The Office for Education Abroad hosted the annual Global Learning Expo (formerly the Education Abroad Expo) Wednesday, Oct. 2nd at the Breslin Center. The event featured over 130 tables with information about different opportunities for studying abroad. There were tables representing 12 different colleges in MSU.
The Global Learning Expo included a raffle, a table for passport registration, giveaways and a guest appearance from Sparty.
Attendees had the opportunity to ask questions and learn about various travel experiences including a program hosted by the Center for Gender in Global Context, which Pat Arnold, assistant director for academic programs spoke in detail about.
“I work in LGBTQ studies and Women’s and Gender Studies and help run our education abroad programs, which include Amsterdam, London [and] Malawi,” Arnold said. “All of them focus on LGBTQ culture, women’s representation and equity, women’s employment and political engagement.”
Arnold explained how the Amsterdam study abroad program specifically let students give back to communities and bring positive social change.
“I led the Amsterdam study abroad [program] for two years in a row and one of the things we do in that is partner with community organizations,” Arnold said. “We partner with this organization called the Vrankrijk–it emerged as a community center punk bar and LGBTQ space in the middle of the city. Our students actually hosted a fundraiser dinner at that bar from food that they were able to obtain from grocery stores that would otherwise go to waste. I think that seeing the students cook together, prepare a menu and then serve people in a community was really one of my favorite experiences from the program.”
First-year undecided student Jasmine Thompson echoed the benefits of studying abroad, including broadening cultural horizons and stepping out of comfort zones.
“You get to learn about different people, you get to learn about different experiences,” Thompson said. “I’m from Charlotte, North Carolina, so definitely coming to Michigan is completely different. I can’t even imagine what it’s gonna be like, let’s say in London going for public relations. It’s gonna be completely different. You get to learn about the world.”
The global and international studies department also has an advising center for students to talk one-on-one with advisors who can explain how to get involved with studying abroad. Cheryl Benner, communications manager for the Office of Education Abroad went into more detail about the many ways to get started.
“[Our peer advisors] can walk [students] through the whole process, finding programs that are going to fit for them and then the applying process and the funding process and all that,” Benner said. “That’s just a great way to start right there, and what’s really unique about MSU is we have over 300 different programs so there is really a lot of different opportunities for different types of students. Not every student wants to go abroad for a full semester and maybe they’re more comfortable doing a short spring break program for a week, or going with a faculty instead of going to another institution.”
Students can find more information about studying abroad through International Studies and Programs website.
