See the 2015 #HogsAbroad Photo Contest Winners on Monday!

Get Ready! Winners of the 2015 Study Abroad Photo Contest will be announced and displayed during the International Bazaar on Monday, November 16 in the International Connections Lounge of the Arkansas Union. 

The Office of Study Abroad received 900 entries for the 2015 Photo Contest!  U of A students submited photos from 2014-2015 study abroad programs. Photographs were selected from several categories, including People, Places, Events, Miscellaneous, Study Abroad Selfie, #HogsAbroad.

This is part of (International Education Week) IEW 2015 from November 16-20, 2015. International Education Week takes place each November and is a joint effort of the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of State to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange. Events such as the International Bazaar and Study Abroad Photo Contest highlight international education opportunities at the University. See a full list of events for IEW at the University of Arkansas at iew.uark.edu.

Check out some of the winners from last year:

The Chief’s Wife

Jordan Smith

Organization for Tropical Studies, Summer 2014

Taken from my village home stay. This remarkable woman was the chief’s wife.

1st Place- People Category     

Peeling Cassava

Erin Wright

U of A Faculty-Led Program in Belize, Summer 2014

2nd Place- People Category

Easter Eggs

Andres MacLean

U of A Exchange, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spring 2014

One of the highlights of my study abroad experience was the trip I did with a couple of friends through Eastern Europe during our Easter Break. Our first stop was Vienna and what a wonderful city it was! On our second day there, we visited the Schönbrunn Palace and its beautiful gardens. To our surprise there was a pretty big Easter Market where you could enjoy live music, delicious Austrian cuisine and buy local products. I photographed these hand-made eggs that had beautiful designs- the lady that sold them was pretty interesting!

1st Place- Events Category

Journey to Guatemala

Katherine Dombek

U of A Faculty-Led, Urban Design in Mexico, Summer 2014

After two weeks of traveling through Mexico in the confined space of a van, we reached the Guatemalan boarder expecting some paperwork, travel fees, and a new van to take us on our way. Nope! Turns out the journey to Guatemala requires climbing into small boats and driving miles upstream, experiencing increasing contact with howler monkeys and other wildlife as we make our way into a beautiful and mysterious forest which is always thickening around us.

2nd Place- Events Category

Laurentian Library Selfie

Grant Gilliard

U of A Rome Center, Architecture, Spring 2014

Caught my reflection in Michelangelo's Laurentian Library in Florence, Italy

1st Place- Selfie Category   

#AbbeyRoadSelfie

Morgan Williams

U of A Faculty-Led, Theatre in Britain, Summer 2014

Selfie in front of an Abbey Road sign just after crossing the famous crosswalk from The Beatles' Abbey Road album art.

2nd Place- Selfie Category   

London Services

Austin Arkell

U of A Faculty-Led, Theatre in Britain, Summer 2014

Taxi Cabs in London wait patiently for customers.

1st Place- Miscellaneous Category 

Sheep on Skye

Morgan Large

Internship at Scotland’s Rural College, Summer 2014

This photo was taken on a farm on the Isle of Skye, Scotland. I assisted with a beef cattle workshop for local beef producers held at this farm.

2nd Place- Miscellaneous Category  

Belgium Waffles, fries, and Hogs

Monica Garner

U of A Exchange, Aarhus School of Business, Denmark, Spring 2014

Stumbled upon a hog mural in an alley-way of Brussels, Belgium. Had to take a break from the Belgian waffles, fries, and chocolate for a picture with the hogs. Woo Pig!

1st Place- #HogsAbroad  

U of A

Ayesha Erkin

UA Rome Center, Architecture, Spring 2014

This was taken at the Capua amphitheater while we were exploring underneath the amphitheater. Some students decided to show some Hog Spirit by forming "UA" by laying down on the grates. It was pretty hilarious!

2nd Place- #HogsAbroad  

Mother Lion with her cub after a big kill on the Serengeti

Cassandra Schirm

U of A Faculty-Led Program in Tanzania, Summer 2014

Before snapping this shot the mother lions had just brought back their kill, a Thompson Gazelle, to the pride. The females in the pride teach the kids how to hunt and bring back the food for the alpha male. This was an incredible sight! I took over 800 pictures of lions on the Serengeti, but this picture just spoke to me.

