More of a good thing

The University's recently announced "bridge year" program to provide need-based financial assistance to admitted students who defer for one year to undertake service projects abroad is a bold step that deserves much praise. By creating a "P-Corps," the University is giving admitted students an opportunity to expand their horizons and gain a broader perspective before entering Princeton. Not only will the participants benefit from the program but so will their peers as the participants share their new perspectives in dorm, dining hall and precept discussions. The initiative is a good one, but the University can make its plan even better.

The program neglects service opportunities within the United States. While the University should certainly encourage students to study abroad, it should not overlook that many things in the United States are "foreign" to incoming students. Princetonians can gain just as much from working in a school in Camden, N.J. - just a few miles distant but a world away from Princeton - as they would on a project overseas.

The University should also expand the "bridge year" program to include the post-graduation transition period. Many graduating seniors would welcome delaying entry into the "real world" to engage in public service either at home or abroad. While programs such as Princeton-in-Asia allow for this, there are often not enough spaces available to meet demand.

A post-graduation "bridge year" program would not only help solve this problem but also enable graduates to serve as mentors to pre-frosh participants. Graduating students can offer insight into Princeton while guiding admitted students in their service work. Bringing these two groups of Princetonians together, both of whom are in transitional stages, would enhance the experience for all involved. Additionally, the University should consider allowing students who want to take a year off to do thesis research to be involved in the program. For many students, a year immersed in the environments about which they will write would significantly improve their theses.

The "P-Corps" will be an excellent addition to the Princeton experience. It underscores that meaningful education takes place outside a classroom and that a year spent engaging in projects in new environments may be just as important for students' growth as a year spent on campus. By adding a domestic service option as well as including graduating seniors and upperclassmen in the program, the University can improve on an already ambitious and inspired idea.