OSU Abroad

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OSU Abroad

Study Abroad with AUIP

March 28th, 2011 · No Comments · AUIP, Australia, Environmental Science, study abroad

American Universities International Programs (AUIP) has officially been partnered with OSU since 2006 and over 60 OSU students have participated in AUIP’s faculty-led study abroad programs in Antarctica, Australia and Fiji. AUIP OSU Abroad programs are open to all eligible OSU students.

AUIP promotes international cooperation and understanding by providing opportunities for OSU students to experience first-hand the cultures and environments of the South Pacific region.AUIP-blog-photo-2

An AUIP program is the ultimate field trip. Programs provide experiential learning through 25 percent classroom-based and 75 percent field-based activities. The programs encourage students, academic faculty and local field guides to engage in cross-cultural dialogue and interaction that will result in an increased respect and appreciation for other cultures and environments, as well as helping them understand their home culture.

For nearly 40 years, AUIP has been providing programs that combine rigorous academic study with opportunities for experiential learning outside of the classroom. By combining study at prestigious universities around the world with field and community based activities, AUIP offers students unique ways to explore the culture and natural environments of the country they are visiting. AUIP offers an ideal combination of outstanding academic quality, true cultural immersion, extensive extracurricular and leisure activities and the social opportunities of a university environment.

AUIP programs will have impacts on participants for the rest of their lives. AUIP’s goal is to foster global citizens by challenging participants to use their travel experiences to actively promote intercultural understanding and cooperation, overcoming cultural and national barriers and forging international partnerships once they return home. This may be as simple as students talking to their friends and family about their overseas experiences, or as far-reaching as faculty forming international collaborations and research initiatives.

AUIP programs are short-term programs usually occurring during summer and winter breaks. Since the programs are multidisciplinary, credit is appropriate for most majors and graduate students.

To learn more about AUIP OSU Abroad programs, connect with alumni, current students, faculty and AUIP staff on their array of social media sites:AUIP-blog-photo-1

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Study Abroad with API

March 21st, 2011 · No Comments · API, Argentina, Chile, Spanish, study abroad

API – Academic Programs International – has officially been partnered with OSU since 2005, and over 140 OSU students have studied abroad in eight countries thus far.  All of the API programs are approved at OSU and available to all eligible students.

Academic Programs International (API) is an educational organization dedicated to providing challenging and enriching study abroad programs for our students. The experience of living, interacting and learning in an international environment presents invaluable opportunities for each student’s academic and personal development. All of our academic and extracurricular offerings are selected with the goal of helping students to grow more self-aware and culturally sensitive. We envision each student evolving from a tourist to a resident to a global citizen, and API is dedicated to supporting this lifelong process.

API study abroad

API is committed to providing the best comprehensive study abroad experience possible with personal attention available to our students throughout his or her program, and to working closely with home universities to offer support before, during and after the education abroad experience.

API offers a wide variety of programs in 13 countries, 30 cities across Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. Programs range from as short as two weeks, to a summer, term/quarter, semester, or academic year. Students can generally study a foreign language at any level of proficiency, and most programs offer courses in English as well. API also offers various scholarships to eligible and qualified students.

API Gives Back

Each semester, API on-site directors organize an “API Gives Back Project” to promote greater understanding of local dynamics and provide further insight into the host culture. Projects are often dedicated to supporting those in need or promoting environmental sustainability. For example, students have participated in beach beautification projects in Italy and worked to promote the preservation of salt marshes in Spain. API students in other sites have painted local orphanages, organized theatrical events for seniors and children, and donated their time to support community organizations providing services to disabled children and adults. It is our hope that these experiences will promote integration and intercultural awareness between our students and the host community.

Don’t take our word for it!

If you’d like to speak with someone who recently experienced an API program, consider connecting with an API Peer Mentor, or read student reviews of our programs on Abroad101, GoAbroad.com, and Facebook.

API is the established social media leader in study abroad. Connect with us on the following sites and join the conversation today!

