posted April 28, 2009
Office of International Initiatives Hosts Reception for Study Abroad Alumni
In the academic year 2008-2009, more than 60 undergraduate and graduate students in the College of Education attended study abroad programs. The students visited India, El Salvador, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. Faculty members who organized these programs included Paula Beckman, Elizabeth A. Robertson-Tchabo, and Jim DeGeorge. On April 2, 2009, the Office of International Initiatives organized a reception for the study abroad alumni within the College of Education. Over pizza slices, fruit salad, and soda, the attendees shared their rich and diverse experiences.	Faculty and students gather for a reception for study abroad alumni.
One of the common themes to emerge during the discussion was that those who had attended the programs had come back transformed. Jim DeGeorge highlighted the role that experiential learning can play in “formation and transformation of who we are.” He mentioned that he advises his students to “use of a variety of lens and be open to all experiences” to gain the most from their experiences studying abroad. Erin, an undergraduate student who visited Argentina, concurred. “There’s more depth to me now,” she remarked.

Students shared their experiences and the impact of study abroad on their future careers as teachers.

The theme of study abroad experiences and the contribution to one’s development as a professional also came up. Tiffani Soo-Tim, who visited Europe, mentioned that she was finding out that her “global and international experiences” were seen as an asset in job applications. Dr. Jim Greenberg, director of the Office of International Initiatives, invited students to talk about the impact of study abroad experiences on their future role as educators.

Erica Apatov, who had also attended the study abroad program in Europe, listed skills she had developed as a pre-service teacher such as non-verbal communication and classroom management, and also talked about how she gained a better understanding of how “there are different types of teachers, and different ways for teaching well.” Sarah Ozment, who was “thrown into teaching” at the age of eighteen during a visit to a remote village in Panama, recalled that the 7-8 months she spent teaching small children in the village helped shape her decision to become an educator.

Brent Edwards, a graduate student, has attended many study abroad programs and shared his aspiration of becoming a professor taking his students on study abroad programs. While recounting his visits to Spain, Netherlands, and El Salvador, Brent brought up the importance of reflecting upon the study abroad experiences. Erica used a humorous analogy to illustrate this point further. “Reflection is like stretching,” she said amidst laughter, “You don’t want to do it, but it’s necessary!”	Brent Edwards shared his aspiration of becoming a professor taking students on study abroad programs.
Those present mentioned being humbled by the human spirit they encountered in such countries as India and El Salvador which have a high concentration of people living below the poverty line. Dr. Elizabeth A. Robertson-Tchabo, who arranged a visit to Amritsar in India talked about her visit to an impoverished village school. “I could not find an unhappy child,” she recalled. Wes Paparone, who spent two intensive weeks in El Salvador, said “these people have nothing but at the same time they are rich in everything.” He is now sponsoring the education of a child back in El Salvador, talked about having “unfinished business” and plans to go back to carry on the work he started there. Dr. Paula Beckman, who organized the visit to El Salvador, recounted meeting a family where one of the children had dropped out school to enable her siblings to continue their education. “The parents couldn’t afford to buy notebooks,” explained Dr. Beckman and talked with evident pride of her students who donated their time and money help such families.
	Paula Beckman and Francis DuVinage
Towards the end, Dr. DuVinage, director of the National Scholarships Office in the Office of Undergraduate Studies on campus, shared information about many opportunities available to students to attend programs to different parts of the world. Lisa Swayhoover, graduate assistant with OII, mentioned websites that students could browse to learn more about study abroad programs both on and off campus. The evening ended with both students and faculty affirming the value of study abroad programs and sharing plans to continue such programs.

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