Episode 50: Studying Abroad While In College

Episode 50

• Episode 50 Transcript

  [INTRO]

  [00:00:06] BT: Imagine you're on an airplane, one of those big ones designed for international flights. You're moments away from jetting off on your biggest adventure to date. Where are you going? More importantly, what are you going there to learn?

  [00:00:20] BHA: For many college students, traveling abroad is an enriching experience —academically, culturally and personally. It's also a big decision that requires plenty of thought and planning. I'm Becca Haupt Aldredge, and welcome to the 50th episode of the College Admissions Insider podcast. Today, we're giving you a bird's eye view of studying abroad.

  [00:00:40] BT: I'm Brooke Thames, also from Bucknell. And over the next 20 or so minutes, we'll chat about the kinds of study abroad programs universities typically offer, when to start working study abroad into your college journey, earning academic credits for international courses and more.

  [00:00:54] BHA: Joining the conversation with us today are two staff members from Bucknell’s Office of Global and Off-campus Education, Jen Fritz and Trace Coats. Jen is the associate director of Global Education and advises study abroad programs in the sciences, engineering, mathematics, and more. Trace serves as the assistant director of technical operations within Global Ed, and his advising areas include the education and geography disciplines. Welcome to the podcast.

  [00:01:23] JF: Thank you for having us today. We're really excited to join you on this journey about this important topic.

  [00:01:28] BT: Yeah, we're excited to have you here. So let's start off by just hearing a little bit more about what each of you do in your respective roles in Bucknell’s Office of Global and Off-campus Ed.

  [00:01:38] JF: As a global education advisor for science, mathematics and engineering students, I host student advising meetings regularly, help coordinate the Bucknell In Athens program (primarily a faculty-led classics-based program), then I lead and supervise our global education advising team and support administrative areas of practice and policy.

  [00:01:55] TC: Yeah, and I currently advise for the education and geography majors. But also, those students who are interested in the short-term programs, I advise those folks as well, working with faculty to create, and maintain, and operate our own Bucknell In short-term programs. Additionally, I manage all the health and safety issues that arise with study abroad, as well as our student record systems.

  [00:02:16] BHA: This might sound like an obvious question, but why should a prospective college student consider studying abroad?

  [00:02:21] JF: Sure. Some major student benefits of study abroad include intellectual development, professional and career development, personal development, increased self-awareness, interpersonal skills and opportunity for development for global citizenship skills. These alone may motivate students, but there's many other reasons why.

  There's a famous quote: “The world is a great book from which they who never stir from home read only a page.” Even the best universities in the world support students to encourage them to study abroad and acknowledge that there's much more to be learned off campus than a single campus can provide.

  So we're entering an era where increased awareness in global issues is just beginning, and the student capacity to move beyond awareness to action is necessary. So students studying abroad are not only having classroom experiences, but now also engage in research, internship, service learning and opening up new job possibilities.

  [00:03:15] BT: Yeah. I love that quote, Jen, and study abroad programs are surely one of those really great ways for students to really broaden their horizons while at college. I imagine that study abroad offices and programs differ widely across colleges and universities. But what kinds of study abroad opportunities are most common?

  [00:03:33] TC: Well, common is kind of tricky, since there are so many types of programs, locations and student interests, and they tend to be very student-specific. So in terms of a timeframe, majority of our programs tend to be semester-long programs, with the popularity of summer and short-term program is increasing over the past few years for sure.

  [00:03:55] BT: When you say short term, is that like a January term, a spring term? How do you define that?

  [00:04:00] TC: It tends to be summer and occasionally a January term program. The timing matters. So short-term programs tend to be in that three-week range to possibly as long as maybe 10 weeks over the summer. And it's hard to get that timeframe in the winter term, but there are a few programs that squeeze it in, so it can be either winter term or summer term.

  [00:04:23] BHA: Our prospective student listeners are maybe just now launching into their college search. What would be the best way for them to get to know what study abroad options and processes a school has, like some of the options that you mentioned?

  [00:04:36] JF: Sure. During the admissions process, depending on how they enter that, we encourage students to attend events and panels that specifically focus on study abroad. Some are hosting these as part of their online adventure, also as in person when they come and visit the campus.