API study abroad

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Study Abroad with SIT

March 15th, 2011 · No Comments · Madagascar, Scholarships, SIT, study abroad

SIT (School for International Training) study abroad has officially been partnered with OSU since 2006, and OSU students have taken advantage of its programs to study in non-traditional study abroad destinations, such as Bolivia, Madagascar, Mongolia, Nepal, and the Netherlands thus far. All of the SIT programs are approved at OSU and available to all eligible students.

SIT Study Abroad offers unique, field-based opportunities for OSU undergraduates to engage directly with the most critical issues facing our world today.  If you are looking for a way to take your academic training beyond the classroom and you want to see first-hand how different cultures and societies are coping with the realities of the 21st century, then a SIT Study Abroad program is right for you.

With SIT, you will become deeply engaged in a topic, undertake you own research, and perhaps discover a lifelong passion. You will deepen your understanding of your chosen topic by learning from experts, academics, practitioners, families, local organizations, and beyond.

SIT Study Abroad has offered programs for undergraduate students for over 50 years.  To date, more than 25,000 students have participated in SIT programs. SIT currently offers over 70 summer or semester long programs in Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe, the Pacific, and the Middle East that address these Critical Global Issues:.

All programs are run by Academic Directors who live full-time in the program location and are experts in the field. Each program consists of some combination of the following coursework: Intensive Language Study, a Thematic Seminar on the specific topic of the program, a Field Study Seminar which teaches research methods and ethics, and an Independent Study Project. In a typical semester-long program, Intensive Language Study, Thematic Seminar and Field Study Seminar coursework occurs simultaneously in the first two-thirds of the program, while the Independent Study Project takes place in the last four weeks. Our summer programs use selected elements drawn from this same model.

These are the hallmarks of a SIT Study Abroad Experience:

  • Rigorous academic programs with an interdisciplinary, experiential approach
  • Undergraduate research through an Independent Study Project
  • Cultural immersion through fieldwork, educational excursions, intensive language classes (if in a non-English speaking country), and homestays
  • A small group of 10-30 students in each program
  • A commitment to reciprocity as the foundation of our educational philosophy

The mission of SIT Study Abroad is to prepare students to be interculturally effective leaders, professionals, and citizens. In so doing, SIT fosters a worldwide network of individuals and organizations committed to responsible engagement in a changing world. Come join us!

Connect with students, colleagues, alumni, and friends through our many social networking channels. Learn about the latest program updates, read interviews with current students and alum, watch videos and view photos of our programs. SIT also offers Pell Grant Match scholarships to students who receive Pell grant and participate in targeted programs.

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Study Abroad with CIEE

February 17th, 2011 · No Comments · Argentina, Australia, Chile, CIEE, Environmental Science, India, Japan, Russia, Spanish, study abroad, Tanzania

CIEE – Council on International Educational Exchange – has officially been partnered with OSU since 2006, and over 60 OSU students have studied abroad in 24 different countries thus far. All of the CIEE programs are approved at OSU and available to all eligible students.

Studying abroad is for more than language majors. It’s for anyone who wants to indulge a passion, explore a fascination, or challenge the status quo—of the wide world or their personal routine. CIEE has sent students abroad since 1947; since the late 1960s, we have been developing our own study abroad programs. We partner with universities to create a CIEE Study Center, staffed with a CIEE-employed Resident Director and often other support staff available to students around the clock. We offer courses at the host university and at times develop program-specific courses available only to CIEE students, including a critical analysis of the host culture. We offer quality academics alongside opportunities for cultural immersion such as excursions, homestays, volunteer opportunities, and internships with the goal of providing the highest quality study abroad experiences.

We have the widest range of programs in the world and we can help shape your study abroad experience according to major, location, semester, language, activities, and more.

With CIEE, you’ll make the most of your program through guided excursions, field study and internship programs, volunteering, conversation exchanges, and homestays. Meet new friends, enjoy unique experiences, and gain a new perspective on the world. And, you’ll do all that and still graduate on time.

With more than 125 programs in 41 countries you’ll definitely find the perfect one for you. Study abroad with CIEE and earn credit for courses in business, natural or social science, humanities—and everything in between. Go for a semester, a year, or a summer. Don’t speak a foreign language? Don’t let that scare you: Almost half of our study abroad programs don’t have a language prerequisite.

