On September 25th, the Office of Global Programs held a Study Abroad Fair in the lobby of the Dr. Clinton Bristow Jr. Dining Facility at Alcorn State University (ASU). Students were able to attain the necessary information that they would need to study in a foregin country.
To many students the United States is the only country that they know. Venturing into the unknown would be virtually impossible if the correct facts were not available. Dr. Jessie Guinn, Assistant Dean of STEM at Arcadia University, states, “It’s good to have a Study Abroad Fair like this where students can stop by and we can talk about our programs, and what we offer.” He encourages students to visit the Global Office so that they can discuss financial aid and the application process. Dr. Guinn’s table was filled with different pamphlets of countries offered, such as South Africa, Ireland and Great Britain just to name a few. All students were welcomed and were able to talk to each provider.
Another table featuring Costa Rica also offered pamphlets to “directly” attend Veritas Universitdad in Costa Rica. The pamphlets that were provided had everything from courses offered to potential Summer internship opportunities. The internships are between 20-30 hours per week and each student will have bi-weekly reports. Spanish learning courses are also administered when the student takes a language placement test. There are courses offered in English for those who aren’t that fluent in Spanish.
Juniors Ahkenaton Furdge and Brian Rogers were fortunate enough to study abroad in Thailand. They were also apart of the Fair, and they displayed all of the souvenirs that they brought back from Thailand. They had items such as a blue and gold traditional Thai robe and a few pieces of Thai currency along with a tablet showing pictures of their time in Thailand. Rogers believes that studying abroad was a great experience and letting the fear of traveling shouldn’t dictate your future. He states that, “No matter where you’re at, anything can happen. You should not be scared. Being afraid of something can really hurt you, and once you take that leap of faith you can do anything once you set your mind to it.”
Dr. Dovi Alipoe, the Director of Global Programs at Alcorn, suggests that if a student decides to study abroad, it is best to contact the Global Office the semester preceding their interested term. Starting early is the best way to find scholarships and filling out applications to get the process started.
For more information pertaining to studying or interning abroad, be sure to visit the Office of Global Affairs or call at (601) 877-6533.