Presentation

American College Program (ACP)

The American College Program (ACP) is a study abroad program at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. The tradition of American students coming to Fribourg dates back to 1925. The ACP is one of the oldest study abroad programs available to American students and, since its inception, has hosted more than 6000 participants...

Objectives

The aim of the program is to provide North American students the opportunity to study French and/or German at a unique, bilingual university in Europe, fostering substantial intellectual, cultural and social exchange between American participants and the Fribourg University students and professors. At the same time, American students gain invaluable experience living abroad in the safe and neutral environment of Switzerland.

History

The first program of study for Americans in Fribourg, called Rosary-in-Fribourg, was founded by Rosary College (today, Dominican University), River Forest, Illinois, in 1925. For many years these pioneering educators had their headquarters and dormitory at the historic Villa des Fougères (today this building is occupied by the Ecole-Club Migros).

In 1955, a second American university, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, established a program for their students in Fribourg. They had limited interaction with the Rosary College students, as at the time neither of the schools was co-educational. Georgetown had an office and a director who oversaw the successful operation of their program and their students lived at another dormitory, the Foyer St-Justin.

Five years later, Fribourg saw the arrival of La Salle College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Like the universities preceding them, La Salle had their own director and office. Their students lived at the Salesianum. The first director for La Salle, Mr. Charles Glackin Esq., today serves on the Academic Board of the American College Program.

Subsequently, the arrival of Providence College, Providence, Rhode Island, in 1963, created a need for closer cooperation of the four American universities in Fribourg, as well as a more structured relationship with the University. The consolidation of the infrastructures of these programs within the host institution, the University of Fribourg, and the resulting agreement, created the American College Program in 1967.

Since that time, the American College Program has undergone some organizational changes with its partner universities in the USA.  American universities continue to send students; however, they have relinquished the day-to-day operation and organization of the program.

See the list of the represented universities in the ACP

Albertus Magnus College, American International College, Arizona State University, University of Arizona, Assumption College, Barrington College, Bates College, Baylor University, Birmingham Southern College, Boston College, Boston University, Brandeis University, Brown University, Bucknell University, Butler University, University of California (Berkeley), University of California (Los Angeles), University of California (San Diego), California State University, Catholic University of America, The Citadel, Clark University, Clemson University, Colgate University, Colorado College, University of Colorado, Connecticut College, DePauw University, Eckerd College, Emory University, Fairfield University, Flagler College, Fordham University, Franklin and Marshall College, University of Georgia, Georgetown University, George Washington University, Gustavus Adolphus College, College of the Holy Cross, Hood College, Indiana State University, Ithaca College, University of Iowa, Iowa State, John Carroll University, Johns Hopkins University, Keene State College, La Salle University, Loyola University, Lycoming College, Lynchburg College, University of Maine, Manhattanville College, Marquette University, University of Maryland, Marymount College, University of Mary Washington, University of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, McGill University, University of Miami, Miami University of Ohio, Michigan State University, Middlebury College, University of Minnesota, Mount Holyoke College, University of Nevada, New England College, University of New Hampshire, New York University, Newton College of Sacred Heart, University of North Carolina, Northwestern University, University of Notre Dame, Ohio State University, Otterbein College, Pacific Union College, Pennsylvania State University, University of Pittsburgh, Pomona College, Princeton University, Providence College, Purdue University, Rhode Island College, University of Rhode Island, Rice University, University of Richmond, University of Rochester, Roger Williams College, Rollins College, Rosary College, St. Anselm's College, College of St. Catherine, St. John's University, College of St. Mary, St. Thomas University, Salve Regina College, San Jose State University, Siena College, University of Southern Alabama, Southern Connecticut State University, Stanford University, Stonehill College, SUNY Buffalo, Swarthmore College, Temple University, Trinity College, Tufts University, Villanova University, University of Virginia, Wayne State University, Westminster College, West Kentucky University, Wheaton College, Whitman College, College of William and Mary, University of Wisconsin, Wittenberg University, Xavier College, Yale University