Stepping off the airplane to a different country, one is immersed into a new environment full of educational and career opportunities, as well as life changing cultural experiences. This is the reality for study abroad students at USF, who are given the special opportunity to gain new knowledge and life experiences through their programs. “Learning in a different education system broadens your perspective in a way that cannot be achieved elsewhere,” Chelsea Santos, senior psychology major, said, who studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The road to study abroad begins with the Center for Global Education and an interest in the possibility of going abroad. Study abroad advisors who work at the center, like Paulina Belloso, work with students through the three phases of studying abroad: preparing to go, being abroad and transitioning back to USF. “Along with advising students and helping them submit the application and choosing a program, it’s supporting students to get all of their documents in so that they can go abroad,” Belloso said. The majority of the preparation begins at least two semesters before students plan to leave.
Santos, who worked closely with Belloso in this process, started planning during her freshman year after learning about the IIE American Passport Project that pays for student passports. Santos was initially set on going to Spain or Italy. With the help of Belloso, they found the perfect program for her major and interests was in Denmark. Although it was not what Santos initially had in mind, she discovered that this was a great fit and fell in love with the program. “I am infinitely grateful for her aid, because throughout all the mishaps I had, she never doubted that I could do it and always answered my questions. Even after coming back from abroad, I have stayed in constant communication with her for post study abroad events,” Santos said.
There are programs out there for all majors and interests, providing internship opportunities and relevant interdisciplinary course content. “My in-program internship placement was hugely influential to me as I was placed with a global health accountability organization called Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNi), which researches and submits annual reports on the nutritional quality of the top 50 food and beverage companies,” Lily Stringfellow said, a senior public health major. Stringfellow studied abroad in Amsterdam and had great support from faculty both at USF and abroad.
Global education is a valuable resource, and luckily USF allows financial aid to transfer over to international programs and you can still graduate on time with the help of talking to advisors at the Center for Academic and Student Achievement (CASA), study abroad advisors and your academic advisor. For Santos, she was worried she would not be able to go abroad because of the expense, but her program ended up being cheaper than her USF tuition. “Do your research and don’t give up. I also applied for a lot of scholarships so that I was able to offset any remaining costs, and [it] gave me a lot of spending money,” she said.
In addition to helping students with studying abroad, the Center for Global Education helps international students at USF and sets up many events. Each year, they honor International Education Week, and this year it will be from Nov. 17-21 with the theme of Lanterns of Harmony: Lighting the Path Across Cultures. “The theme seeks to celebrate how international education illuminates understanding, fosters empathy and inspires collaboration across borders,” said Belloso. Events include a Zine Making Workshop to make a zine that reminds you of home, International Game Day and Cafe International highlighting global cuisines. Many of the events are in collaboration with other centers and organizations such as the Center for Asia Pacific Studies and the Hawaiian Ensemble.
There will also be many informative events whether it is to help international students find jobs post-graduation or helping newer students who are looking to study abroad learn more about the next steps. The week provides a space for all students to learn, celebrate and meet more people. “I guess we want people to know that it’s for everyone. International education, even if you’re not studying abroad, even if you’re not an international student, it’s still for you because it still impacts you,” Belloso said.
For sophomore media studies major and international student Kaye Vincent Balderas, working with the center to create an event for the week has given her an opportunity to contribute to campus life. Balderas is an intern with the Intercultural Center and works to create Cafe International, which will be featured during International Education Week with a theme that highlights traditions from her home in the Philippines. “I can also see the passion of the school [through the Intercultural Center], in creating a diverse and inclusive space for all—making the university more than just University of San Francisco but a global university,” Balderas said.
Attending an event for International Education Week can allow students to feel represented in their own cultures, learn about others or take advantage of the resources the Center for Global Education offers. Students can even drop in to the open office hours that the center will be having all week in their offices located in Lone Mountain. Studying abroad is an invaluable experience and the center you can get help with each essential step of the process. If you are interested in an abroad program, follow your heart and find an advisor like Belloso or talk to a student who has been abroad to find what is best for you. The next deadline for study abroad is Dec. 10, so now is the time to take action.
