Imagine backpacking across Europe, visiting the Vatican, seeing Stonehenge or drifting through the streets of Venice. Visiting these places along with Rome, Paris and London is a great way to develop cultural awareness. Understanding different cultures and respecting people for who they are is an important thing to do.

Fortunately, the University has several programs designed to help students travel to a foreign land.

All students have the opportunity to participate in these programs. The University offers many education abroad and travel programs, including studying and teaching abroad, internship opportunities, exchange programs and work and volunteer programs.

For many University students who have participated in a study abroad program, the rewards have been endless. One such student is Melissa Killeya, a senior at the University who had the opportunity to backpack across Europe while she studied abroad in England last semester. “My trip definitely gave me a different perspective. It was a natural feeling because for the first time in a long time I was a foreigner. It gave me a greater sense of America’s place in the world. It was more than an experience. I could write a thousand books on my experience and still have more to write about.”

Melissa is one of many students who choose to study abroad each year. The University has travel programs for England, France, Spain and many other countries. Students can spend a year, semester or a summer session abroad and receive credit. In fact, the University faculty helps students choose courses that will fulfill degree requirements.

Through the Student Teaching Abroad Program, education students can complete student teaching requirements while living in a foreign culture. Elementary, secondary and special education majors can student teach in places like Montreal, Canada, Rio de Janeiro and Brazil. All students are able to teach in their own language; no foreign language courses have to be taken to teach abroad.

The University offers an interning program too. The interning program gives students the chance to travel to a foreign country while gaining valuable work experience. The Asian Studies program is open to all majors and offers two six-month internship opportunities in Japan. Students get free housing, a monthly stipend and a chance to travel in Japan. The University’s Study Abroad Office works with organizations to determine internship opportunities in a variety of career areas. Students participating in the internship program have traveled to places like Sydney, Paris, London and Madrid.

The exchange program is another great opportunity for students.

The University works with foreign universities like Southern Cross University in Lismore, Australia and Nanzan University in Nagoya, Japan. Some exchange programs are built around a specific field of interest, but many are open to all majors.

The University’s work programs are another way to travel and gain valuable experience. These programs allow students to spend a summer working in cities like Paris and Prague. Here students earn money to help cover living expenses while gaining new perspectives on a foreign culture.

Volunteering is another great thing to do while visiting a foreign land. The University has volunteer programs that allow students to live in a foreign country while working with other students from around the world. Students get to choose the type of volunteer work they want to do; they can choose from archeology, nature conservation, construction and renovation and social service. Students can choose to join either a two or four-week service project from among 600 projects located in 30 countries around the world.

Traveling is fun and adds excitement to anyone’s life, and the experience will last a lifetime. It’s nice to get away and visit someplace new.

For more information, call the Study Abroad Office at 419-372-0309