  If they're visiting campus, we encourage them to talk to their tour guides and see if they've studied abroad or even stop by the study abroad office directly. In addition, review their website. Many of our students say they review websites regularly before coming. If they come on campus, talk to faculty advisors who regularly articulate the benefits of study abroad and how to enhance their coursework while abroad. In addition, many of our students also gather information on social media as vignettes of what other students are doing.

  [00:05:19] BT: So we talked a little bit about the differences between programs in terms of length. But I wonder, also, are there differences in terms of those processes or the ways in which students might be able to access study abroad programs?

  [00:05:31] TC: Yes. Some programs can be harder to get into. So they'll require students to really apply a little bit earlier. Most programs, really what they're looking for is student interest and kind of a combination of why they're choosing this program and why they are applying to that program. So some programs are pretty open, and some can be more restrictive. Say, if you want to do field research in Kenya on animal behavior, then you probably need some background in animal behavior before you go. Does that make sense?

  [00:06:00] BT: Yeah, definitely. That why you want to go and study abroad is, I imagine, really important, if not one of the most important pieces. We know that study abroad programs aren't just for fun and sightseeing. There's an academic component at the heart of probably nearly every trip.

  At Bucknell, there are a number of study abroad programs that correspond to a particular major or kind of area of study. Spanish, for example, features the Bucknell En España program. Trace, can you tell us a bit more about the link between study abroad and academics?

  [00:06:31] TC: Well, definitely, sure. I mean, certainly, we’re biased, and we think everyone should go study abroad. But we don't want it to be at the expense of students’ academics who are graduating in four years. So this is why we kind of divide students by their academic interest or major to help them align study abroad programs that meet their academic needs and interests. We also work with students to kind of get a feel for their curricular map, so to map out what courses they've had or need to take into the future to see when study abroad is going to work for them and what semester or short term, etc.

  Then we also work with students before they leave to get all their courses approved for credit for their major or minor or the core curricular requirements or just the basic graduation credit. That way, students aren't missing out, and they're also looking at programs that are going to promote their academics or their interest, at least.

  [00:07:21] BHA: I'm so glad you touched on that advising process because, as an admissions counselor, when I meet with students while they're in high school, they seem to often think that study abroad is just throwing a dart at a map and going somewhere almost seemingly at random. I often joke with students that they might want to study abroad in France because they like French fries. But I really let them know that the support systems here on campus help them choose something really intentionally.

  So what about a student who wants to study abroad but doesn't necessarily find a program at their university that's the right fit? Are the advisors in a global ed office able to help connect them with other opportunities?

  [00:07:59] JF: Absolutely. Engaging a global education advisor for a full meeting is usually one of the most helpful steps. Bucknell has over 500 approved programs. During the advising process, there's discussion about academic requirements, personal academic and professional goals. In some cases, discussion about cultural heritage and additional broad considerations too. We help guide students to the program that will ensure credit transfer and most closely adhere to their goals. In the rare case a well-fitting academic program cannot be found inside the approved programs, a global education advisor can guide you through a process to get a program approved.

  [00:08:33] BT: Yeah. It’s great that there's so much support there for making sure a student can have the experience that they're looking for. So I'd like to talk a little bit more about planning and this kind of course map idea because studying abroad is a really big decision, whether you're going for a year or a month. Say a student knows for certain that they want to study abroad while in college. When should they start figuring out what that will look like for them in their four-year schedule?

  [00:09:00] TC: Well, in that case, I mean, obviously, the minute they get on campus. As soon as you walk in the door, come see us, is the easiest answer to that, as always. But we'll certainly work with a student at any point in time in the process to see where and how study abroad is going to work for them.

  I mean, more or less, once a student knows they want to study abroad, that's when they need to figure out how to make it happen, and that means meeting with their academic advisor, talking with our office to see how it's going to work for them academically.

  I mean, most students really have flexibility with their majors and timing of when they can go abroad. But some majors and departments certainly have more restrictions and a more narrow window of time of when study abroad is feasible for those academics. It’s important to start planning as soon as they can to make sure it's going to work out for them as part of that course map and their overall requirements for their major and minor and, of course, all the core curricular requirements that we might have at Bucknell.

