Princeton University’s Novogratz Bridge Year Program Expands

Starting in the 2023/24 academic year, Princeton University will be launching a new Novogratz Bridge Year location with Dragons in Cambodia. Since 2005, Dragons has offered cultural immersion programs in Cambodia, exploring a wide range of topics, from Learning Service to peace building to conservation. The program will be based in Battambang, a small city known for its cultural heritage, agriculture, trade and migration with neighboring Thailand. Students will immerse themselves for 9 months in homestays, language study, community placements while also learning from guest speakers, activists, artisans, and other local experts. 

Photo by Kelsey Dailey.

Cambodia is one of seven locations where Dragons has facilitated Bridge Year programs. Our collaboration with Princeton University began in 2009 in India (2009-present) and has since expanded to Senegal (2012-present), China (2012-2020), Brazil (2015-2017), Bolivia (2015-present), and Indonesia (2017-present). For the 10+ years of our partnership, Dragons has worked closely with the Bridge Year Office to develop new programming options, customize Bridge Year programming to meet specific needs and outcomes, and deliver transformative, community-based learning experiences that last a lifetime. 

To learn more about Bridge Year by visiting their website.

The Novogratz Bridge Year program represents a growing movement in higher education to support and promote studying abroad earlier than traditional Junior and Senior year study abroad experiences. You can learn more about this trend, and Princeton’s Bridge Year Program, by reading this Wall Street Journal article.