Study Abroad Programs at Community College

Study-Abroad Programs

Interested in spending three weeks in China learning about its culture? Working and studying in London for several weeks or a semester?

Yes, it's possible at many community colleges as part of their international education efforts to prepare students to be citizens of the world. Since 1967, a growing number of community colleges have had a global outreach through study-abroad programs. You can expand your understanding of other societies and cultures, not only by meeting international students on campus, but through opportunities to spend several weeks, a semester, or even an academic year studying overseas for credit. Although this type of study is an additional expense, scholarships are often available to help you with the costs.

Peg Mauzy, an assistant professor at The Center for Teaching and Learning, directs the London Work/Study Abroad Experience at Frederick Community College (Maryland). She says, "You can't imagine what a great experience this is for students. They come back so changed, so mature, more knowledgeable about what they want to do with their lives. They learn to problem solve, understand what is happening elsewhere in the world, and expand their horizons. It's a metamorphosis for the students."

An overseas study or work experience will help you:

Stand out in the crowd on an application to a four-year college.
Improve your marketability and expand your own horizons.
Gain a new perspective on what you want to do in life. Returning students have gone on to study international education and international business, for example, when that wasn't on their initial career agenda at all.
Get a global perspective that will help you in your job and life.
Gain confidence in your ability to solve problems and get along with others.

SNAPSHOT: Peg Mauzy says, "Our program is unusual because it is one semester (15 weeks) long and students are required to work while they're in London. We handle work permits, but they have to be creative and find their own jobs. Working is the immersion point in the program. Students are quite creative about finding jobs. Two students who wanted to work in office jobs saw a well-dressed gentleman on the underground and started talking to him. They both ended up with a job in a bank. Others work in pubs, local colleges or universities, in the theatre, at law firms"anywhere they can find a job. They have the chance to meet and work with people from all over the world because London is so cosmopolitan.

"Students also take three courses taught by American and British professors and earn twelve credit hours for the semester"six for coursework and six for the work experience (two courses are taken online). They live together in dorms with other college students so they have the dorm experience, but abroad. The last two weeks of the program, students are free to travel anywhere they want to go in the U.K. or on the Continent. They must research and plan this part of the trip themselves and explain why they want to go to the places selected. When students return, we have a day on campus when each presents a portfolio of his or her work and educational experiences to the college president and faculty."

Mauzy's advice to students interested in a study-abroad program is:

Do some research online to find a program that suits your needs. Many community colleges offer their own programs or work through organizations such as the College Consortium for International Studies.
Don't dismiss the idea of going because of money. Financial aid is available from a variety of sources including your college, local organizations, and special scholarships for overseas study. Even some federal and state financial aid can be applied to the costs of these programs because you'll be earning course credit for the experience.
Parents of younger students should talk to parents whose students have already participated in study-abroad programs.
If there is an information session on campus about study-abroad programs, attend it, as many of your concerns and questions will be answered.

SNAPSHOT: Anna Magdalena Hess graduated with an Associate in Applied Sciences degree in Textile Surface Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. While studying at FIT, Anna was selected to participate in a six-week summer study course to study fabric styling at the center of the design world -Florence, Italy. This is a routine summer-abroad program offered by FIT to a small number of students selected on a competitive basis. "I visited many well-known textile mills (like Kretzia) and design studios, and I attended lectures at the Polimoda Art School that is affiliated with the University of Florence and FIT. We went to markets to learn design research methods, and I gained firsthand experience about what it would be like to be a fabric stylist. I prepared a fabric style book based on the art and colors of Italy for presentation at the end of the project and received course credit. It was a terrific experience."

Find Out More

Phi Theta Kappa, www.ptk.org, outlines how you earn membership, its special leadership and service programs, and scholarships for transfer students"plus provides links to other scholarship opportunities.
Check out the "Learn and Serve America" program of the Corporation for National and Community Service, an independent government agency dedicated to service learning, at www.learnandserve.gov.
Find out more about international study-abroad opportunities through your college, which may have a special Office of International Education. The College Consortium for
International Studies, www.ccisabroad.org, is a good source of information about accredited college study-abroadprograms.

Study Abroad Programs at Community College