Study abroad participants have increased by 14.8 percent since 2005-2006, according to Sam Morris, assessment coordinator for the study abroad office.
After Sept. 11, Morris said the numbers dropped because many were afraid to travel. Since then, it’s fairly common for students to attend open houses and orientation sessions to learn more about the study abroad programs, he said.
“A lot of times, students have a brother or sister who has studied abroad,” Morris said. “The students who come back from studying abroad are usually our best marketing resources. Most of the time, they had a very positive experience.”
CHASS students typically have the most study abroad opportunities and percentage-wise, engineering students have the least, Morris said.
“CHASS includes all your language and international studies and most students are looking for that type of experience,” he said. “For engineering students, it’s very hard to find engineering courses that match up with their degree audit.”
For students who do not speak a foreign language, opportunities are available in English-speaking countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa and Ghana.
While some are interested in traveling to a place similar to the United States, others visit less developed countries, such as Guatemala, he said. The University does not allow students to travel to any country that has a travel warning to help ensure safety.
Morris said he encourages students to avoid generalizations of an entire country based on preconceived notions.
“It’s important to take into account what you already know about a country, but don’t be limited by that information. Approach it with an open mind,” he said. “The experience depends on your willingness to work and understand another culture.”
Philipp Tavakoli, an environmental ethics professor who also takes students abroad in the summer months, said the experience is one capable of changing lives.
“It’s important to get the message out that it benefits everyone,” he said. “You are learning and living in a different culture, which opens your eyes and changes you. Fifty percent of my students switch majors, pick up a different major or never come back after going abroad.”
“It’s a huge personal benefit. It helps you to appreciate what you have at home and also think about what you are missing.”
Jenny Scott, a senior in business management, said it was definitely a learning experience.
“It was wonderful to get to know a family and experience being overseas in a different culture and finding out how another family lives,” she said.
Scott, who was planning on entering the Peace Corps after graduation, changed her mind while abroad.
“I met a man that was in the Peace Corps while I was in Peru, and after my experience, I decided I didn’t want to join the Peace Corps anymore,” she said. “But I know I want to continue to do things overseas.”
Scott said she cherishes the relationships she made with her host family and the group she traveled with.
“It opened my eyes to see how other people are educated. It was great to be back home, but it’s difficult to be away from the family I lived with for over a month,” she said. “Sometimes I just wish I could be back there. I’ll never have the chance to just live there again.”