EDITORIAL: Travel abroad next semester. You'll be glad you did.
It’s time to go see the world, Chippewas.
Central Michigan University has a robust Study Abroad program that features more than 150 trips in almost 50 different countries.
Some of the most popular destinations include Italy, to see legendary landmarks like the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the ancient Colosseum, Ireland and the United Kingdom thanks to no language barrier, according to Marko Schubert, Study Abroad adviser.
The summer session is by far the most popular for students because many of the faculty-led study abroad programs take place then, Schubert said. In the Fall and Spring semesters, anywhere from 50 to 100 students are representing CMU abroad.
Now, you may be thinking, this must be expensive, right? That’s not all true. Last year, 86 percent of all study abroad applicants were awarded a scholarship, including three Gilman Scholarship recipients.
Study aboard trips can help students feel purpose, give them useful skills and help them stand out in a stack of resumes, Schubert said.
“It is incredibly significant for their future. Most students understand that, and we need to start the planning process early,” Schubert said.
A rising number of students are enrolling in internships or service-learning trips that don’t go along with their majors. They do it because they want to make an impact and do something meaningful in a developing country.
Despite a dwindling student population, study abroad has steadily grown over the past few years, Schubert said. The student count went from 639 in 2015-16 to 751 in 2018-19.
Take the initiative. Show up to the Study Abroad Fair from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 17 in the Bovee University Center Rotunda. You’ll be grateful you did.
