Study Abroad fair educates students on going abroad, internships
CMU professor Mikiyasu Hakoyama, right, talks about his booth on Japan during the Study Abroad Fair on Tuesday, Sept. 20, in the UC Rotunda.
Students had the opportunity to speak with advisers and representatives within the Study Abroad Office at the Study Abroad fair, which took place Tuesday evening in the Bovee University Center Rotunda.
More than 50 study abroad program, including faculty-led programs, were present. The Study Abroad Office currently offers more than 150 programs in 40 different countries.
About 650 students attended the fair this year.
“This is the main event where we recruit students (to study abroad) from. It’s the biggest event of the year,” Anjam Chaudhary said, faculty-Led Programs Coordinator.
Students had the opportunity to speak with students who have recently been on study abroad trips.
Ithaca junior Dylan Sherman, a study abroad ambassador, was a representative for a programs offered in Florence, Italy. The program, which runs for four weeks, is a faculty-led drawing intensive course.
“People are drawn to learning more about my program because it's in Italy. They're interested in going there because of the food and culture," Sherman said. "Those are the two main draws (to Italy)."
Academic advisers and financial aid advisers answered questions regarding the logistics of transferring credits from universities abroad and monetary aspects.
Representatives of different study abroad programs, such as the Council on International Educational Exchange and Cultural Experience Abroad, were also in attendance.
Eric Schueller, a representative for CEA, said the organization offers summer and semester-long programs. It also offers internship programs.
“It doesn’t matter what major you are as long as the classes you take abroad transfer back and are applicable to your degree program. (Those are the requirements to) go abroad with CEA,” Schueller said.
Schueller said a common question he receives is in regards to the affordability of studying abroad.
“CEA offers $2 million annually in scholarships and grants,” he said.
A majority of students in attendance were underclassmen interested in studying abroad in the future.
Freshman Caleb Kleiman said he heard about the study abroad fair when while doing his own research on the study abroad office website.
“I'm interested in studying abroad because it can broaden my horizons and give me a look at the world I’ve never seen,” Kleiman said.
