(name redacted)
April 15th, 2014
OOC #3 Rewrite: Benefits of Studying Abroad
College is all about exploring new
things and stepping out of your comfort zone, and what better way to build upon
this than by traveling to a different country?
Michigan State University offers hundreds
of unique and nationally-recognized study abroad programs that provide students
with numerous benefits, which can better prepare them for their future career
and provide a global perspective that can enhance their education on campus.
MSU is currently No. 4 in terms of
nationwide study abroad participation, according to Cheryl Benner, the
communications manager for MSU’s Office of Study Abroad.
About 1 in 4 undergraduate students
have participated in a study abroad program at least once, which translates
into about 26 percent of the entire undergraduate population at MSU, said
Benner.
With about 300 different programs
and 2,514 students who participated in the 2012-2013 academic year, she said MSU’s
ranking is expected to move up in November when this data is released.
Other than having the opportunity
to explore a different country while receiving credit for various courses,
Benner said one of the most important benefits for anyone studying abroad is
the set of skills they acquire.
“No matter where you travel to,
you’re going to build skills that you can talk about in an interview,” said
Benner. “When you go abroad, you learn to be more resourceful and adaptable,
and those are skills that are going to resonate in any job.”
According to Human Resources
Generalist Aaron Buchholz from Key Safety Systems, having a study abroad experience
on a resume makes an individual more valuable.
He said such experiences allow
individuals to improve their communication skills and gain cultural awareness,
both of which are skills that can help a prospective employee stand out from
the rest.
“Knowing the
cultural nuances and how to work within another culture is huge,” said Buchholz.
“You’re five steps ahead of somebody who
doesn’t have this experience.”
MSU senior Logan O’Neil said after
participating in a four-week program to the United Kingdom in the summer of
2012, she developed many transferable skills that have helped her to feel more
confident about entering the job market in the future.
She said problem-solving skills, time
management, and versatility were among the main abilities that she strengthened
while on the program called Britain and the World: Politics, Love and Conflict.
According to O’Neil, her professor
instilled these skills in the students by simply assigning a map with a designated
time and location to meet, and challenging them to navigate through the
uncharted cities on their own.
“I definitely feel more comfortable
with change and adapting to unfamiliar situations,” said O’Neil.
MSU junior Bronson Herman
experienced similar benefits while he studied in Costa Rica in the Ethics of
Tourism and Sustainable Development Program during the summer of his sophomore
year.
“Our professor wouldn’t tell us
much, so we just had to observe and interpret a lot on our own,” said Herman.
He said, “being totally out of your
element” was the most valuable aspect of his experience because it allowed him
to become more independent and self-reliant.
Although language barriers are
another challenge of exploring a foreign country, overcoming these difficulties
and gaining experience in interpersonal communication is another significant
skill that students can develop and benefit from in the future, according to
Benner.
While in Costa Rica, Herman said he
taught at the local high school where he made several presentations in Spanish,
which significantly improved his public speaking skills.
“Giving presentations in English just
seems like a breeze now,” he said.
Herman said his speaking skills
also improved as a result of being forced into the new culture of Costa Rica
and using only Spanish while communicating and interacting with the two host
families he lived with.
He said his improved communication
skills allowed him to network with faculty members from the local high school
and other community organizations he was involved in.
As a result of the connections he
made, Herman said he was offered an internship in Panama, as well as the
opportunity to return to Costa Rica and continue his instruction in the school
this summer.
O’Neil said she also utilized communication
skills on her trip, which helped her to establish a good relationship with Dr.
Malcolm Magee, the MSU professor who led the excursion.
O’Neil said she currently works for
Magee as an administrative assistant by recruiting students, helping them
organize their local travel, and making sure they are adjusting to the new
culture.
After working alongside Magee,
O’Neil said she was presented with the opportunity to travel to the UK for a
second time in the summer of 2013 as the program assistant.
Among other benefits, a majority of
students who study abroad experience higher graduation rates, along with
increases in their GPA’s after returning home from overseas, according to a
study called the GLOSSARI Project.
The Georgia Learning Outcomes of Students Studying Abroad Research Initiative
conducted research across the entire University System of Georgia, which
consists of 35 different institutions.
The research shows that students who studied abroad had a 49.6 percent
four-year graduation rate as compared to the 42.1 percent graduation rate of students
who didn’t have such an experience.
It was further discovered that the cumulative GPA of students who
studied abroad increased from 3.24 before their trip, to 3.30 after they
returned home. The control group, consisting of students who did not study
abroad, experienced an increase in their cumulative GPA from 3.03 to 3.06
during this same period of time.
In addition to having a positive
impact on GPA and graduation rates, MSU faculty member Cheryl Pell said another
major benefit for students who study abroad is gaining a global perspective
that enhances their education upon returning to MSU.
Pell, who leads students in the
visual communications study abroad program to Barcelona and Berlin, said students
incorporate their experiences in their work for other classes.
She said two students who
participated in the visual communications program last summer utilized their new
geographical knowledge and pictures to create a brochure for their graphic arts
course.
“Students get to really be a part
of the country, as opposed to being a tourist,” Pell said. “Students come back
here with a renewed sense of themselves.”
According to Herman, traveling to a
different country really allowed him to observe the world from a different viewpoint.
“I’m more motivated to discuss
issues abroad, rather than just domestic issues,” he said. “Seeing how
influential the U.S. is on different countries is really eye-opening.”
O’Neil shares this sentiment and
said she is always finding ways to draw on what she learned in order to keep
her study abroad experience relevant in her everyday life.
“Having an understanding that the
world is so much larger than just the small town you’re from sounds so cliché,
but once you go and experience it, there’s really nothing quite like it,” she
said.
Word count: 1,149
Sources
Cheryl Benner, Communications Manager at the MSU Office of
Study Abroad
517-432-5166
Logan O’Neil, MSU Student
616-540-7569
Bronson Herman, MSU Student
313-574-6361
Cheryl Pell, MSU
School of Journalism Faculty Member
pell@msu.edu
Aaron Buchholz
Human Resources Generalist for Key Safety Systems
586-377-6171
GLOSSARI Project
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/education/2010-07-14-IHE-study-abroad-benefits13_ST_N.htm
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