France 2025

Our journey began in Paris with a stop at Montparnasse Tower, a 210-meter skyscraper that offers stunning views of the city. After this, we took a wonderful daytime cruise on the River Seine, with views of many of the major sites in Paris including the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, and Notre Dame Cathedral. On our second day in Paris, we visited the Louvre Museum, Musée d’Orsay, and Père Lachaise Cemetery. Students stood in line to see the iconic Mona Lisa at the Louvre, enjoyed the beautiful work of master impressionists such as Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh at the Musee d’Orsay, and saw the gravesites of famous figures including Moliere, Oscar Wilde, and Jim Morrison at Père Lachaise.

For our third day, we began with a gastronomic tour in Paris in the 2nd Arrondissement to immerse students in Paris cafe culture. Our stops included tasting charcuterie at Cafe Montorgueil, pastries at the historic Stohrer bakery, and macarons from Charles Chocolatier. After this delectable start to the day, we traveled to the medieval city of Rouen, where we saw the awe-inspiring Rouen Cathedral, St. Joan of Arc’s Church, and the famous 14th century astronomical clock, Gros-Horloge.

We then ventured to Omaha Beach in Normandy and the American Cemetery, where some 9,400 war dead are buried. While at Omaha Beach, our students read poetry aloud about the D-Day landings and reflected on soldiers’ sacrifices. In addition, the faculty made special arrangements for a student to be taken graveside to plant an American flag and rub sand from Omaha Beach onto the headstone of their deceased relative. This was one of the most heartfelt parts of the trip that left all students deeply moved by the experience.

Next, we ventured to the picturesque Loire Valley at Amboise, where we visited the Château Royal d’Amboise and Château du Clos Lucé. Here students learned not only about the French royalty who lived at these châteaux, but also their history as the home of one of the most famous artists in history, Leonardo da Vinci. We then went back to Paris for the last day of the trip, visiting the Palace of Versailles, the Paris Catacombs, and the Montmartre district.

We returned to the United States on July 3rd, successfully completing our amazing journey from Toms River to Paris with our group of experienced world travelers. Despite some obstacles, including record-breaking temperatures exceeding 100 degrees and challenges with a lack of air conditioning at one of the hotels, we worked tirelessly to alter the accommodations and ensure our students were safe and had comfortable accommodations throughout our journey.

Student testimonials upon the conclusion of the trip were filled with praise, with many wishing to continue traveling abroad and seeing more of the world. To quote two of our students,

“Overall, the study abroad experience in France has proved to be invaluable to me as I learned about history and culture. Not only was I able to experience this firsthand but I was also able to confirm my own ambitions both academically and professionally as well. The study abroad experience throughout France has provided me with lifelong memories and has fueled my ambitions for my future.” (HIST 240)

“I graduated from Ocean County College in 2020, and then from Rutgers in 2022. I have been working a full-time job since July of 2022. Being out of school for three years, it     was daunting to take even a single class. I was very proud of myself when I realized I had it in me to complete another course. It has increased my confidence, and even inspired me to apply for graduate school next year. […] As it turns out, this experience taught me so much about the world. Around the world, we all live different lives. Experiencing how people live outside of where we are comfortable is eye-opening. The culture, patriotism, art, architecture, food, transportation, and language are all different. Traveling allows us to appreciate different cultures, their history, and connect with others. Even when we don’t speak the same language, we can still connect as human beings.” (HUMN 252)

We are so proud to have led this exciting adventure, and hope that the success of this trip inspires students at OCC to continue traveling and exploring the world for years to come. Thank you to everyone involved in the process, and especially the OCC Foundation, whose generous financial support helped to make this trip more accessible for our students.

Professor Kristyn Stout (Chair, English Department) and Dr. Justin Pfeifer (Chair, History Department) co-led a study abroad trip to France with 20 students and community members from June 26 – July 3, 2025. The trip provided students with the opportunity to engage in interdisciplinary coursework and experiential learning in both the humanities and history while studying in several cities across France.

