DU proudly boasts an incredible study abroad program in which over 71 percent of undergraduate students participate. Because of this unfathomably high percentage relative to other colleges in the United States, the university is ranked, according to the 2014 Open Doors report, as the #1 Doctorate Institution for student participation in study abroad. There are over 150 program sites in more than 55 countries around the globe. Most commonly, students travel during their junior year, thus making juniors almost extinct on campus. However, there are still juniors on campus who decide to stick around at DU, and after much searching, we found one of them who is still in the state for this quarter. Check out what she has to say about study abroad and why she chose to wait:
Name: Victoria Dugas
Hometown: San Diego, California
Studying: Marketing, Finance & Art
Were you originally planning on going abroad?
Yes, I was planning on going abroad. Then I looked at graduation requirements and what my class standing was, and I wasn’t technically able to be considered a junior. I wasn’t allowed to go abroad because of that. A whole situation arose where I thought I was going to be going to a different school, and so I missed the application deadline and was not able to go.
What are you doing this semester instead of studying abroad?
I’m studying abroad in Denver. Just kidding—I am basically just having a normal quarter: I am taking two finance classes, accounting and photography.
What is it like to be one of the few juniors on campus?
It seems like more have stayed on campus than in past years, but I only know maybe five of them. My home isn’t really here anymore, so I had more of an incentive to branch out and meet new people by getting involved in more things.
Have you ever been out of the country? Do you plan to travel more?
Yes, I have been out of the country, to Tijuana and Rosarito in Mexico. I literally want to travel everywhere. I am planning to study abroad next year—either to Chile, because I speak Spanish and the Spanish culture has a huge presence where I’m from, or Mongolia, because no one thinks of going there, and we get to live with nomadic herders.
Do you think studying abroad at DU is necessary to get the full “Pioneer experience” by graduation?
Yes, and no; I think it depends on where you go and how you take advantage of your experience. I think some people experience a very similar culture to being here still because they don’t truly try to experience the culture around them. The kids that go to programs that challenge them a little more get more out of their experience (not necessarily academically, but culturally).
Have there been any advantages for you from staying on campus your junior year?
Yes—there are many advantages. I was able to reach out to other groups and meet new friends I wouldn’t have otherwise met if I stayed in my comfortable friend bubble. I have also learned a lot of new things about myself this year that I think I will be able to utilize when I travel abroad next year.
While junior year seems to be the best time to study abroad at DU, several juniors on campus, like Dugas, prove you have lots of options. However, while it may be possible to go senior year, students are encouraged to be proactive about applying for programs and scholarships offered. Study abroad sets DU apart from many other schools, so don’t hesitate to take advantage of the opportunity.
