Record Number of U of A Students Studying Abroad

Photo courtesy of Emily Benjumea

Emily Benjumea (left) poses with a friend at Iguazu Falls in Argentina

More than 1,000 University of Arkansas students studied abroad in the 2015-16 academic year. That is a record high for the university and a 14 percent increase from the previous academic year.

The Office of Study Abroad and International Exchange celebrates this achievement as it prepares for its annual Study Abroad Fair, which will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 20, in the Arkansas Union International Connections Lounge. All students, faculty and staff are invited to attend.

"We are thrilled to see this continual growth in study abroad," said DeDe Long, director of the Office of Study Abroad and International Exchange. "Every year, more and more students commit to integrating an overseas academic experience into their degree plan. They understand the value in learning to navigate new cultures, in seeing the world – including the United States – through other eyes and in stepping outside their comfort zone. There is a university wide push to make study abroad a reality for students, and we love being at the helm of this effort."

University of Arkansas students visited nearly 50 countries. Italy, Spain, Belize and China were the most popular destinations. However, some students visited countries more off the beaten path.

Emily Benjumea, an Honors College senior minoring in Spanish, spent the spring semester at the Universidad de Belgrano in Argentina mastering the native tongue. Her trip was funded by an Honors College study abroad scholarship.

"I really wanted to put my language skills to use and knew the only way I could progress was by completely immersing myself in the language," she said.

Benjumea returned to Fayetteville much improved in Spanish, but she also returned with a greater sense of cultural awareness.

"I feel like I have a greater appreciation for the international students on our campus and what they're going through," she said.

Though studying abroad is often seen as an undergraduate experience, more and more University of Arkansas graduate students are incorporating education abroad into their curriculum. The number of graduate students who studied abroad in the 2015-16 academic year increased nearly 30 percent from the previous academic year.

Aaron Shew, an environmental dynamics doctoral student, spent a portion of his summer participating in the university's community development program in Mozambique. The program allows students to see first-hand the challenges of creating a sustainable business in an inhospitable environment and offers them the opportunity to apply their knowledge in ways that improve local business practices.

Shew, who is an experienced international traveler, said his time in Mozambique with his undergraduate peers was gratifying.

"Many of the undergraduates had never traveled abroad before, so watching them face difficulties and find ways to overcome them in a place as challenging as Mozambique was very rewarding," he said.

For many graduate students, studying abroad can be difficult, since time for coursework and research is limited. However, Shew found the three-week summer program aligned nicely with his academic goals.

"Because Mozambique is a faculty-led summer study abroad program, it was much easier to fit into the busy life of being a graduate student, and I was able to be part of exciting research projects which coincide well with my own research," Shew said.

The University of Arkansas offers a variety of study abroad program options, and the staff in the Office of Study Abroad and International Exchange are committed to helping students find the program that best fits their interests and schedule. For more information, contact the Office of Study Abroad and International Exchange.