Paige Muscillo in Roehampton, England.

As a Wethersfield High School student, Paige Muscillo had the opportunity to spend quite a bit of time at Western Connecticut State University. Her cousin was a student at WestConn, and Muscillo visited frequently to watch her cheer at Wolves athletic events. “I visited a lot and really loved the campus,” she said. So, when it was time to consider where to attend college, the choice to enroll at WestConn came naturally. “I knew I might want to study criminal justice and WestConn had a great program with a lot of very broad options,” Muscillo added.

Once on campus, Muscillo enjoyed her Justice and Law Administration (JLA) coursework, earned a National Society of Leadership and Success certificate, and thought she might pursue a law degree after graduating. But a flyer advertising the university’s participation in the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP) opened literally a whole new world of opportunities.

“A friend of mine at Marist had studied abroad in Florence last semester through a different study-abroad program, and it was the best time in her life,” Muscillo said. “I was so inspired by that. She and I decided we would both study abroad in England together, and we started to make plans. I would be able to take three classes for five credits each and graduate on time through ISEP at WestConn, but if my friend studied abroad with Marist’s program it would have delayed her graduation, so she had to back out. That left me going abroad by myself, and I had some second thoughts. It really pushed me out of my comfort zone, and I’m so glad I did it.”

Muscillo spent the fall 2024 semester at the University of Roehampton in London. She took courses in cybercrime, introduction to law, and a course about London that included historical walking tours. The credits all transferred and will be applied to her WestConn Bachelor of Science in Justice and Law Administration.

Paige Muscillo in Roehampton, England.

While in Europe, Muscillo took advantage of the opportunity to travel with friends and even by herself. During her semester abroad, she visited Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris, Milan, Lake Como, Wales, Dublin and Galway. Not only did these travels expose her to multiple countries, they also awakened her interest in future travels. “I started to rethink law school as a career option, and began to consider something like working for the FBI, where travel could be part of my job,” she said.

One of the great things about being a WestConn JLA student, Muscillo said, has been the opportunity to attend Alumni Career Panels. “I learned so much about the wide range of career options available to me as a JLA graduate,” she said. “Prior to attending these events, I had no idea there were so many opportunities.”

When Muscillo graduates in May 2025, she plans to take a semester off to consider her options. “I hope I’ll be able to be hired by the FBI and then train at Quantico,” she said. “If that doesn’t happen, I’m willing to go to graduate school if it’s necessary to open up more career options for me.”

Either way, Muscillo said that “being at WestConn for the past four years has been the best experience of my life. It’s close enough to home that I’m not homesick and I’m not drowning in debt. Not only have I made amazing, lifelong friends, but the professors are great and give really good advice. WestConn, through its membership in ISEP, introduced me to foreign travel, and not every university offers it. I’m excited about the possibility of a career that will provide more opportunities to travel in the future.”

Western Connecticut State University changes lives by providing all students with a high-quality education that fosters their growth as individuals, scholars, professionals and leaders in a global society. Our vision: To be widely recognized as a premier public university with outstanding teachers and scholars who prepare students to contribute to the world in a meaningful way.