“It’s a different lens,” said Cadet Samuel Goldenstein of his time as a foreign student at Aberystwyth University in Wales. Goldenstein, who is double majoring in intelligence and security studies and political science with a concentration in international politics and military affairs, joined five other cadets in the fall of 2022 for a semester in the United Kingdom, where he studied, served and played alongside local students.
Led by Citadel political science professor Sarah Tenney, Ph.D., the group participated in a food surplus redistribution program for the community, and each joined at least one student organization.
Goldenstein chose two: American football and lacrosse—the latter of which he plays at The Citadel. Cadets were also taken on a tour of the Royal College of Defence and Security Studies.
But the most valuable part of the semester was being able to examine a variety of viewpoints. “Gaining an understanding of the different perspectives in intelligence and strategy in military history in another country was amazing,” said the New York City native. “Taking classes in a foreign country provides a different understanding about history, as well as a wider perspective that we might not always have access to here in South Carolina.”
With his eyes set on a career in diplomacy, Goldenstein, a rising junior, is constantly looking for opportunities to broaden his horizons. Before returning stateside, the jet-setting cadet took part in the first all-military birthright trip, which provides Jewish young adults the opportunity to travel to Israel. He will also have another stint abroad under his belt soon, enrolling in summer classes at the University of Cambridge. “In order to be a good intelligence collector, you have to know more than just your mission objective,” he said. “You have to be a generalist at life. And study abroad gives you that generalist perspective. I’m really thankful to have gone.”
And that’s exactly the point, said Tenney. “Students have to adapt to a new cultural environment,
and that’s not just a career skill, but a life skill.”