Learning isn't limited to classrooms at the University of Arkansas. Opportunities
abound for students wishing to expand their horizons and study abroad. More than 1,000 students will travel around the globe on study programs this year, alone. It
is a rare opportunity, as less than 3 percent of American
students study abroad, but these experiences open a world of opportunities.Brooke Collins, a senior biology major, gives us a glimpse into her experience this summer in a note from Tanzania:
Today we arrived at Gombe. Gombe is such a special part of the study tour because very few universities get to send students. When we arrived I found my room, threw my bags down, and plopped back on the bed. I looked up through the window and noticed an entire tree shaking. The baboons seemed to have come to say "karibu" which is "welcome" in Swahili. Within three hours of being here we have observed a family of chimpanzees and seen the house Jane Goodall stays in when she visits. All of the images from science books seem to leap out of the page here at Gombe as well as all the other places we have visited so far. I've never had an experience like this and to think we are already halfway through the trip is unbelievable.
Options abound, with programs that last from two weeks up to a full year abroad. The U of A has one of the largest endowments of any public university in the nation providing scholarships for study abroad. The Honors College offers grants to offset the cost of study abroad as well.
The U of A sent students to more than 50 countries last year, and every college — including STEM programs — has study abroad opportunities. Students heading to the Rome, Italy program take core classes while abroad.
The U of A's Rome Center allows students of all levels and in all majors to take classes and live in the heart of Rome, Italy. Established in 1989, the U of A Rome Center in the Palazzo Taverna has been a haven for architecture study with recently expanded curriculum to feature a variety of core credits and upper-level electives.
The U of A works hard to bring the world into the classroom and the classroom into the world. Studies show the study abroad experience improves grades, retention and graduation rates.
But it's not just us. According to AIM Overseas, 61 percent of employers agree that an overseas study experience builds a resume.
Our top destinations are Italy, Spain, England and Belize. We reach every continent but Antarctica. Come join the Hogs Abroad.
