To assimilate into the DU culture, there were a few things incoming freshmen needed to pick up quickly: Refer to Centennial Halls only as “Halls,” know Thursday nights are the considered the weekend and studying abroad is expected and assumed by all. Fortunately, studying abroad has been shown to expose students to different cultures and thus catapult their chance for succeeding in an increasing globalized world.
According to NAFSA: Association for International Educators, only one percent of all United States college students study abroad. Here, however, over 60 percent of graduates studied abroad – and for good reason. Studies conducted by study abroad organizations demonstrate that spending even a month in another country exposes students to diverse cultures, promotes independence and inspires them to give back to their community.
In a study conducted by the Institute for the International Education of Students (IES), a major study abroad organization, it was concluded that 98 percent of 3,400 students who studied abroad felt that the experience “helped them to better understand their own cultural values and biases.” By living somewhere else, students immerse themselves into an entirely different world than their own. They see the cultural architecture, eat the food and communicate with people with unique perspectives. Studying abroad forces a person to live in and appreciate life in a way that is not like their own. When people learn about diversity, they are better equipped to relate to others because they have been taught to do so. The more exposure a person has to multiple cultures, the more awareness they have of how different – yet similar – people are, which can be beneficial when looking for a job.
When a person is able to interact with a variety of people, that person is more likely to succeed because they are able to connect to others and interact with them. By studying abroad, people have the opportunity to not only gain the necessary experience to work with diversity, but they also gain valuable professional skills. On trips such as SIT Abroad, students have the opportunity to do field research and work at health clinics or government agencies. Unlike classroom education, this type of experiential learning gives students a glimpse into how life in a certain workforce will be like and can also give them real-life, valuable insight on a topic of interest. For example, if a pre-med student travels to Africa and volunteers at a local health clinic while studying abroad, they will have first-hand knowledge of how rural medicine operates and the problems associated with it. They will not just be a bystander of pressing issues around the world; they will be on the forefront, equipped with the accurate and necessary understanding to combat critical, international problems. Studying abroad illustrates the world as it truly is, not how another person, class or website says it is.
Although studying abroad is an incredible opportunity, it is not without consequence. In many instances, it can be expensive. According to International Studies Abroad (ISA) programs, programs can cost, on average, $15,000 per semester. This charge also does not always include housing, airfare, or living expenses. Furthermore, credit earned abroad is not always guaranteed to transfer toward graduation or major requirements. If credit fails to transfer, that can set a student’s graduation back by a quarter or more, depending on how much time they spent abroad. While studying abroad may seem daunting due to cost and fear of wasting a quarter or more, DU has made excellent attempts to remedy any issues that may arise.
The reason so many students study abroad here is because of the Cherrington Global Scholars initiative. Designed to give everyone a chance to go abroad, this program allows students to pay no more than what they pay per quarter to attend DU and also reduces the cost of round-trip airfare, personal expenses, and transportation within the host city by allowing students to choose from over 100 DU-sponsored programs. To be eligible, according to DU’s study abroad website, students must have completed 90 credits before studying abroad, have a minimum 3.0 GPA, be in good academic and student conduct standing, completed two quarters at DU before the program starts and be at least 18 years old. DU makes it impossible to not at least try to study abroad.
Overall, studying abroad is already at the top of most students’ college agendas. With the quarter system, it is not hard to squeeze in a quarter of study abroad, especially when the credits can be approved for transfer ahead of time. By being assertive and well-informed, studying abroad can be affordable and worthwhile. College is one of the few times in life where students have the time to travel and gain knowledge, both for academic credit and personal growth.
Grab a passport, pencil, and notebook; a world of learning awaits.
