As a liberal arts institution, Ramapo College of New Jersey values critical thinking, interdisciplinary learning and intellectual growth grounded in humanistic inquiry. Roadrunners regularly practice these values on campus, but they can also hone them in study abroad locations throughout the world.   

October 10, 2025

by Liz Mendicino ‘26

Some college students may view the enriching experience of study abroad as a pipe dream. However, through Ramapo College of New Jersey’s new Faculty Fellow for Study Abroad position, Dr. John McTighe, professor of social work, plans to show Roadrunners just how accessible studying in another country truly is.

McTighe, who has taught at Ramapo since 2015, believes that there is not only merit in study abroad for every student, but that it is an opportunity that is possible for every student.

The new fellow position allows McTighe to serve as a bridge between faculty, students and study abroad. “My hope is that I can do everything in my abilities to make the study abroad experience as accessible to as many students as possible,” said McTighe. “And to raise the consciousness or have as many people around campus thinking in that international perspective.”

Dr. Paul Currant, Ramapo’s new director of study abroad and the Roukema Center for International Education is excited to have a faculty fellow to collaborate with who will play a central role in advancing the college’s commitment to global learning.

Currant said he will work closely with the faculty fellow. They will also collaborate with Vice Provost Dr. Joyce Shim, other faculty and staff to develop, promote and sustain study abroad programs that align with the college’s academic goals. “The faculty fellow supports the creation and implementation of new international initiatives, including faculty-led programs, and helps integrate these opportunities into the broader academic curriculum,” Currant said.

Karina Ceglinski ’26 hiked by the Guadalhorce River while studying in Spain.

Accessibility is at the heart of McTighe’s goals as the faculty fellow, showing students that regardless of their major, means, or other commitments, study abroad can be a reality for them. He also believes that international perspective is a cornerstone of a liberal arts education, and that his new position enables him to play an important connecting role in that cornerstone.

McTighe deeply loves teaching and Ramapo students, and is excited to support broadening their horizons and gaining perspectives from unfamiliar environments, which can provide an intercultural foundation for whatever career paths they choose.

Ramapo students study abroad across the world, from England to Japan to Spain, connecting Roadrunners with opportunities that not only fit their interests, but also their schedules. Students have a multitude of study abroad options, whether it be for a semester, over a break, for an internship, or via a prestigious scholarship or fellowship program. The vast array of programs and one-on-one advisement make studying abroad a reality even for those with strict schedules or restricted financial means. Students can utilize the Study Abroad Advisement Form to receive tailored help on which programs to pursue, and guidance throughout the process.

Abigail Rojas ’26 traveled to Rome to study politics through a prestigious Gilman scholarship.

For McTighe, study abroad is a personal passion. Not only did he obtain his bachelor’s degree abroad, but his Ramapo alum daughter, Hannah McTighe ‘25, studied abroad in London.

“I lived in Quebec and met people all over the world, and then had the opportunity to travel in Europe, the Caribbean, Central America,” the elder McTighe said smiling, reminiscing on each trip. “Every one of those experiences has just kind of broadened my understanding of human nature, broadened my understanding of how we see the world, how, for all of our differences, how similar we are, and I don’t think there’s any student who would not benefit.”

It is from this view that he shapes the new faculty fellow position, knowing how important study abroad is from the student, parent, and faculty perspectives.

“I think particularly when you grow up and you arrive at college, you more or less have lived in one place, seen one kind of thing, and met a certain group of people, studied with that group of people, lived life a certain way,” McTighe said. “The opportunity to step out of that frame and step into the cultural shoes of others, and understand how the world looks different from the perspective of other people, I think is just really, really valuable.”

Dr. John McTighe poses with social work major Kiara Fried ’25 during the Phi Alpha Honor Society induction.

While international education is not the curricular focus when McTighe teaches to his social work students, he looks forward to having this new niche to push those efforts forward. He teaches both undergraduate and graduate social work students, and prides getting to see their development from their first year to their master’s graduation. His teaching interests include Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis, Clinical Practice in Social Work, Trauma Theory and Practice, and Spirituality in Clinical Practice. A self-described “creature of the campus,” he holds a deep love for everything college campuses are and everything they stand for. Collaboration, interdisciplinarity, education- he cannot think of a better thing to do with his life.

For more on Study Abroad at Ramapo, visit ramapo.edu/study-abroad or contact Dr. Paul Currant at pcurrant@ramapo.edu.