Kimberly Turner ‘23
Staff Writer
Study abroad applications are now live following the Global Education Fair on September 17.
The Office of Global Education has stellar programs to get students to study abroad. From Morocco all the way to Italy, there are numerous countries to choose from with multiple programs that fit with your major.
The most popular places to study abroad include Australia and several countries in Europe. However, the GEO still strongly recommends students to explore areas in Latin America, the Middle East, and more.
These global programs are aimed to help students adapt to other cultures, experience cultural differences, and articulate what they’ve learned while studying abroad.
The applications are online, making the application process even easier for students. Students can get every detail on how to apply and what programs are available to apply for on the Office of Global Education’s website.
The process may appear time-consuming to students at first, but the application process is much easier than what students may anticipate.
The most important part of the process is the essay. The staff pays attention to everything in the application, but really focuses on the essay portion.
About 50 or more students end up applying to many of the spring semester programs, but Dr. Liesl Smith recommends going during the fall semester.
Smith has been in global education for around 15 years, and has studied abroad herself, including in parts of Asia. “It’s a great way to gain experience, to get over shyness, helped get certificate, and also a way to give back,” Smith says about her experience studying in China.
There are 14 students currently studying abroad, and one of them is in Costa Rica. Students experience different things depending on the country they visit, but students can experience “culture shock” when returning from studying abroad in Latin America or Asia (culture shock refers to the trouble some people experience adapting back to their normal environments). Some may experience this while doing simple tasks such as grocery shopping and starting to think differently as a consumer during it.
If you want to be immersed in culture and this sounds like a right fit to you, the Office of Global Education encourages you to explore the programs available and apply.