1st Place- Places Category

An Evening at Playa Tamarindo

Ashton Pohlman

ISA San Jose, Costa Rica, Summer 2014

The sunset at Playa Tamarindo my first weekend in Costa Rica was the most breath-taking of the trip. After a traditional Costa Rican dinner, we enjoyed gelato from a nearby vendor and watched the sun sink over the water.

2nd Place- Places Category 

The Perks of Being A #HogsAbroad Exchange Student Pal

Ciao ragazze!!

My name is Amy and I had the privilege of studying abroad in the beautiful country of Italy. While in the small town of Viterbo I had the most incredible language buddy, Federica. She took us to festivals, concerts and helped us acclimate to a new culture and town. In addition, she would help me with my Italian homework and kindly correct me on my grammar and pronunciation. Federica made adapting to the Italian lifestyle easier and I don't know how I would have survived without her.

While in Viterbo the director of study abroad, DeDe Long, was in town for the board of directors meeting. She told my roommate, Hannah, and I that three Italian boys from Torino would be studying at the U of A in the fall. We already couldn't wait to meet them and DeDe encouraged us to get involved in the Pals program. This program is a way to connect international exchange students with American students at Arkansas. I couldn't wait to show them around and continue to make new friends from other cultures. 

After returning to the U of A in August I picked my Pal, Francesco, up from the airport and moved him into his dorm.  Throughout the international student orientation week we had many opportunities to get together for trips to Sonic, Walmart and later that week we all went to a soccer game where I had the opportunity to meet the other international students including, Giacomo and Alfredo. 

I loved getting to show them around Fayetteville and introduce them to new things such as peanut butter, American football and chicken finger Friday. The three Italians cooked us authentic Italian dinners, taught us how to play some guitar and introduced us to classic Italian card games.

They were excited to travel around the country and the five of us took a road trip up to my hometown, Kansas City. We went up to the top of the World War I museum, toured the Country Club Plaza and ate enough barbecue to last a lifetime.  

I hope to have made their acclimation to Fayetteville smooth but what was unexpected was how they made my transition back to Fayetteville easier. After returning back to America from five months in Italy I experienced reverse culture shock. Coming back in August to a full schedule, RSO commitments and a ton to catch up on, these three boys brought Italy to Arkansas. The group of exchange students bring the spirit of studying abroad and adventure to Fayetteville. Whether you have studied abroad before, speak another language or just want to learn about other cultures I would encourage every student to apply to be a Pal! 

If you are interested in becoming an Exchange Student Pal, make sure you sign up for our Frequent Flyer here: http://studyabroad.uark.edu/getting-started/sign-up-for-the-listserv.php.  Application information is announced via the listserv usually in June for the fall semester and November for the spring semester.

--
Amy Cosgrove, Study Abroad Peer Advisor 

Announcing the 2014 #HogsAbroad Photo Contest!

The Office of Study Abroad is now welcoming entries for the 2014 Photo Contest!  U of A students may submit photos from 2013-2014 study abroad programs. Photographs will be selected from several categories, so there are many opportunities to win! Grand Prize recipients will have their photos displayed during International Education Week (November 17-21, 2014). See the details below.

Submission Deadline: November 7, 2014

Available Categories: People, Places, Events, Miscellaneous, Study Abroad Selfie, #HogsAbroad

Notes and Restrictions:

• You must have ownership of the photo.
• By submitting a photo, you agree to allow the Office of Study abroad to use the photo for promotional materials, website images, etc.
• Each student may submit only ONE entry per category.
• You are only eligible to win once.

How to enter: Submit photos online at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/contest. Email questions to studyabr@uark.edu.

Meet One of Our Fall 2014 Gilman Scholarship Recipients #hogsabroad

What are you doing in the fall and what do you think made you a good Gilman candidate?

