The World is Your Classroom
It's a big world out there! 🌎 Where in the world do you want to learn?
Lions can learn more about Southeastern's study abroad programs and scholarship opportunities at southeastern.edu/studyabroad or stop by the Student Union breezeway on Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 5-6 from 10 am to 2 pm to ask your questions in person.
Communication senior Jordan Colona was a participant in the Communication and Theatre in London program during summer 2017. She shares why she believes study abroad programs are so important to a well-rounded Southeastern experience:
Study abroad is an incredible opportunity to discover different cultures, diversity and more about yourself as a person that you wouldn't discover in your hometown alone.
A huge benefit of studying abroad is building a network and connecting with other people that can help advance your future career. Through study abroad, students can gain skills such as cross cultural communication and language capabilities, which are necessary to succeed in a global economy. Study abroad programs can help a student overcome their own fears and also step out of their comfort zone.
“My favorite part of traveling abroad was the opportunity to be totally immersed in another culture and country," said Hannah Simeon, a Southeastern English major who participated in the Communication and Theatre program in London. "It is important for students to experience other cultures because it makes them more aware, accepting and appreciative of differences within cultures.” Study abroad teaches students to appreciate diversity and forces them to recognize their own stereotypes that have developed in their life.
Southeastern offers an vast array of study abroad options through the Office of International Initiatives.
Students should take advantage of this opportunity to travel outside the country while also earning credits towards their degree. The price of the study abroad programs depend on which trip a student decides to participate in, but usually range from $2,000 to $4,000. Although the price of the program can seem steep for some students, there is always the option of applying for one of the many scholarships offered by the Office of International Initiatives.
Each program includes room and board in the total price, but not all of them include plane tickets and all of the meals. The study abroad trips can range from anywhere between a week long to nearly a month in another country. You can find more specific information on all of the study abroad programs on the Office of International Initiatives website.
If you have the opportunity to travel outside of the country, don't pass it up! Why is study abroad such a rewarding experience for students? Austin Rogers, a business major who participated in the business program in Panama, states that it is so important for people to see other cultures outside of what they are used to in Louisiana and the United States in general. The study abroad program in Panama truly prepared him for the "real world" and his future career - in which he hopes to experience many different cultures once again.
If a student has the chance to study abroad, the results of one’s future is brighter and more successful. Students are prepared for facing new cultures and different people after traveling outside of what they are used to in their everyday life.
"My favorite part of being able to study abroad in London was getting the opportunity to meet new people and eat different food," said Erin Reed, a Southeastern English major who participated in the Communication and Theatre program in London. "I believe it is important for students to study abroad because it expands their worldview.”
The experience of being able to study abroad can truly change your outlook on life for the better and your future for the better!
Photos from her program are below. You can also visit the International Initiatives Office for more photos from the various programs as well as full program details. Have questions? Stop by the Student Union breezeway on Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 5-6 from 10 am to 2 pm to talk to a staff member about your future travel plans!
Monday, January 29, 2018
Posted by: Allen Cutrer