The following are a few excerpts from letters the students wrote to the Foundation at the end of the summer academic term, expressing the impact which the study abroad trip had on them:

“From June 26th to July 3rd, I joined Professors Pfeifer and Stout on a journey to France to learn about French history in person. I am so grateful to have been able to go on this this trip and to experience the entirely different culture there is in France… Both of the Professors were so amazing and worked diligently even while we were on the trip to make it more enjoyable for everyone as they were constantly making sure that we were going to be in comfortable situations, let alone the great lessons they gave us on bus rides and when we went to different locations to either sight see or walk through and immerse ourselves into a different time. They are both great teachers and people, and it made the trip just that much more amazing and enjoyable to be taught by and experience the time with them.” (Spencer O’Brien, HIST 240)

“This trip has sparked a desire to travel the world, and I am very thankful I was able to do it. The opportunity to travel across the ocean to a different country does not come up often, and taking this once in a lifetime opportunity is something I will never forget. I am excited to see what other opportunities OCC will present to me and all the other students here. I could not recommend going on a study abroad trip enough to anyone and I hope OCC will continue doing these trips.” (Sawyer Gleason, HUMN 252)

“Without the support from the Ocean County College Foundation my trip to France would not have been possible for a student such as myself. The financial support from the College Foundation has provided me with the experience of a lifetime. As a student taking the history course for this study abroad experience I was fascinated that I got to witness history with my own eyes. From the streets of Paris to the D Day Beaches I was constantly surrounded by history itself.” (Sierra Francese, HIST 240)

“If you had told me a year ago that I would be waltzing through the streets of Paris, sitting under the stars, watching the Eiffel tower illuminate with my best friends, I would not have believed you. This was my first time ever traveling without my parents, which has helped me grow in many ways. Even though there was a set itinerary for the trip, in my free time I was responsible for my own safety, along with my friend’s safety in a foreign country, as we travelled between various locations throughout France. I was also responsible for navigating cities in which I did not speak the native language. Both feats were a huge steppingstone in furthering my personal growth and skills as a young adult.” (Jacob Pearlman, HIST 240)

“I graduated from Ocean County College in 2020, and then from Rutgers in 2022. I have been working a full-time job since July of 2022. Being out of school for three years, it was daunting to take even a single class. I was very proud of myself when I realized I had it in me to complete another course. It has increased my confidence, and even inspired me to apply for graduate school next year. […] As it turns out, this experience taught me so much about the world. Around the world, we all live different lives. Experiencing how people live outside of where we are comfortable is eye-opening. The culture, patriotism, art, architecture, food, transportation, and language are all different. Traveling allows us to appreciate different cultures, their history, and connect with others. Even when we don’t speak the same language, we can still connect as human beings.” (Kerri Kroon, HUMN 252)

“Feeling the heavy silence and mourning of Normandy American Cemetery brought into perspective the sheer number of fathers, brothers, and sons that laid down their lives to liberate Europe, as well as the sheer number of lives that grief touches. Walking through the rows of tombstones on a clear, quiet, sunny day magnified the sacrifice that made this peace possible, and the juxtaposition between the past and the present. Visiting the grave of my deceased relative at the cemetery was particularly powerful, as it demonstrated to me how national grief and mourning has touched my own family’s life.” (Kelsey Kearney, HUMN 252)

“Under the leadership of Professors Kristyn Stout and Justin Pfeifer…I was thoroughly impressed with their organization and planning skills…They were able to blend a personable, fun atmosphere along with professional dignity and respect during more serious moments.  Visiting Normandy and sharing a poem and a moment of silence at Omaha Beach was a particularly poignant event. And assisting a student to help her find the grave of her relative who perished there demonstrated their compassion and went above and beyond what was required, in my opinion. For me, this is a quality of an effective teacher. What a great lesson for all of us in attendance.” (Dr. Marybeth Kretz, HUMN 252)

These testimonials highlight the importance of the study abroad program for our students. To hear more about our students’ experiences, please read the full letters provided to Ken Malagiere. Thank you for your generous support for our trip to France, and for all you do here at the college. We are so proud to have led this exciting adventure, and hope that the success of this trip inspires students at OCC to continue traveling and exploring the world for years to come.