I will be studying at Soonchunhyang University, South Korea for the fall semester. When I considered studying abroad, my main goal was, and still is to gain authentic experiences, particularly in an international atmosphere in a country differing extensively from my own. Studying abroad for the first time, I was searching for a non-traditional European program that pushed me outside of my comfort zone. Being an audacious person, I knew that traveling somewhere in Europe would be different than my life in the US, yet I wanted an even greater challenge. I was looking for an individualized international experience, hoping to draw a deeper self-connection as a Vietnamese-American in an Asian country. I believe the non-European destination and drive for international awareness exemplified in my essay helped to qualify my application for the Gilman scholarship.

What was the application process like?

The application process was fairly self-explanatory and required submitting multiple documents as well as an essay and a project following my trip. I was not aware that I was eligible for the scholarship until two weeks before the deadline and worked frantically to meet it. With a larger goal in mind, I worked hard on the essay portion as it was the most difficult. The first draft was a complete failure—it consisted of vague, simple sentences that did not represent me as a Vietnamese-American. My study abroad advisor scanned it for less than two minutes before crumpling it up and tossing it onto the floor. Constructive criticism sharpens the mind and its way of thinking. I persistently asked my friends, family, and advisors to make edits and to proofread my essay for flow. I went through at least six drafts before I finally submitted it. It was hard to meet the word count as there was entirely too much information I wanted to mention.

What will your follow-up project be about?

In order to promote the Gilman Scholarship and international education, the goals of my Follow-on Service Project are to motivate young students to pursue their studies from a global standpoint and inspire students interested to take action to attend college. Returning home from South Korea, I will be collaborating with Upward Bound at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and give presentations about my experiences abroad. Upward Bound is a federally funded educational TRIO program that serves the needs of ninth through twelfth grade students who are from underprivileged backgrounds with low income yet have the potential to be first-generation college students. This program prepares students for higher education through academic instruction, mentoring, and powers the developmental skill sets needed to ensure success in college. I am currently in contact with a colleague, Lacey Gebhart, an academic counselor for the Upward Bound program who will help put my Follow-on Service Project into action.

What tips would you give to others considering applying?

I would recommend writing your essay from an individualized perspective. I made it a rule to use “is” and “will” a minimum of three times for the entire essay. There are many words in the dictionary you could easily use to describe your geographical adventure. Write your essay as if you were having an informative yet casual conversation with the review committee.

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About the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program
The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program (http://www.iie.org/Programs/Gilman-Scholarship-Program) offers grants for U.S. citizen undergraduate students of limited financial means to pursue academic studies abroad. Such international study is intended to better prepare U.S. students to assume significant roles in an increasingly global economy and interdependent world.

Save the Date! Study Abroad Fair: September 23, 2014 #hogsabroad

Are you wishing you studied abroad this summer yet?  Don't miss another opportunity; get started at the study abroad fair this September!  The annual Study Abroad Fair will be from 10:00am-2:00pm on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 in the International Connections Lounge in the Arkansas Union on campus. 

Come meet with faculty, past participants and program representatives. Get information on the U of A Rome Center, U of A faculty led programs, U of A exchange programs and other approved external program provider options, as well as scholarships and other funding information. Programs are available for all majors. 

Start making your dreams a reality! http://studyabroad.uark.edu/fair

NEW Fulbright-National Geographic Digital Storytelling Fellowship

The U.S. Department of State and the National Geographic Society are partnering to launch the inaugural competition for the Fulbright-National Geographic Digital Storytelling Fellowship.  The new component of the Fulbright Program will offer up to five awards to U.S. citizens for nine months of overseas travel and multi-media storytelling on globally significant social or environmental topics. Fellows will focus their digital stories on one of the program’s eight themes: biodiversity, cities, cultures, disasters, energy, food, oceans, and water.

The Fulbright-National Geographic Fellowship will provide a unique platform for U.S. Fulbrighters to undertake an in-depth exploration of a globally relevant issue, comparing and contrasting how that issue is experienced across borders. Utilizing a variety of digital storytelling tools and media, including blogs, photography, video, and social media, Fellows will share their stories by providing content to a National Geographic blog and other platforms with the support of National Geographic’s editorial team.

