College is
presented as the place to try new things and meet new people. After
freshman year, however, most students form regular schedules drifting
into a college comfort zone doing the same activities in the same clubs
with the same people.
After my freshman year, I had the club ultimate frisbee team and the university television station without any desire to look for other social clubs. My classes became journalism focused and the next two years, I was in classes with the same 30 students.
It took me two years to figure out I was stuck in
my comfort zone, within which, there was nothing new. There was only
the expansion of previous clubs, jobs and assignments. Finally, I
decided to break out and traveled abroad.
I directly enrolled in the University of Auckland
in New Zealand for their spring semester. Despite the fact New Zealand
is a first world, English speaking country, the people, the clubs, the
city and the academics were extremely different. I was introduced to
extremely intensive overnight hiking and camping with the university
tramping club. I was taught to drive on the left side of the road and
walk on the left side of the sidewalk. And professors quickly taught me
to ignore the letter ‘z’ to make room for British spelling in essays,
along with an “-ou” in words like “colour” or “flavour.”
Even more unique was the reiteration of APA
styles with longer essays including pictures, footnotes, diagrams, and
even charts embedded in the paper to make a point.
Simply living on a college campus planted in a city of half a million residents boggled my mind.
At the end of my six month stay, I emerged more versatile in foreign situations and people from extremely different backgrounds.
Managers in the global workplace are looking for “cross-cultural competency” and the ability to work in multicultural environments abroad, according to Cheryl Matherly, the assistant dean of student affairs from Rice University.
In order to ensure every student graduates with that leg up, Arkansas should require students to spend at least three weeks in a study abroad program.
The main deterrent for students not studying abroad is cost. However, there are reciprocal programs that have you pay the normal Arkansas tuition, while a student abroad pays their college tuition and you trade places, with only room and board costs varying.
If the UA extended the reciprocal program and formed partnerships with more universities around the world, especially focusing on summer programs, while the majority of students are out of school, there is little reason each of the 25,000 students could spend at least a month experiencing a foreign country. Even working with mission trips and rebuilding efforts abroad deserves university credit because it proves vital cross-cultural competency.
In addition to the financially reasonable reciprocal programs, there are massive scholarships along with state and federal grants for students traveling abroad. There are also hundreds of opportunities to get involved in work-study programs where most of the expenses are paid for because you work for the school.
Over time, the study abroad costs are proven to help students more than the short term costs. According to the 2012 Institute of Educational Sciences survey, study abroad alumni have a starting salary about $7,000 more than general college graduates. Also, more than 97 percent of study abroad alumni secure jobs within a year of graduation, compared to 49 percent of general graduates.
I am certain there would be exceptions to a mandatory study abroad including medical necessity, but that should be determined by advisors and circumstances. Besides that exception, every student should prove competency abroad.
With the help of my professors and my inspirational older brother and sister, I talked with the right people in the study abroad office, did extensive scholarship and university research and had the incredibly opportunity to spend six unforgettable months in New Zealand’s Middle Earth.
This should not be an opportunity for the students who put forth this effort. The university should ensure every student has worldly experiences while furthering their education by making it a requirement for graduating students. More money should expand the study abroad office so all 25,000 students can experience a foreign country for at least a month out of their four or five year college stay.
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Get started today! Search for your study abroad opportunity at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/
For scholarships for study abroad, check out http://studyabroad.uark.edu/funding
After my freshman year, I had the club ultimate frisbee team and the university television station without any desire to look for other social clubs. My classes became journalism focused and the next two years, I was in classes with the same 30 students.
Simply living on a college campus planted in a city of half a million residents boggled my mind.
At the end of my six month stay, I emerged more versatile in foreign situations and people from extremely different backgrounds.
Managers in the global workplace are looking for “cross-cultural competency” and the ability to work in multicultural environments abroad, according to Cheryl Matherly, the assistant dean of student affairs from Rice University.
In order to ensure every student graduates with that leg up, Arkansas should require students to spend at least three weeks in a study abroad program.
The main deterrent for students not studying abroad is cost. However, there are reciprocal programs that have you pay the normal Arkansas tuition, while a student abroad pays their college tuition and you trade places, with only room and board costs varying.
If the UA extended the reciprocal program and formed partnerships with more universities around the world, especially focusing on summer programs, while the majority of students are out of school, there is little reason each of the 25,000 students could spend at least a month experiencing a foreign country. Even working with mission trips and rebuilding efforts abroad deserves university credit because it proves vital cross-cultural competency.
In addition to the financially reasonable reciprocal programs, there are massive scholarships along with state and federal grants for students traveling abroad. There are also hundreds of opportunities to get involved in work-study programs where most of the expenses are paid for because you work for the school.
Over time, the study abroad costs are proven to help students more than the short term costs. According to the 2012 Institute of Educational Sciences survey, study abroad alumni have a starting salary about $7,000 more than general college graduates. Also, more than 97 percent of study abroad alumni secure jobs within a year of graduation, compared to 49 percent of general graduates.
I am certain there would be exceptions to a mandatory study abroad including medical necessity, but that should be determined by advisors and circumstances. Besides that exception, every student should prove competency abroad.
With the help of my professors and my inspirational older brother and sister, I talked with the right people in the study abroad office, did extensive scholarship and university research and had the incredibly opportunity to spend six unforgettable months in New Zealand’s Middle Earth.
This should not be an opportunity for the students who put forth this effort. The university should ensure every student has worldly experiences while furthering their education by making it a requirement for graduating students. More money should expand the study abroad office so all 25,000 students can experience a foreign country for at least a month out of their four or five year college stay.
--
Get started today! Search for your study abroad opportunity at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/
For scholarships for study abroad, check out http://studyabroad.uark.edu/funding