Still undecided, how about these reasons to choose CIEE:

  • We provide the widest selection of study abroad programs
  • We deliver the ultimate learning opportunity—both in and out of the classroom
  • Our local-savvy staff ensures student safety and program quality
  • We’re committed to exceeding expectations—read alumni program evaluations online
  • We offer extensive pre-departure support

Don’t just take our word for it though, read blog entries from the people that know our programs the best—our participants. Visit www.ciee.org/blogs to get a first-hand perspective on what it’s like to study abroad with CIEE from our participants and staff overseas. You can also learn more about our programs by visiting us on Facebook to look at photos, connect with recently accepted students, or ones that are returning from their time abroad.

To find the program that’s perfect for you, visit www.ciee.org/study to begin your study abroad experience today. For more information for OSU students, visit the OSU Education Abroad website.

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Life as an International Ambassador

February 8th, 2011 · No Comments · Argentina, Australia, College of Liberal Arts, College of Science, IE3 Global Internships, study abroad, University Honors College

Shanna Woodruff in Brisbane, Australia

In 2007 I decided to serve an LDS mission where I spent 18 months in Southern Argentina. For the first time I was completely immersed in a whole new language and culture. I saw things like one man with four kids on a bicycle, a dog that rides on top of the car (and barks at people), penguins that walk around your feet, and huge whales alongside the dock. Argentina became a second home to me. Upon my return I determined that just visiting a foreign land isn’t as amazing as living in one. This experience later led to studying abroad at Macquarie University in Australia, and completing an IE3 Global Internship experience with the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia, Africa. It is safe to say that I am completely addicted to traveling abroad.

Now as an International Ambassador and IE3 Peer Mentor for OSU I have the opportunity to help other students prepare themselves to go abroad as well. As I talk to other students about where they want to go, applying, preparing, and everything else to travel abroad, I want to make sure their experience is as spectacular as possible. Traveling doesn’t have to empty your bank account, be a frightening experience, or ruin your plans for getting a degree.

Being an Animal Behavior and Psychology major I had no clue how much traveling abroad would actually help me with the my hopes for a future career. I was able to take classes specifically on animal communication in Australia that isn’t offered here at OSU.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Later I had hands on experience doing research with cheetahs in Africa.

Working with the International Programs is like the dream job for me because I frequently get to talk about my experience during the First Steps Meeting, help others make a plan for their own experience, and learn about all the amazing programs offered at OSU. The only unfortunate part is that I hear about so many amazing programs I just want to go abroad every second! Going abroad really is the experience of a lifetime.

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Transferring Skills from Costa Rica to Philadelphia

December 9th, 2010 · No Comments · College of Liberal Arts, IE3 Global Internships, International Degree, Spanish, Uncategorized

Samantha Pride in Costa Rica

Samantha Pride interned in Costa Rica through IE3 Global Internships in Summer 2008. She graduated from OSU with a B.A. in Sociology and International Studies in Spring 2009 and since then, she’s been working in Philadelphia through the City Year program.

One of the reasons I chose to participate in the City Year program was because I liked the idea of working on a team in a community and school for positive change. Working with youth was something I’ve never done so I saw that as a challenge. Also, it was a great opportunity for leadership in project and event planning.

The challenges of the program included working on a diverse team in an underperforming, underfunded and persistently dangerous high school with a 36% graduation rate within a school district that has been struggling for decades to make audacious and sound changes without consistent leadership. As a mentor and tutor it was my business to not only make sure teenagers understand the material in class, but also to know and discuss their difficult home situations. I found myself doing all the little things such as help with homework, work resumes, calling the doctor, talking to teachers, etc. It tore my heart apart along with the rest of my team to see the challenges students faced.

However, gratification eventually comes. “Joys” and “Ripples” as City Year calls them are shared at the end of day, and could be something like a student pulled their grades up, avoided a fight or had made enough progress on their senior project to be back on track for graduation. At the end of the year my team went to see our seniors graduate, which many were the first in their family. It was a huge relief to see these students succeed. 

