"Before deciding to study abroad, Madagascar was never realy on my radar," said Bridgeport High School graduate Cassie Stallman. 

 

Yet three years after her 2016 graduation, she spent seven weeks in the island country, located in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of East Africa. 

 

A senior molecular biology major, Stallman was one of four West Virginia Wesleyan College students who participated in international education programs this past summer, funded by the E. Maxine Moose Bruhns Summer Study Abroad Scholarship. 

 

"I came into my junior year knowing I wanted to study abroad and go somewhere I knew I would be far out of my comfort zone," Stallman said. "I found the program in a catalog and was immediately hooked because the program was so focused on my passion for medicine and healthcare. I'm so glad I decided to travel (to Madagascar) though, because I will never forget the incredible people I met and things I learned academically and beyond ... Madagascar was absolutely incredible in every sense of the word."

 

This was Stallman's first trip outside the United States. She enrolled through the School for International Training (SIT) to study traditional medicine and healthcare of the region. 

 

"Academically, my program was based on the concept of field-based experiential-learning, so most 'classroom' time was spent exploring through tours of hospitals, research facilities and traditional healing centers," she said. "We also got to interview traditional healers in Andasibe and conduct independent research." 

 

Throughout the program period, Stallman enrolled in courses in the Malagasy language, social and political dimensions of health, and healthcare practice in Madagascar. Only two weeks of the coursework were conducted in a classroom. The remaining time was spent touring healthcare sites and traditional healers.

 

The program took Stallman to many different parts of Madagascar. Among her favorites was Andasibe-Mantadia National Park.

 

"The national park was home to Lemur Island where you get av ery close-up experience with lemurs endemic to Madagascar," she said. "I love animals and I love to explore, so that trip was surreal!"

 

She also traveled to the coastal town of Morondava, a large tourist area in the southwest. 

 

"The Avenue of the Baobabs was there and getting to experience the sunset at one of the most beautiful places in the world was os amazing and peaceful," she said.

 

Stallman stayed with two host families who spoke very little English. Although it was difficult at first, this aspect of her trip became one of her favorite things about it. She was able to completely immerse herself in the Malagasy culture and develop some strong relationships. 

 

"My host siblings are now some of my closest friends," she said. 

 

Focusing on treatments for type 2 diabetes, Stallman learned of medicinal plants which show promising results of treating the disease. She found it interesting that the plants, which grow abundantly in the region, have such promising outcome, yet are not available to others worldwide. Instead she learned that Western cultures have found a way to synthesize it into a pill form which is expensive for patients. She would like to see natural and sustainable treatments available to more people in the future.

 

“As a result of this experience I realized that life is so much bigger,” Stallman stated, “This experience has reaffirmed my commitment to becoming a doctor.”

 

Stallman said she chose to pursue a career in pediatric medicine when a young family member became very sick. 

 

"I really admired the doctors who took care of him and decided that I wanted to do that, too," she said. 

 

Stallman is the daughter of Rich and Jamie Stallman of Bridgeport.