President Dr. Sally Mingarelli
Welcome to School Year Abroad (SYA)!
Like all schools today, at SYA we think constantly about what young people most need in order to succeed in their futures. Today’s high school students will emerge into a world of work that is changing as quickly as tech and AI are evolving and into a marketplace that is increasingly more global. While we might not even know what jobs may exist in the future, we know for sure that people who are nimble thinkers, people who can be comfortable with complexity and change, people who can listen with curiosity and work across cultural differences, and people who are brave enough to try bold new things will find success amid the uncertainty.
Our programs in France, Italy, and Spain provide high school students with the opportunity to grow and apply these incredible skills and mindsets in the authentic context of being immersed in a new culture and language! We believe that embracing the challenge of studying abroad during the formative years of high school can foster tremendous growth and leave a lasting imprint that deeply prepares students for both life at college and beyond. Our commitment to experiential education expands the walls of our classrooms to include the city, region, and country; with students expanding their understanding of art, language, history, humanities, and science through meaningful engagement with people and places.
Our three campuses in Europe provide a challenging American high school curriculum where our students from across the U.S. come together to continue their education, ensuring curricular continuity and a seamless return to school at home. Instruction takes place in a combination of English and the primary language of the country, building students’ fluency and the ability to think critically in a language outside of English. Our students live with carefully selected host families who provide deep cultural immersion into the life of a family living in Rennes, Viterbo, or Zaragoza. Our incredible alumni from the past 60+ years think back fondly on their time at SYA, with many enjoying a lifelong connection to their “second family” abroad.
We are so lucky to work every year with incredibly brave and adventurous high school students who want to challenge themselves to grow into a more confident, worldly, independent, and empathetic version of themselves! I love what we do at SYA, and I believe the world needs us now more than ever.
With Gratitude,
Sally
Messages to the SYA Community
September 2026
As I’ve settled into my role as SYA president, I’ve been thinking about the remarkable stories I hear from alums about an experience they had as teenagers that continues to shape their lives decades later. Why does SYA have that kind of lasting impact? I went looking for answers in the science of learning — and what I found was fascinating.
July 2026
An incredible SYA Fund is a meaningful way to begin my tenure as president, with more than $1.3 million raised through 800+ gifts. I’m deeply grateful to our community, to those who built the foundation we stand on today, and especially to Tom Hassan. As I begin this next chapter, I look forward to listening, learning, and connecting with the SYA community along the way.
April 2026
I had the joy of spending time this spring at all three SYA campuses in Rennes, Viterbo, and Zaragoza, meeting students, faculty, staff, and host families along the way. I came away with an even deeper appreciation for the courage, curiosity, independence, and empathy that immersive learning inspires. These visits gave me a firsthand look at what makes the SYA experience so powerful — and left me even more excited about the year ahead.