Penn State, the University of Notre Dame, the University of Kentucky and Pacific Lutheran University participated in a recent study showing that employers find value in studying abroad when evaluating job search candidates. “Overall, studying abroad was viewed favorably,” Robert Domingo, a research associate at Penn State, said in an interview with The Daily Collegian. In the same survey, to which 352 employers responded, having the preferred academic major was ranked most desirable by employers and completing a major or minor in a foreign language was ranked second. Studying abroad ranked third.
In a more recent study of 119 employers conducted by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Career Center, 59% of respondents said that study abroad or other international experience, in addition to an internship, would be highly valued or something valuable in a person’s life. career later with your organization.
Study abroad programs are becoming increasingly attractive as more and more college students seek meaningful ways to spend their college breaks or explore the true diversity of cultures. Additionally, as students return and share their positive experiences, others also register to travel abroad.
Two great resources for students considering studying abroad are StudyAbroad.com and Semester at Sea.
StudyAbroad.com is a comprehensive online source of information on educational opportunities for high school students, college students, or graduates who want to study abroad. Includes information on summer programs, internships, service learning programs, and volunteer abroad opportunities. The information is easy to follow and is arranged by topic, country or city.
Semester at Sea, run by the Institute for Shipboard Education, gets academic sponsorship from the University of Virginia, where students can apply for credits toward the 2007 summer trip. This trip will take students across America’s West Coast Central and South America. This summer’s stops will include Chile, Peru, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Financial aid is available to help students cover the $8,000+ cost of just over 2 months’ trip aboard the floating university. The fall 2007 voyage is scheduled for calls in Japan, Thailand, China and India, while Puerto Rico, Brazil, South Africa and Mauritius are scheduled for the spring 2008 voyage.
No study abroad program is risk-free, and students and parents must do whatever it takes to ensure that these experiences do not end with less than positive results. Some general tips for staying safe in a study abroad experience include the following, including tips from the University of Chicago Study Abroad program:
1. Be alert at all times. Remember that you are in an unknown environment.
2. Trust your instincts
3. Be cautious and protective of your cash
4. Observe political meetings from a distance
5. Find out where the nearest police station, hospital and embassy are
6. Stay sober and stay away from drugs and alcohol. This is not the time to lose focus
7. Be particularly alert on public transport and in public places
8. Be aware of new friendships that develop too quickly
9. Make copies of all your important papers. Keep a set of copies with you and leave one at home.
10. Be discreet and try to be inconspicuous as much as possible. Avoid being the noisy tourist
11. Check in frequently at home. Have some routine so people at home know if you’re out of hours.