UA students looking to add a stamp to their passport books can learn more about study abroad opportunities at the Study Abroad Fair on Wednesday.
The fair, which will take place in the Student Union Memorial Center’s North Ballroom from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will provide students with information about the different programs and options available abroad.
Frank Camp, global initiatives director of marketing and communication for the UA, said over 40 representatives representing over 60 different programs will attend the fair.
There will also be a combination of UA faculty-led programs and exchange partners representing different international destinations and promoting their programs, said study abroad coordinator Rudo Sandy.
“It’s a really great opportunity for students to ask questions to the faculty, the exchange partners, as well as study abroad students,” Sandy said, adding that there will also be many UA study abroad alumni volunteering at the fair.
Donella Ly, program development manager for the Office of Global Initiatives, said she thinks studying abroad can help develop global competency-—a skill sought after by employers—which will help students become strong candidates when searching for employment.
“I think it’s a good way to get exposure to a lot of different programs and maybe open your mind to something you maybe hadn’t thought of,” Ly said.
One of the nice things about the fair, Ly said, is the presence of the faculty, with whom students can ask all their questions and get an idea of what the experience and academic setting will be like.
“It’s just a personally enriching experience to learn about issues, people and culture that’s different from yours,” Sandy said.
Miranda Jones, a junior studying philosophy, politics, economics and law, has studied abroad in Chile and Poland and said she attributes almost every choice she has made since traveling abroad to her experiences there.
“I think my favorite part was being in a different culture, just because it’s kind of eye-opening and puts your personal life into perspective, so it’s always interesting to get to see different lifestyles,” Jones said.
The study abroad fair has grown over the years, Camp said, with 350 people attending in 2013 and over 900 people showing up in 2014.
“Students should come to the fair because it offers them a huge sampling of what we have to offer-—you can come and pick up as many brochures from as many programs as you’d like,” Sandy said.
Pangea will provide internationally-themed cuisine at the fair, Camp said, and the first 1,500 students who attend will receive a drawstring bag, luggage tag and other prizes.
“I think regardless of where you are at in the process of deciding to study abroad, the fair is a great opportunity,” Camp said.
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