  [00:09:53] BT: So at Bucknell, students can begin studying abroad starting the summer after their first year. But at what point do you see most students participating in programs, and how many tend to spend time abroad?

  [00:10:04] TC: I mean, so it really depends on the student and what's going to work best for them academically. I mean, Bucknell students can start studying abroad as a rising sophomore, all the way up to the fall of their senior year. But we do see a majority of students studying abroad are usually in their junior year timeframe, which is pretty common.

  Now, in terms of the number of students who go abroad, our numbers have always been comparatively high to our peer schools. Previously — before COVID we’ll say — a little over half of our graduating seniors had some kind of experience off campus. Our numbers have gone down in the past few years, mainly due to COVID, but we're finally starting to see those numbers come back towards a normal engagement for the fall of 2022 and the spring of ’23 academic year.

  [00:10:50] BHA: So it sounds like academics are definitely the driving factor here. I mean, the office is called “Global Education.” It makes sense that academics should be the driving factor in a study abroad decision. But are there other factors? Specifically, what about financing a study abroad opportunity?

  [00:11:04] JF: That's a wonderful question and one of the most important that you can ask. I'll start with sharing what's available for students. So students that are currently recipients of grants, scholarships, and aid, those items can regularly transfer for study abroad. So we implore students, please set a meeting with the financial aid office of your recipient grants, scholarships and aid.

  In addition, they will highlight other scholarships available for students. On our website, we regularly highlight scholarships that are available for students based on need, culture heritage, academic major, first-generation status — those types of things, which many of our partners sponsor as well. There are good funds available for study abroad. We also offer a cost assessment sheet on our website, and most of our partners regulate the very details for housing, meals, visa, passport — all the things that go into an experience.

  Also, something to consider would be currency conversion of a location going to. So if a cup of coffee in the U.S. costs you $1.25, $1.50, if you're going to a location where you pay then $2.50 regularly, keeping that in mind. It does matter for walking around money and additional travel students want to do.

  There are some locations that are lesser costing overall, typically, than being here in the U.S. at a U.S. university. There are some that are more expensive. So it's definitely a conversation now with your global education advisor. Typically, parents guardians, anyone else supporting you. But our financing off-campus website for study abroad is a first good place to start.

  [00:12:31] TC: Where are you getting coffee, Jen, at $1.25?

  [00:12:35] JF: McDonald's, the smallest one you can get.
  
  [00:12:41] BT: I love that we're talking about other considerations when it comes to study abroad, and I think that opens up another conversation about kind of just geopolitical situations, as well as COVID and other health risks that Trace mentioned before. How does an office like yours ensure students are safe, no matter where they choose to travel?

  [00:13:00] JF: I'm glad you brought that up. It's true. The amount of attention given to health and safety over the past few years has been significant. However, risk has always been inherent in present in travel and study abroad, and our office is regularly engaged in monitoring and mitigating risks for several years — even before COVID, during COVID and now that COVID is a little bit on the decrease here. So it just required us to continue to hone our practices and develop new ways of communicating with students and parents, and mitigation protocols for health and safety.

  A few things we have in place right now is we offer pre-departure orientation that every student is required to participate in to help students understand health and safety abroad and prepare appropriately. Students also enroll in international medical insurances, either offered by Bucknell or our partner abroad, depending on program requirements. All students are required to enroll in the U.S. Department of Smart Traveler Enrollment Program and receive information from about health and safety considerations in their area. And also providing support through emergencies when natural disasters, civil unrest or any other emergencies occur.

  In addition, Bucknell has an AlertTraveler app, which does real-time health and safety pushes on locations, and allows students to contact us as soon as possible if there's an immediate emergency in their area and they need help. So we feel confident and prepared to continue to support students and faculty as they travel abroad, and we just continuously monitor the world. So a big thanks to Trace for his work in this area too.

  [00:14:31] TC: We try to actually make sure that the tools we get the students for health and safety are tools they can utilize abroad to help them research. The traveler app lets a student say, “Hey, I want to go to Paris this weekend. What's it look like in Paris? What do I need to have in order to enter the country? What do I need to do a look out for in terms of safety issues?” Those things all exist, and we give the students the ability to do that themselves on their own, depending on what their plans are going to be.

