More Students Make Study Abroad Part of Their University Experience

Courtesy of Amanda Simmons

Amanda Simmons at the Santa Cruz Cathedral in Santa Cruz, Bolivia

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The University of Arkansas campus has gone global as more students than ever are including an international education experience as part of their university experience. More than 900 students studied abroad during the 2014-15 academic year, visiting more than 50 countries.

Study abroad participation increased 13 percent from the 2013-14 academic year and 30 percent from 2012-13. The most popular destinations continue to be Italy, Spain, England and Belize. Encouraged by the recent growth, the university aims to continue to expand the campus’ interest in study abroad.

All students, faculty and staff are encouraged to attend the university’s annual Study Abroad Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 23, in the Arkansas Union International Connections Lounge.

DeDe Long, the director of the Office of Study Abroad and International Exchange, said the growth in study abroad was seen in all the colleges across campus. She also reported an increase in faculty participation through faculty-led programs.

“Students increasingly recognize the benefits of going abroad with our own faculty,” she said. “They receive a rich academic experience and build relationships that may help guide them through the rest of their degree program, particularly when it comes to needing recommendations later on.”

Amanda Simmons, a U of A senior double-majoring in broadcast journalism and international relations, completed a faculty-led program to Bolivia during the summer of 2014. She said the program was the perfect starting point for her first international education experience.

“I was with University of Arkansas faculty and University of Arkansas students all the time, so, even though I was in Bolivia, I felt like I was at home,” she said.

Simmons enjoyed her experience so much that she studied abroad a second time, spending four and a half months in Costa Rica. According to Long, this is common for many students who have gone abroad.

“Our students who study abroad almost always come back and say they want to go again and they want to go for a longer period of time,” Long said. “Our wish is that students will eventually be ready to immerse in another culture for several months or a full academic year. After all, our job is to prepare future global citizens.”

For Simmons, studying abroad was an eye-opening experience that took some of her educational and personal goals in a new direction.

“When I started as a freshman at the University of Arkansas, I had a very specific idea of what my path would be like, but when I studied abroad that completely changed,” she said.

In order for students to make the most of their university experience, Long said, it is important for them to start thinking about studying abroad early in their college careers.

“It is important to get a study abroad experience in as early as possible because the personal skills a student gains during their time abroad makes them more prepared to navigate internship opportunities they will be seeking during their junior and senior years,” she said.

Study abroad and engaging international education experiences help provide quality and transformative education for meaningful student careers at the University of Arkansas. The Study Abroad program serves the entire campus community and is a part of the Graduate School and International Education. 

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.