Studying abroad rewards in more ways than one

Liz Havey knows how to walk the walk. As a study abroad adviser, Havey not only helps other students with international studies, but she has studied abroad four times in four different countries.

“The first time I studied abroad was during high school and I went to France,” Havey said. “Between high school and college, I spent a year in Norway. When I was in college I spent a month in Mexico and a semester in Scotland.”

Apparently, Havey is not the only person who is interested in studying abroad.

According to the GCSU International Education Center, there were 231 students at GCSU who studied abroad last year out of the more than 6,000 members of the student body.

Havey reported that the number of students who study abroad is increasing, which is consistent with the report by the state Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.

According to the University System, three times as many students enrolled in the system studied abroad in 2008 than in 1998. In the 2007-08 academic year, 6,076 students from the system’s 35 colleges and universities studied outside the United States, compared to 1,850 students who studied abroad during 1997-98. Many changes besides the number of students who study abroad have also occurred.

Previously, most students at GCSU who studied abroad either went during Maymester or summer school. However, Havey said that that is changing.

“It’s still predominantly students going for Maymester and summer program which is usually three to five weeks long,” Havey said. “But there has been a significant increase in students participating in semester and year-long exchanges.

The amount doubled from last year to this year and it looks like its growing at a similar rate for next year as well.”

The University System may provide a clue as to why so many more students are now deciding to study abroad and are staying for longer periods: students who study abroad are more likely to get a degree faster that those who do not.

The system found that these students have a six-year graduation rate of 89 percent – more than 50 percent higher than the system average. The most recent data of University System six-year graduation rates for first-time, full-time freshmen seeking bachelor’s degrees is 58 percent.

This suggests that study abroad factors such as length, location and the changes the students overcome while studying abroad can help students focus on their academic goals and makes them more motivated to complete their degrees.

Studying abroad not only increases a student’s chances of graduating faster, but students experience other positive changes as well.

According to students who have studied abroad, the experience is not only positive and gratifying, but can also be a life-altering one.

Deena Overybye, a sophomore early childhood education major, recently completed a study abroad term from May 10 to May 27. The program Overybye studied abroad with was a program through GCSU called Study and Teach in London and Paris for education majors.

“The main reason why I participated in this program was to work with autistic children,” Overbye said. “It was very hard at times dealing with these children, but I loved it at the same time.”

After helping autistic children, Overbye realized how much she was influenced and changed by studying abroad.

“This trip was a rewarding and life-changing experience. I thoroughly enjoyed working with the children and really felt like I somehow made an impact in their lives,” Overbye said.

“On top of it, I was able to visit a foreign country which I had never been to before. I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to participate in this program.”

While studying abroad appears to improve a student’s chance of graduating on time and undergoing a life-altering change, there are other excellent reasons to travel abroad as well.

William Canon, a freshman at Emory University at Oxford College, just finished a 10-month term working with a group called City Year of New Hampshire.

CYNH is a national nonprofit organization that helps address community problems. The program is primarily aimed at tutoring and mentoring “at-risk” children who struggle in school and their surroundings.

CYNH runs after school programs and keeps these kids out of trouble by educating them about the importance of communities and involvement. The particular department of CYNH that Canon worked with was called Civic Engagement.

“I wanted to see a different part of the country (United States),” Canon said. “Not only did I want to explore, but I wanted a structured way to do so.”

For two months Canon went into a community and planned, organized and facilitated a service project. Projects included cleaning parks, building book shelves for school and assembling playgrounds.

Canon said the experience helped him gain excellent communication and leadership skills, and CYNH also had a major effect on Canon as a mentor.

“I didn’t anticipate how much mentoring someone younger than myself would mean to me,” Canon said. “When someone values your advice so much, the responsibility is very meaningful and powerful. It was an incredible experience and I am very glad that I did it.”

Another way to travel abroad besides studying or working for a non-profit organization is to work for a company in another country.

Ryan Hunt, a University of Georgia alumnus with a degree in communications, spent three months in Africa upon graduating in 2008.

“I wanted to see what I was made of,” Hunt said. “Spending three months in Namibia and Botswana seemed like the way to do it.”

During the summer of 2008, Hunt worked for two different safari companies in the countries of Namibia and Botswana. He worked with Van Heerden Safari and Swamplands Safari, which take clients from all parts of the world on animal viewings and hunting trips.

“I saw so many different animals,” Hunt said. “On the plains, some of the animals seen were warthogs, kudu, springbucks, hippopotami and leopards.”

After three months working with two different safari companies in two different countries, Hunt realized how much he grew mentally from the trip.

“You really find out what makes you who you are,” Hunt said. “Besides the awesome sense of adventure, it was an irreplaceable experience I will never forget.”

No matter, which method of traveling abroad is chosen, each can provide students with an opportunity to observe different cultures and backgrounds

“For me, it was very transformative in understanding the way people relate to one another,” Havey said. “Even though we come from different histories and different backgrounds, we’re still all humans and there is a significant value to that.”

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Sep 18 2009. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry