Travel Abroad

Like many higher education institutions across the country, Beacon College’s study programs are bouncing back and growing once again after the pandemic shut down school life and travel.

The Beacon in Tokyo program is the newest expansion of Beacon’s study abroad program which is believed to be the first and only semester-long global education program for neurodivergent students in the country.

For the first time ever, Beacon sent Evdokimo and 20 other students to Japan this year. The group returned in late April and Beacon plans to send another cohort in early 2025.

The interest for Japan has been high especially for the college students who love playing video games, watching anime and using technology, said Mike Fallon, a Beacon business instructor who co-led the program this year.

“The first group in Japan, we filled up. We had a waiting list,” Fallon said. “And this new group, it looks like we will have at least 20, which was our target range. They’re excited to go to Japan.”

For the past six or so years, Beacon also sent students to the medieval city of Prato in Italy’s Tuscany region. A group of 13 students will return from Beacon in Tuscany on Dec. 6 after a semester study that includes going to Venice and Rome (and undoubtedly eating pasta their taste buds won’t soon forget).

In addition to the two semester-long trips, Beacon also offers a shorter international trip, typically about three weeks during the summer. In 2025, the itinerary includes Greece and Italy.

“As you can imagine, it’s absolutely life-changing for our students,” said Kevin Reilly, Beacon’s new vice president for academic affairs. “For many of them, it’s their first trip abroad. It’s just a really important part of their learning experience here at the college.”

Reilly said for all students — especially those who are neurodivergent — studying abroad exposes them to new opportunities they otherwise miss out on. Beacon students return to the United States with a newfound confidence after traveling abroad and dealing with language barriers and a different environment, he said.

“They come back feeling like they can handle a variety of challenges,” Reilly said. “They can take chances. They can push themselves.”

And one selling point is Beacon’s classes abroad cost the same as tuition at Leesburg although the trip does have higher housing expenses than living on campus, Reilly said.

“When you start to talk about what room and board costs here versus there, it’s not a lot extra. It really isn’t,” Reilly said.

During this year’s Japan trip, students learned about tea ceremonies and went on excursions to the beautiful Kyoto famous for its shrines and geishas.

On weekends, students rode trains at the world’s biggest train station and planned itineraries to explore a museum or visit a ramen restaurant. If their parents came to visit, the students took control and led them around.

“They became experts,” Fallon said. I just stood back and watched and (thought), ‘Wow. This is worth it right here.’”