Study abroad opens doors to world
New, challenging opportunities await students at the doors to the Office of International Programs, which also doubles as a door to the world.
A study abroad session took place Thursday. The informative session provided students with details about attending school in another country.
Sara Johnson, study abroad advisor, and Jennifer Miller, graduate assistant, conducted PowerPoint presentations and answered questions to interested students.
The sessions were 30 minutes each and concerned topics such as steps to study abroad, finding study abroad scholarships, studying abroad for business and engineering students, and study abroad programs in Mexico and Latin America.
Each semester, a study abroad information day occurs. The session during the fall semester was an entire day, unlike this semester that finished in three hours. Less than 30 students attended the sessions.
Students interested in studying abroad can speak to Johnson about opportunities to travel abroad.
“ I think it’s (studying abroad) one of the best decisions a student can make to widen their view of the world,” Johnson said. “(It) puts themselves out there in an environment they’re not normally in.”
Attending a study abroad information session is a beginning step to a student’s interest in studying abroad. Every Monday through Thursday from 4 to 5 p.m., students can attend the sessions in Ceres Hall Room 339.
Study abroad students must be of sophomore standing and have at least a 2.5 GPA. Students with a variety of majors are able to study abroad.
“ Most students that apply have a very high GPA,” Johnson said.
NDSU students can travel to many different countries through studying abroad.
Two of the popular destinations now include Australia and Europe, Johnson said. Students have taken advantage of the chance to study abroad more recently in the past few years at NDSU. During the spring semester, 56 students are abroad while 27 students were abroad during the fall, Johnson said.
“ Spring is always higher than fall numbers,” she said. “Last spring we were at 44 (students).”
Students who have experienced life abroad are able to open a few doors in their careers, Johnson said. Employers are often more intrigued after learning a possible employee has experienced another country’s lifestyles.
“ Employers like to ask about that (studying abroad),” Johnson said. “It’s something that’s unique.”
Students can experience a wide variety of events while studying abroad, which can at times be life changing.
Meeting new people is what most students enjoy about studying abroad, Johnson said. Students also are able to take part in different cultural experiences not common in the United States.
Chris Mathew, a sociology junior, was studying abroad in Finland during fall 2004 and spring 2005. Mathew described his time spent in Poland during the death of Pope John Paul II in the 2005 fall issue of the NDSU study abroad newsletter.
“ Being in a country where a national tragedy has occurred is not something that would be considered wonderful, but it is definitely interesting,” he said. “It is very special to know that you are experiencing a major part of world history in a place where the event means very much to the people.”
Students considering studying abroad this fall and summer are still able to apply for a program. The deadline for the NDSU exchange program is March 1 for the fall and summer semesters.
The Office of International Programs is located in Ceres Hall Room 338.