Academic credit, language acquisition, practical experience, resume building and an experience of a lifetime are all reasons why students should study abroad.

On Saturday, Nov. 4, the Office of International Studies and Programs will host an informational meeting at 1 p.m. for students interested in studying abroad.

According to Study Abroad Coordinator Jimmy Brazelton, the orientation is open to those in the community who are interested in studying abroad through ISU.

The event will describe the various international programs that are available, learn about the benefits of studying abroad and former study abroad participants will share their stories.

“Students who have studied abroad in the past, my self and several others will be available to answer any questions at the informational meeting,” Brazelton explained.

In addition, there will be an orientation from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for students who have already been accepted to the study abroad program.

According to Assistant Study Abroad Advisor Lily Anderson, the morning hours will be dedicated to the students who are leaving to go abroad during the spring.

“It is going to be an overview for those students and their parents, which will describe the different aspects of studying abroad that need to be addressed such as passports, visas and culture shock,” Anderson said.

“More importantly, there will be the informational meeting for interested students and how they can become involved in the study abroad programs,” Anderson added.

When individuals choose to participate, the OISP offers guidance and structure for the Study Abroad Programs by advising students and faculty about the academic, financial and cross-cultural experiences.

“The meeting will include general information, but more specifically how easy it is to study abroad, the benefits, what programs are available and what steps to take next,” Anderson explained.

“Students will also learn about the procedures and qualifications for acceptance,” she added.

The OISP is dedicated to offering international opportunities for members of ISU and the community.

Study Abroad opportunities include summer, semester or academic year programs. Interested students can choose from cities in countries such as Australia, China, England, France, Italy and Japan, plus many more.

The meeting will take place in STV 101. Anyone interested is invited to attend. For more information about the event, contact the OISP at 309-438-5276

This entry was posted on Friday, November 3rd, 2006 at 11:57 pm and is filed under Education, Study Abroad. Tags: Student, Study, Study Abroad. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.