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Jacob Rice
Students who attended the Study Abroad Fair had the opportunity to speak with representatives from various programs and learn about what their programs entail.
Students explored travel options at the Study Abroad Fair on Thursday, hearing first-hand experiences from West African University of Ghana program representatives from destinations like London.
Students who are interested in attending the fair are urged to make preparations before the fair so that they can benefit from this annual exhibition. The fair featured several foreign programs around the world. Students are given the opportunity to speak with a representative of each program and ask questions about course offerings, costs, location details, and eligibility requirements for each program.
The population consisted of students with previous study abroad experience and those new to study abroad.
Giselle Gonzalez, a junior majoring in animal science, said she was motivated to attend the fair to gain valuable and valuable experience to bolster her career.
“I’ve heard that getting out of the country and getting that experience is good on the resume,” Gonzalez said. “So I just thought I could at least check.”
As each program representative comes from a variety of professional backgrounds, students are able to gain diverse insights and multiple perspectives on studying abroad.
Program representative and materials science and engineering academic advisor Holly Dunlay-Lott spent her summer in London accompanying engineering students on a four-week study abroad program at Brunel University.
“Many of the students have never been out of the country without family,” Dunlay-Lott said. But it’s great to see how quickly college students can adapt to a different environment and immerse themselves in a new culture.
Darius Carey, one of the program representatives and Arcadia’s current assistant director of outreach, expressed his love for studying abroad at the University of Ghana in West Africa.
“I really enjoyed my time there,” Carey said. “It can be frustrating and sad sometimes because you’re away from home, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
The Study Abroad Fair provided information for students interested in studying abroad but concerned about finances.
Study abroad counselor Stephanie Lopez said many students receive scholarships and money. These scholarships can come from the student’s college or department using scholarships they have already earned or using institutional merit scholarships.
Scholarship advisor John Milstead said students who demonstrate financial need can apply for a Pell Grant, which can cover up to $5,000 for study abroad programs. Milstead also mentioned other similar scholarships with different requirements for students.
While most programs are for students who wish to study abroad, the National Student Exchange Program offers opportunities for students to study internationally at institutions in the United States, Canada, the US Virgin Islands, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
Similar to the study abroad program, the National Student Exchange Program allows students to transfer to an institution of their choice and transfer credits earned to Iowa State.
Manuela Josipovic, one of the program’s representatives and a senior in animal science, said that being exposed to different parts of the country gave her the opportunity to explore different veterinary schools that she wanted to attend and would consider in the future.
Josipovic also said that this program serves as a great motivation for students who want to go out, but are afraid to do something blindly.
“I knew I was going to come back, so I figured this would be a good way to see what I wanted to do after graduation,” Josipovic said.
Anna Smith, another program representative and senior biology major, emphasized the personal growth she experienced while traveling the country alone.
“This opportunity was a huge confidence builder,” Smith said. “I came into this year feeling like I could beat anything that came my way.”
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