Fair shows educational excursions
September 22, 2011
Despite Wednesday’s gloomy weather, students trekked to the Student Center to set their sights on overseas study. Flags hung from countries around the world and festive music played, all to prompt visitors to think global. The Education Abroad Fair featured more than fifty tables that showcased the many programs UK offers.
Students seemed to be genuinely interested in their options.
“I was particularly impressed with the number of students interested in undergraduate research,” Anthony Ogden, director of Education Abroad, said. “It seems this is a growing area of interest.”
Seth Riker, communications coordinator for Education Abroad at UK, said scholarships and exchanges were the most common concerns among students.
“Exchanges are great because for in-state students, you pay UK tuition,” he said.
Riker was surprised to see students put their studies first.
“A lot of people have been more concerned about their major than the destination,” Riker said, which is something the abroad office is excited to see. He said one student was thrilled to find out she could add to her nutrition degree while abroad.
For those who have gone abroad or who may just be looking for a summer experience, the fair provided information on internships and teaching abroad.
Ruth Beattie, a biology professor, stood at the Cooperative Center for Study Abroad booth and talked about internships in London and Dublin.
“It’s a very good price for a program of that length,” she said.
Amie Roaden, a business marketing sophomore, said she plans on doing an internship in Italy or Greece. She said the large scale of the fair made it difficult to decide.
“It’s hard with all the different companies, but I’m definitely going to go to one of the info sessions,” she said.
Ogden said he was thrilled to see others like Roaden.
“It was a very sophisticated group of students,” he said.
To learn more, first step information sessions are held Mondays and Tuesdays from 4 to 5 p.m. and Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 4 p.m. (except today) in room 207 in Bradley Hall.