Established by the U.S. Congress in 1946, the U.S. Department of State’s Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international exchange program, designed to increase mutual understanding between people of the United States and people of other countries. The Fulbright Program annually supports more than 8,000  students, scholars, artists and professionals from the United States and more than 155 countries to study, teach, conduct research, exchange ideas, and find solutions to shared international challenges. 

“Inspiring people to care about the planet” since 1888, the National Geographic Society is one of the largest nonprofit scientific and educational institutions in the world, promoting exploration and on topics such as geography, natural science, and conservation. Operating across a diverse set of media platforms, National Geographic is a trusted leader in digital storytelling.

With complementary missions, Fulbright and National Geographic are distinctively suited to deliver this Fellowship opportunity.  This Fellowship will allow Fulbrighters to tell stories from around the world and advance U.S. public diplomacy goals while bringing new voices to National Geographic and expanding its in-depth coverage of pressing transnational issues. 

IIE will cooperate with the U.S. Department of State in recruitment and application review. 

  

Contact the Study Abroad Office at (479) 575-7582 and visit the Fulbright website for more information and to apply for the Fulbright-National Geographic Fellowship: us.fulbrightonline.org/fulbright-nat-geo-fellowship.The deadline for applications is February 28, 2014. 

NEW DIGITAL STORYTELLING FELLOWSHIP ANNOUNCED BY FULBRIGHT & NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

The Arkansas Study Abroad office recently released the following information regarding a new component of the Fulbright Program.  Since it involves "digital storytelling," we believe that it might be of interest to students from several disciplines.  Contact the Study Abroad office at 575-7582 for more information or visit the Fulbright website for this particular fellowship.
We are pleased to announce a new component in the U.S. Fulbright Program.
The U.S. Department of State and the National Geographic Society are partnering to launch the inaugural competition for the Fulbright-National Geographic Digital Storytelling Fellowship.  The new component of the Fulbright Program will offer up to five awards to U.S. citizens for nine months of overseas travel and multi-media storytelling on globally significant social or environmental topics. Fellows will focus their digital stories on one of the program’s eight themes: biodiversity, cities, cultures, disasters, energy, food, oceans, and water.
The Fulbright-National Geographic Fellowship will provide a unique platform for U.S. Fulbrighters to undertake an in-depth exploration of a globally relevant issue, comparing and contrasting how that issue is experienced across borders. Utilizing a variety of digital storytelling tools and media, including blogs, photography, video, and social media, Fellows will share their stories by providing content to a National Geographic blog and other platforms with the support of National Geographic’s editorial team.
Established by the U.S. Congress in 1946, the U.S. Department of State’s Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international exchange program, designed to increase mutual understanding between people of the United States and people of other countries. The Fulbright Program annually supports more than 8,000  students, scholars, artists and professionals from the United States and more than 155 countries to study, teach, conduct research, exchange ideas, and find solutions to shared international challenges. 
“Inspiring people to care about the planet” since 1888, the National Geographic Society is one of the largest nonprofit scientific and educational institutions in the world, promoting exploration and on topics such as geography, natural science, and conservation. Operating across a diverse set of media platforms, National Geographic is a trusted leader in digital storytelling.
With complementary missions, Fulbright and National Geographic are distinctively suited to deliver this Fellowship opportunity.  This Fellowship will allow Fulbrighters to tell stories from around the world and advance U.S. public diplomacy goals while bringing new voices to National Geographic and expanding its in-depth coverage of pressing transnational issues. 
IIE will cooperate with the U.S. Department of State in recruitment and application review. For more information and to apply for the Fulbright-National Geographic Fellowship, visit: us.fulbrightonline.org/fulbright-nat-geo-fellowship
The deadline for applications is February 28, 2014. 

