After completing the inaugural Brandeis summer study abroad program in The Hague, participants were asked to comment upon the program and their experiences. Here are just a few snippets from their program evaluations:
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-At the beginning of the program, we were given an editorial in the New York Times regarding international law. After reading and re-reading the article, it was still difficult for me to fully comprehend. After reading the article six weeks later, not only do I understand the article, but I could probably give an entire lecture on what the article is addressing and elaborate upon it. This program has taught me more in six weeks than most students learn in an entire semester at Brandeis.
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-[The program] allowed me to look at international legal concepts and difficulties from different angles. Meetings with judges and prosecutors allowed us to examine many of the challenges faced by this growing field, as well as giving us a perspective into more practical matters.
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-Before the program I had absolutely no clue about international politics, law, or justice. I now feel as if I understand much of what is going on in the world. It was incredibly informative and brings much of what I have intuitively thought into question.
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-Taking courses that are interconnected allow a wide understanding of the subject. Having speakers that were both lawyers and judges as well as statesmen allowed us to gain a perspective from more than just politics of law. Rather, we were able to combine what we heard and form a solid understanding of international law.
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-Having hands-on experience both visiting the courts and at the moot court exercise enriched my experience by challenging me to participate.
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-The structure of lectures, guest speakers, and the workshop all put together made the program what it was. The moot court exercise allowed us to play the role of a prosecution team and were able to put our legal skills to test. It gave me a much more concrete understanding of the raw legal material which I previously had never had experience with.
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-Professor Gaskins was the perfect professor to run this trip. He was easily accessible during and after class sessions, was up to speed on all the issues we discussed, and very involved in the law world. He made lessons and trips interesting, and was very level-headed under all circumstances. In addition, his love of languages and of European culture brought us in to the Dutch experience. Overall, I think that Professor Gaskins really made the trip a success.
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-This is a great cultural experience: you are submerged in another culture and have a chance to experience something entirely new while meeting very important people. This is probably one of the best decisions I have ever made and I think that someone else should do the same.
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-This program is a once in a lifetime opportunity. The benefits exceed any other academic experience I have had in my entire life. I am not sure if anything will ever compare to listening to a former president of the ICC lecture me on international law.
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-[One of the greatest benefits of this program was] meeting with some of the most amazing people in the world. I saw that even from very young, people can start making a difference, and in so many different ways.
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