Randolph-Macon College has kicked off its popular January Term (J-term), which provides students with the opportunity to immerse themselves in another culture, embark on an internship, or conduct groundbreaking research. On campus, J-term offers for-credit courses across the curriculum, making it possible for students to fully engage for one month in a single subject.

Travel Time
RMC’s J-term study-travel classes began in 1964 with one faculty member and nine students visiting Germany. This January, 109 students are packing their bags and discovering the world. Courses include Critique and Comparison of American Public Education Policy in Japan; Literary London and the History of England to 1688; and Afro-Cuban Culture, History and Society as well as Revolution, Politics, and Policy, which will take place in Cuba. In all, students could choose to travel to nine different countries. Another course, Retail Politics: Presidential Campaigning in the U.S., will take students to Iowa and New Hampshire to experience the presidential campaign trail; and one student is flying to Seoul, South Korea for a month-long internship at the Seoul, Korea Airport.

Internships through The Edge
J-term internships offer a real-world setting for connecting academic learning with the workplace. RMC’s Edge Career Center and dedicated faculty assist students in finding the perfect internship opportunity.

The Edge is an intensive four-year program that prepares students for life after college. Located within The Edge Career Center, it gives students a competitive advantage in the job market or graduate-school admissions process. Workshops, internships, one-on one advising, a career and networking Boot Camp, and a host of other resources ensure that students who graduate from RMC are lifelong learners who can think critically and adapt to new situations.

More than 130 students are participating in J-term 2016 internships, shadowing professionals and gaining experience at a wide variety of businesses and non-profits, including: Genworth Financial, Bon Secours Richmond Health Systems, Goodwill of Central Virginia, and McGuireWoods. RMC’s Bassett Internship program offers academic credit and connects students with tailor-made internships to explore a wide range of career fields in various locations. Students can also choose from a variety of paid or volunteer internship opportunities.

Generation Study Abroad
Randolph-Macon College recently joined with colleges and universities from around the world to become a member of Generation Study Abroad (GSA), a five-year initiative of the Institute of International Education. RMC’s partnership with GSA will allow the college to enrich its study abroad programs and access scholarship funds to enhance students’ abilities to make international education a part of their college experience. RMC’s Office of International Education (OIE) aims to significantly increase the number of students participating in J-term and semester-long study abroad programs by 2019.

“With one in five jobs now related to trade, it is critical that graduates be comfortable working in multicultural teams and settings,” says Tammi Reichel, study abroad advisor in the OIE. “Thanks to our J-term study/travel courses, close to 50 percent of Randolph-Macon students have some kind of international experience.”

Be sure to visit www.rmc.edu throughout January to follow students’ J-term adventures.