- See more at: http://arschnrs.typepad.com/honors/2013/12/this-just-in-from-the-director-of-us-student-programs-at-the-institute-of-international-education-this-program-could-be-of.html#sthash.v3QMe6ms.dpuf

NEW DIGITAL STORYTELLING FELLOWSHIP ANNOUNCED BY FULBRIGHT & NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

The Arkansas Study Abroad office recently released the following information regarding a new component of the Fulbright Program.  Since it involves "digital storytelling," we believe that it might be of interest to students from several disciplines.  Contact the Study Abroad office at 575-7582 for more information or visit the Fulbright website for this particular fellowship.
We are pleased to announce a new component in the U.S. Fulbright Program.
The U.S. Department of State and the National Geographic Society are partnering to launch the inaugural competition for the Fulbright-National Geographic Digital Storytelling Fellowship.  The new component of the Fulbright Program will offer up to five awards to U.S. citizens for nine months of overseas travel and multi-media storytelling on globally significant social or environmental topics. Fellows will focus their digital stories on one of the program’s eight themes: biodiversity, cities, cultures, disasters, energy, food, oceans, and water.
The Fulbright-National Geographic Fellowship will provide a unique platform for U.S. Fulbrighters to undertake an in-depth exploration of a globally relevant issue, comparing and contrasting how that issue is experienced across borders. Utilizing a variety of digital storytelling tools and media, including blogs, photography, video, and social media, Fellows will share their stories by providing content to a National Geographic blog and other platforms with the support of National Geographic’s editorial team.
Established by the U.S. Congress in 1946, the U.S. Department of State’s Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international exchange program, designed to increase mutual understanding between people of the United States and people of other countries. The Fulbright Program annually supports more than 8,000  students, scholars, artists and professionals from the United States and more than 155 countries to study, teach, conduct research, exchange ideas, and find solutions to shared international challenges. 
“Inspiring people to care about the planet” since 1888, the National Geographic Society is one of the largest nonprofit scientific and educational institutions in the world, promoting exploration and on topics such as geography, natural science, and conservation. Operating across a diverse set of media platforms, National Geographic is a trusted leader in digital storytelling.
With complementary missions, Fulbright and National Geographic are distinctively suited to deliver this Fellowship opportunity.  This Fellowship will allow Fulbrighters to tell stories from around the world and advance U.S. public diplomacy goals while bringing new voices to National Geographic and expanding its in-depth coverage of pressing transnational issues. 
IIE will cooperate with the U.S. Department of State in recruitment and application review. For more information and to apply for the Fulbright-National Geographic Fellowship, visit: us.fulbrightonline.org/fulbright-nat-geo-fellowship
The deadline for applications is February 28, 2014. 

- See more at: http://arschnrs.typepad.com/honors/2013/12/this-just-in-from-the-director-of-us-student-programs-at-the-institute-of-international-education-this-program-could-be-of.html#sthash.v3QMe6ms.dpuf

Aufwiederseh'n!

Hi! My name is Ashley Goad and I am a double major in Biology and German with a Pre-Medicial focus. I'm excited to say that in a week, I will be spending 7 months in Graz, Austria finishing my German major. I have never done study abroad before so I am a bit nervous as well as excited. I have been studying German for a very long time, but now the true test begins. I have heard from many people that Austrian German is completely different from what I have been learning, but I think that I can manage....I hope.

 The process of doing study abroad was pretty long and meticulous, but hopefully it will be worth it. I had to get my visa from the Austrian Embassy in Washington and to do that, I needed a whole bunch of papers proving that I am a student among other things. When I sent in my visa, I was scared that it was going to get rejected, but I got it about 3 weeks later. Thats when it hit me. I really am going to Austria. This is actually happening. I still can't completely believe it and probably wont until I'm half way over the Atlantic Ocean. 

I have been trying to figure out what I should bring with me since I'll be spending so much time there, but honestly I won't have any idea until I actually get there. If there is one thing I bought that should turn out to be handy, it is my 20” suitcase. I didn't know that there was a standard suitcase size difference for carry ons until I started looking into it, but my 20” is going to be great for traveling on the trains. I plan to be traveling every single weekend while I am abroad and having a small suitcase that won't load me up is a smart idea. 

I signed up for a mentor program through the University that I am doing the exchange with. The girl that was assigned to me speaks fluent English and seems very nice. She has given me lots of tips and advice for the coming month. I have had this summer off, so my German has declined, but I'm sure that within 2 weeks, I will have it up to what it use to be in May! I'm super excited for what the future holds and how my language skills will improve!