Download Image: Web
Working toward a bachelor’s degree with two majors is no easy task, and to do it in three years seems impossible. But that’s exactly what Lycoming College’s Addison Angstadt ’24 is aiming for, and she isn’t stopping there. Determined to top off her corporate communication and psychology double major with a French minor, Angstadt plunged herself into an immersive French language experience at the Université de Franche-Comté Centre de Linguistique Appliquée in Besançon, France, and her Wertz scholarship made it possible.
Named for D. Frederick Wertz, who served as Lycoming College president from 1955-1968, the Wertz Scholars Program supports students who graduate in the top 10 percent of their high school class. The program includes a stipend of up to $5,000 to be used toward an enhanced academic experience — including support for internships, faculty-led research, or global education — during their time at Lycoming. Students also receive the option to reside in the Wertz Scholars First-Year Residential Community, to participate in the Wertz mentor program, and periodic dinners with College administrators in support of career planning.
"I could not have traveled out of the country without the Wertz scholarship,"
“I’ve always wanted to go to France, but as the daughter of a single mother, and as a student who is paying for college on her own, I could not have traveled out of the country without the Wertz scholarship,” said Angstadt. “This trip was the first time I travelled away from the east coast and only the second time I’ve been on a plane. Having to navigate and study in a foreign country by myself has given me the confidence to say that I can do whatever I want,” said Angstadt, who added that she has recently made the decision to apply to doctoral programs in psychology.
A legacy student, Angstadt’s family has a long history at Lycoming. Her parents and grandparents, as well as her aunt and uncle, all attended Lycoming, and uncle Robert B. Angstadt taught biology at Lycoming. “I always knew I would at least look into Lycoming. After my first visit, I fell in love. My tour guide told me a lot about his own experiences and it sounded like a tight-knit community, which is something I wanted,” she said. “Looking back, I’ve made amazing connections, here, and my involvement in the campus radio station and Gamma Delta Sigma sorority, wouldn’t have been the same at a large school.”
Angstadt plans to stay involved as an alumna, adding that she’s especially looking forward to coming back during Homecoming to visit Williamsport, catch up with good friends, and celebrate at the College’s annual the Beer & Pretzel Tent!
Through the Office of Global Education, a wide array of opportunities are designed to complement a Lycoming degree. In addition to independent study abroad programs and faculty-led travel courses, Lycoming’s language immersion programs focus on full linguistic and cultural engagement with opportunities to study in locations that include Belgium, Costa Rica, Ecuador, France, Germany, Mexico, and Spain.