My IE3 internship in San Jose, Costa Rica was at a small non profit organization working on social justice issues. The skills I learned there were very helpful with the City Year program. Being flexible was something I cultivated in San Jose, and that same comfort with constant change is necessary at my school. The Latino population there was 50% making my language skills from Costa Rica extremely useful. Additionally, while in San Jose, I worked with other interns from different areas of the United States. Working on projects together we learned how to use each other’s strengths to complete assignments. At City Year with a bigger and more diverse team, I continued to learn the importance of listening and consensus building.

Moving into my second year in City Year, I will now be responsible for eight people and their service in a school. My goal this year and something that I would encourage others to reach for is creating a welcoming environment wherever you work, and setting high expectations for yourself and your team. Even if your goals seem impossible, I can say that after every time that I doubted myself, or my team, I felt silly because we always pulled off events and difficult situations.

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Welcome back…and now what?

December 1st, 2010 · No Comments · IE3 Global Internships, Returnee, study abroad, Uncategorized

– after having participated in an international program –

NW Returnee Conference logo

The 3rd annual Northwest Returnee Conference for education abroad students will be held on January 22, 2011, in Portland OR.

So you participated in a study abroad or international internship program, and now you’re back on campus. It may seem strange to be back in Corvallis, hanging out with your “old” friends and settling back into your normal student life at OSU, after spending a term, semester, or entire academic year abroad. Do you miss the friends you made abroad? Do you think about new favorite food and music you discovered while overseas? Are your friends and family tired of listening to your stories about India, South Africa, New Zealand, or Costa Rica? But you can’t help mentioning the country and culture that you now consider a part of you?

The Northwest Returnee Conference provides a place to meet other education abroad returnees from various institutions in the region and an opportunity to reflect and build on your overseas experience. The concurrent sessions will give participants the chance to learn about opportunities in academic and professional fields and how to utilize skills and knowledge gained through the participation in international programs. Here are brief descriptions of some of the sessions:

*International Career Panel: Meet professionals from different fields who have had various international experiences and are now applying the skills and knowledge they gained while abroad.

*Abroad Again: Learn more ways to return to where you studied/interned or to explore other parts of the world for additional academic and/or professional experiences.

*Graduate Schools & Programs: Considering continuing your education beyond OSU? There are plenty of graduate programs in which your international experience becomes the foundation of learning and research.

*International Resume Building: How can you articulate your international experience in your resume? Should a resume for overseas employers be prepared differently?  Bring a copy of your own and learn how to make it stand out.

Any students who participated in international programs in the last few years, including recent graduates, are invited to the conference.  Register today through the conference website.

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Tuning in to Tanzania

November 19th, 2010 · No Comments · CIEE, College of Engineering, study abroad, Tanzania

Jessy Cawley, in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Jessy Cawley, a Civil Engineering major, participated in the CIEE Tanzania program in 2009.

I studied in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania during the Fall and Winter terms of 2009.  Dar es Salaam has a population of almost 2.5 million people.  As months passed, I explored more and more of the city, visiting another mtaa, or neighborhood, and the anxious bustling somehow transformed into a vivacious tranquility.  The first time I rode on the public transportation, a small bus called a “dala-dala”, Beyonce was booming from the stereo and school children navigated on and off the stops wearing their cute blue and white uniforms.  I’m continually grateful for my time there.  The University of Dar es Salaam is similar in size to our own Oregon State University.  I’ve often reflected on my time there.  You never know what you’ll learn before you leave for a great adventure to a new place.   With every new person/place/circumstance abroad, I learned so much about my own culture and perspective because of the differences and similarities.
I can’t describe the things I’ve learned since going to Tanzania or the things that I’ve observed since returning.  If our daily lives were a radio, I somehow have picked up many more stations than I could have tuned into before.  I imagined I would learn a lot about other cultures and share my own, and I did.  I really learned a lot about American culture, and I also watched my views on race, poverty, health, and religion evolve in different ways.  I refuse to claim I now understand the whole picture, but a lot of stereotypes dissolved.  I really encourage all students to study abroad in Tanzania or anywhere you feel lead to go.  Also, I really encourage other students to meet the international students on our campus because we, the people of the world, really affect one another in good ways.