  [00:14:58] BHA: Wow. In terms of being a global citizen, that probably leaves them feeling really empowered that they have the knowledge and information to go find the knowledge that they need to be savvy travelers while abroad.

  [00:15:08] TC: That is the hope.

  [00:15:09] BT: So we talked about programs in terms of duration, but that's not necessarily the only difference from program to program. Some programs seem to be purely educational, while others might revolve around some type of hands-on project. Can we break down how learning experiences might vary from program to program?

  [00:15:27] TC: That's a hard one. There are tons of different options among programs like instruction style, course offerings, cultural integration, hands-on experiences. All those things exist.

  But thinking about it from a high-end, 1,000-foot kind of perspective, there are programs like a direct exchange, where you're a student as you would be in the U.S., but you're enrolled in a foreign university, taking courses in that university with other university students. That's kind of like the easiest transition or comparison. There are also programs — we call them field study programs — where you're going to travel to a location and, instead of taking like a typical classroom lecture kind of experience, you're going to actually take part in the hands-on experiential learning, like studying marine life in the Turks and Caicos, or sustainability in Costa Rica, or wildlife management in Tanzania. These kinds of things lend themselves to more field experiences, obviously. But students have options. Then, of course, we have internship programs, where students can engage in real work experience abroad, like they would in an internship in the U.S., but at the same time getting a full course load to help them complete their major on campus.

  Again, there are hybrid models, and there are variations. That's kind of a high-end overview of kinds of programs you can look into.

  [00:16:43] BT: Yeah. It sounds like with all the different options, it really is about kind of what a student is interested in, what experience they're looking to have, because there really is a whole world of options out there.

  [00:16:53] TC: We have over 500 possible programs that are on our list, and there are more. So there are definitely a lot of options.

  [00:17:01] BT: So we mentioned this earlier, the idea that students who study abroad aren't merely tourists or scholars. I'd like to return back to that as we come to the end of our time here. Students who study abroad are participants in a cultural exchange. So why is it important to view global education as relational, instead of transactional?

  [00:17:21] JF: That's an excellent question. In short, when thinking about cultural exchange, it’s the sharing of different ideas, traditions and knowledge with someone who may be coming from a completely different background than your own. This heightened awareness and differences between cultures is particularly important for folks that are studying abroad, volunteering or living in a new country, and interacting with people different from their own country. It's a way to promote respect and understanding, and create a space where we are really considering the diversity of cross-cultural skills in a globalized world.

  It's fundamental that peoples and nations, as they interact, understand each other's values and norms for the relationship to last. So the transactional interaction really doesn't have as much value, so that it might inspire us to have new forms of expression when interacting with each other, and help us to just really engage and understand those environments.

  One of the things that we talk about is a cultural iceberg. It's an analogy that there's many things above the waterline and below the waterline. Through this experience, typically, you're going to run into both of them. But it's a way to acknowledge and learn when you hit those things that are above the waterline, things that you can see and things that you cannot see. So we think that that will be a way in which folks have the most valuable experience.

  [00:18:37] BT: Yeah. I really loved everything you had to say there, Jen. I think that's going to give our listeners a lot to think about and meditate on as they consider their own options for studying abroad. Well, thanks again to Jen and Trace for guiding us through this really important conversation.

  [00:18:51] TC: Thanks for having us.

  [00:18:52] BHA: And thanks to everybody out there listening. If you're a fan of the podcast, please take a moment to rate, subscribe and share this episode with the high schoolers in your life.

  [00:19:00] BT: We'll be back with another episode in just two weeks. In the meantime, send your questions, comments and episode ideas to podcast@bucknell.edu. We read every note you send.

  [00:19:10] BHA: Finally, you're invited to follow Bucknell on your favorite social media apps. Just look for @bucknellu on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and TikTok. And you can follow our student-run Instagram account, which is @iamraybucknell.

  [00:19:26] BT: Until next time, keep on reaching for your dreams and your dream school.

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