinn ’09 and Tyler Berry ’09 couldn’t pass up.
 

“The only thing that we missed were spring workouts, which we are able to do while studying abroad,” said Quinn. “In a Division I program where football is mandatory in the spring, they do not have the same opportunities as us. This is why I felt that it was an opportunity I could not pass up.”
 

Berry enjoys having the off-season responsibilities rest on his shoulders.
 

“Since there is no 'mandatory' off-season like in Division I programs, I have the ability to do something like this,” said Berry. "I can go abroad and it is really up to me to stay in good shape and maintain contact with my team. Coach [Jeff] Devanney always said to take advantage of such opportunities and I feel that I have.”
 

Most students who go abroad have interest in a country, want to learn about their family heritage, or simply experience a different culture firsthand. This fact is not lost on Adam Difulvio ’09 and Kevin Sun ’09, who traveled abroad together with the Trinity Rome Campus program.
 

“I decided to go abroad because I have always wanted to go to Italy,” said Difulvio. “My dad’s family is from there and I have always wanted to meet them. I knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel and experience Europe with my best friends.”
 

“I wanted to go abroad to experience education and life in a completely different culture,” added Sun. “I chose Rome because of its rich cultural history, and the fact that it was a Trinity program made applying a lot easier. I definitely recommend studying abroad to anyone who is interested. It changed my life.”
 

Sun also realizes the effect this program has had on him as a person.

“Experiencing a semester abroad really expanded my cultural horizons and made me more well-rounded. I feel more educated and mature from this whole experience.”
 

Quinn’s trip to Ireland was an enriching one, as he learned about family and saw where they grew up, something he may not have been able to do outside of Trinity.
 

“I chose to study in Ireland because my family originates from there. The best part about the experience was seeing where my grandfather came from and meeting family that still lives in there.”
 

This experience touched Quinn in a variety of ways.
 

“It was less of what was learned in the classroom, and more about the extracurricular learning that took place,” added Quinn. “For the most part, I was on my own in another country, and had to adapt to a different culture and their customs. The experience of studying abroad has enhanced my overall college experience.”
 

Berry acknowledged the convenience of being able to earn college credit even while living in another country.

“I have never had the opportunity to travel across the Atlantic. Going to Europe has always been a goal of mine. What better opportunity than to go through school and earn credits while at the same time experiencing a different style of life.”
 

All four Bantams emphatically recommended these programs to other students who are considering studying abroad. It was an enriching experience that will not only last a lifetime, but also greatly enhance one’s college experience