Kishana Thomas Quallo will soon be the Bermuda College’s first distance learner to take part in a study abroad programme.

Mrs Quallo, 25, is currently working on her Bachelor of Business Administration in management and marketing through Mount St Vincent University’s distance learning programme at the Bermuda College.

“I received an e-mail from Mount St Vincent University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, about going to China as an elective course,” said Mrs Quallo. “I thought that sounded exciting and I thought I would find out if it was open to distance students.”

Mount St Vincent quickly came back to her and said the programme was open to her and urged her to apply. After a couple of days she was elated to receive an acceptance letter.

“In addition, I was told that I was the first student to apply via distance,” she said.

The study abroad programme is three weeks long and will take place at Ginling College in Nanjing, China. She will also spend time in Beijing and Shanghai.

Mrs Quallo said she has always been fascinated by Asian countries. She was looking forward to learning more about the Chinese way of life.

“I am interested in learning a bit of the language,” she said. “We are going to be doing introductory Mandarin and tai chi. I am also interested in learning about the business aspect of things. China is an economic powerhouse and has grown over the decades. I would like to see that side of it as well.”

She is on target to graduate from the Bermuda College in May 2015, and hopes to find a job in the reinsurance industry.

The study abroad programme is $3,000 for students in Canada and even more for students in Bermuda, because of the added travel costs.

Mrs Quallo started a fundraising drive at the Bermuda College and found other staff and students to be very supportive.

“I am really grateful,” Mrs Quallo said. “Upon returning to Bermuda I hope to encourage other Bermudian students to apply for things like this. In addition to China, Mount St Vincent is also offering study abroad programmes with 15 partner institutes in countries such as Austria, Korea and Estonia, among others. Of course, these programmes are either a semester or a year long. The China one was very short.”

People who would like to help Mrs Quallo with her fundraising drive can e-mail bc231762@college.bm.