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Biodiversity in Madagascar

November 3rd, 2010 · 1 Comment · College of Science, Environmental Science, International Degree, Madagascar, study abroad, University Honors College

Karin in Madagascar

Karin Bucht at Isalo National Park in Madagascar

Karin Bucht, Environmental Science and International Studies Degrees, is spending Fall 2010 on an SIT study abroad program on biodiversity in Madagascar.  The following is an excerpt from her own blog.

So I’m back in Antananarivo, the capital for the next week. Since Tulear; we road tripped through Madagascar, visiting several different Parks and protected areas. The first place we stopped was Isalo National Park, which was incredible, even though a large portion had been burned several weeks before by an out of control brush fire.  The rocks and the views were incredible.

Our second stop along our roadtrip was Anjy, which is a community managed protected area. The best thing about Anjy, we found out the next morning. First off, while waiting for breakfast; a group of ringtail lemurs came and passed by our campsite. Later that morning we did a circuit tour where we learned that the lemurs passing by our campsite was just the beginning of our lemur experience. According to our guides, about 400 ringtails live in Anjy, in

lemurs

Lemurs at Anjy

groups of about 20. Being a community managed protected area, the lemurs here have never been hunted by locals and are very accustomed to humans. So when we did our circuit tour, we found ourselves in the midst of a group, with lemurs passing overhead. The hike also included some great views, but the lemurs were definitely the highlight. It seems pretty incredible to find lemurs here more approachable than they were at a private reserve (called Berenty) that we visited in the south. I’m still in Tana now, enjoying a reasonably fast cybercafé and getting lots of practice with the french keyboard. Veloma!

group shot in Isalo

Karin and her SIT classmates at Isalo National Park

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OSU soccer player interns in the World Cup host country

October 15th, 2010 · No Comments · IE3 Global Internships

Ashley Wood, a former soccer player at OSU, majored in Exercise & Sports Science, and interned abroad during the Winter term 2010 in Durban and Cape Town, South Africa, through IE3 Global Internships.

This last winter term I embarked on a journey to beautiful South Africa as a medical intern. I was able to immerse myself in an entirely new country and culture, and was able to grow both personally and professionally. It was an amazing experience that I will never forget.

Ashley Wood with an orthopedic nurse

Ashley Wood with an orthopedic nurse

The first five weeks I spent in Cape Town at a district hospital that intakes patients from the day clinics. I spent time rotating through the trauma, surgery, and orthopedics. I saw how understaffed hospitals were, and how overworked many doctors are. Many doctors are leaving the country for places that pay better, and have better lifestyles where they are not overworked. In South Africa, there are so few doctors that many day hospitals and clinics are run by nurses. Even though a lot of money is put into healthcare, I still noticed that supplies were short.

The next five weeks were spent in Durban, where I rotated around a number of medical facilities. I was able to go to a couple different day clinics, some in the rural areas just outside of Durban, as well as an orphanage, a hospice, a private hospital, and another district hospital. The focus of the Durban part of the internship was HIV/AIDS and its impact on the healthcare system in South Africa. Kwa-Zulu Natal is the province that Durban is in, and it has the highest HIV rates in the country, and one of the highest in the world. By being submerged into the medical system, I was able to see first hand how much impact HIV has on healthcare, such as resource allocation and care. There was even a huge political influence involved in the increase of HIV rates.

South Africa was an amazing country to live in. It is one of the most diverse countries in the world. No matter where I was, people were willing to help me out with questions I had, or give me suggestions on what to do. I have never experienced such amazing hospitality. I lived with host families in both cities, and loved them dearly. From day one they accepted me as their child, and cared for me. They tried to teach me their language, how to make different foods, and helped me understand the game of cricket.

Ashley Wood (L) & Kailey Poole (R) - IE3 medical internship in South Africa

Ashley Wood (L) & Kailey Poole (R) - IE3 medical internship in South Africa

Since I was an athlete, finding a time to go abroad was somewhat difficult, but also an experience I knew I couldn’t pass up. I learned way more by living with a family about the culture and customs that would be a little harder to pick up on as a vacationer.

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