The University of Akron

The Spanish Experience CLICK TO VIEW "One's destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things. " — author Henry Miller Arts and Sciences launches Study Abroad initiative It's a little tough to get accustomed to eating lunch at 4 p.m. and dinner at 11 p.m. And host "parents" may speak so fast every two words are unintelligible at first. But ask someone who has experienced the UA Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences' Study Abroad Program and they'll tell you it changed their life in ways they never imagined. "I came back as a totally different person," says Sara Auclair, a senior majoring in history and Spanish who serves as this year's International College Ambassador for UA. "It changed the way I looked at life and how I want to live. I had to go outside my comfort zone, but I learned so much because of it." Because numerous recent studies have linked Study Abroad with higher grades, better job prospects and enriched lives (Visit the link at the end of the Greek story for results of those studies), the college has launched a Study Abroad initiative by setting aside funds for Study Abroad students and encouraging faculty to design new classes to entice more students to travel. During the 2012-13 school year, 70 college of arts and sciences students traveled abroad with the college's help, double the number in the previous year. (counterclockwise) Globe-trotting UA students take a break from their French university to play on the beach at Saint Malo in Brittany; UA students taking classes at the Universidad de Vallodid, Spain, visit a castle in Salamanca, 50 miles from the Portugese border. (photo above) UA students Shelly Crump and Rachel Bodenschatz enjoy some time with their host mother in the rural Spanish village where their "madre" was raised. 8 The college continues to expand the program with hopes of doubling the number of students involved once again this year. "In an increasingly interconnected world, we are committed to creating new international learning opportunities for our students," says Dr. Chand Midha, executive dean of the college. "Studying abroad is an ideal way to give students a global perspective, cultural awareness, and the desire to become engaged citizens of the world." Students can devise a program of their own at a foreign university, keeping UA safety and academic guidelines in mind. They can also travel with UA faculty as part of a course or link with an established program of study with one of UA's 20 educational partners abroad. They can travel any length of time — from a week to a year. If a student can dream it up, chances are that Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences – along with UA's Office of International Programs (OIP) — can make it happen. Auclair knew she wanted to study in South America, so she went to OIP for assistance. She eventually settled on Argentina and, after reviewing dozens of programs there with the guidance of her professors and OIP, she finally decided on spending last fall semester studying at the Universidad de Belgrano through International Students Abroad. She received financial help from UA's Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences and OIP to defray the costs. Auclair was also able to transfer nearly all of the credits back to UA where now, in English, she speaks to university and community groups about her experience. She expects to graduate in spring 2014 and continue on to graduate school in Latin American Studies. Visit www.uakron.edu/oip/studyabroad/ international-college-ambassador.dot to learn more.

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