January 04, 2008
Bowling
Green, Ky. - A growing number of students are taking advantage of study abroad opportunities at Western Kentucky University.
During the Winter Term, WKU was scheduled to send more than 130 students to 10 countries for study abroad programs. During the fall semester, 44 students went to 12 countries with 24 students planning to visit nine countries this spring. As a comparison, WKU had nine students participate in study abroad in the fall of 2006 and seven last spring.
“It seems that through the efforts of a lot of people on campus, including the Study Abroad office, that we’ve got this thing moving in the right direction,” said Reed Vesey, director of Study Abroad/Global Learning.
More evidence is found in the number of applications for the World Topper Scholarship – 133 applied for the winter and spring with 113 receiving scholarships. “Winter and spring are an important time for Study Abroad, but the big number and the big business is really in the summer,” Vesey said, “so hopefully we’re going to see an increase in the applications as well for somewhat of a banner year.”
WKU’s mission to become “a leading American university with international reach” is making students more aware of Study Abroad opportunities, but faculty, staff and administrators also are doing their part to support and encourage international activities, he said.
The Study Abroad office also has benefited from a move to the Office of Internationalization in Grise Hall.
“I don’t think you can identify one particular source” for the increased numbers, Vesey said. “I think the president has set the table with the statement about international reach and he’s been a big supporter of Study Abroad and international initiatives, but we all have a hand in it.”
As more students and faculty participate in Study Abroad trips, they help spread the message to others students, office associate Kelly Irwin said. “Students interact with a lot of folks on campus throughout their career here and all it takes is one mention of Study Abroad to put that idea in their minds.”
Last fall’s Study Abroad Fair was well attended as students learned about upcoming opportunities. “Students are becoming much more well-informed and have good questions about what’s available,” Irwin said. “It also shows just how serious they are about it.”
International reach “resonates a lot with parents. It sets the table for the global society that everybody likes to talk about,” Vesey said.
“It’s not a surprise to parents when students say ‘I want to travel abroad,’” Irwin said.
Vesey and Irwin credit President Gary Ransdell and other members of the WKU administration with creating an atmosphere that allows students to feel comfortable about exploring international opportunities.
“The importance is being realized,” Irwin said. “It’s a global society truly.”
“It’s really a cool time to be involved in this,” Vesey said. “It’s hopping.”
For more about Study Abroad programs, contact the office at (270) 745-5334 or visit www.wku.edu/studyabroad.
More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
For information, contact Reed Vesey or Kelly Irwin at (270) 745-5334.
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