By Jaziah Masters
Recently, I have begun exploring some opportunities that I’m sure you all have heard about. Studying abroad can be one of the most impactful and defining moments of any college experience. Keeping this in mind: I’ve begun looking into some of the programs and it turns out there are a lot!
I should issue a disclaimer: I am by no means an expert when it comes to studying abroad. In fact, this is the first time that I’ve seriously looked into it as an option. That being said, here are some of my initial reactions.
- Studying abroad programs are as diverse as the places you’ll go!
There are many ways for Bears to get abroad for any amount of time. Programs accommodate your schedule. Meaning, if you have a summer internship (like I do) you may consider pursuing one of the May programs. These start just weeks after finals in May and end just about the first week of June. One that definitely appeals to me is a trip going to Turkey and Greece. I was able to speak to the faculty advisor today and he stressed the fact that learning is great in the classroom, but is potentially life-changing in the actual field. I love the idea of learning while visiting the actual place where learning about.
- Studying abroad is not something just done in the summer.
Almost the same as No. 1 is the fact studying abroad is not just done in the summer. I have found many programs where you actually study abroad during the fall or spring semester. Again, there are international options for this, but one of the best programs I found is actually not that far away. Baylor has a Washington Semester program where students can actually take classes on a university campus in DC. In addition, the program allows students to obtain an internship where you can put into practice what you have learned. I think it goes without saying that DC is home to countless opportunities, so the opportunity to participate for a full semester in the area can also be very impactful.
- Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
When I talked to the faculty leader of the Turkey and Greece trip, one thing he stressed to me is the fact that there are many options for students to offset cost of these trips. The reality is studying abroad is expensive. However, I have found that Baylor does a great job of helping with the cost. The Center for International Education on campus is dedicated to this very task. Also, many academic departments have scholarships to help defray costs.
Overall I see that studying abroad is not as impartible as it may seem. The benefits are huge, and who doesn’t want to go see some of the world?