SMC holds fair to promote study abroad opportunites
By KATE DOOLEY
News Writer
The Center for Women's Intercultural Studies will be hosting a study-abroad fair today to highlight expanded international programs and services on Saint Mary's campus.
The fair will feature information on both current and new abroad programs. Financial aid advisors and academic counselors will be available to show students that they can afford studying abroad and fit it in their schedule.
Saint Mary's college created CWIL in part to emphasize the importance of intercultural experiences for the students.
"President Marilou Eldred has made it clear that increasing the intercultural experience of the Saint Mary's students is an important part of our mission. Thanks to our faculty and CWIL, we are getting the opportunities to make going abroad more accessible to the students," said Elaine Meyer-Lee, director of International and Intercultural Learning.
Meyer-Lee's goals incorporate easier accessibility to financial aid funding and a wider variety of programs to help people get the true immersion experience that they desire.
The new programs begin in the spring of 2003 and applications for these will be available at the fair. The new programs include a Greece summer study tour, a one-credit Haiti spring break course and a Fremantle, Australia exchange program.
Organizations from IFSA-Butler and the Great Lakes College Association will have booths at the fair to give students information on programs that Saint Mary's does not have, in places such as Latin America and Scotland.
CWIL continues to work on future abroad programs for the 2004 school year. Among the locations being considered are Japan and Honduras.
"We are making agreements with other programs in order to open more doors for Saint Mary's students to study abroad," Meyer-Lee said.
Current study abroad programs offered at Saint Mary's include Maynooth, Ireland; Seville, Spain; Dijon, France; Innsbruck, Austria (through Notre Dame); Rome, Italy; a European Summer Study Tour and a Semester Around the World program. Students also do service projects abroad through the SURV center.
Many students at Saint Mary's have already benefited from the abroad experience.
"I think it is vital for everyone to have some kind of experience outside of Saint Mary's community," said Katie Sandford, who spent a year in Innsbruck, Austria. "In fact, part of a liberal arts education is being exposed to and aware of things that we do not see in our own community. My experience in Austria really opened my eyes."
Along with the study abroad fair, Meyer-Lee has also started a resource center for abroad program information outside her office on the Saint Mary's College library mezzanine.
"The center is filled with books, advice and information about going abroad," she said. "If you cannot attend the fair, but are interested in finding out more about the old or new programs, the resource center is the place to get information."
The fair will be held today from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Stapleton Lounge.
All News Stories for Thursday, November 21, 2002
