Mercer’s study abroad program is an important opportunity to enhance your college experience. The program can meet the academic and social needs for any type of student including liberal arts, education and music students.
On Oct. 10 students had the opportunity to attend a study abroad fair that allowed them to gain more insight into what their possible experiences could be like. Students that have already completed their study abroad programs had a chance to speak about their experiences and offer advice to interested students.
Mary Ireland, a student who completed the Spanish Studies Abroad program in Spain, shares “that studying abroad is something that should be a requirement for every student because not only does it expands your view of the global world but expands how you think and feel about yourself and how you approach things.”
Ireland emphasizes that she thinks taking the chance to study abroad is going to help students because “You grow in yourself and you grow in your knowledge of other cultures and wherever you go you bring that back with you and you incorporate that into your life no matter where you go.”
Prospective abroad student Sarah Ugan shares that what she finds most appealing is “the opportunity to see the beauty of other countries, to be immersed in another culture, and to learn in a new setting.”
The Study Abroad Fair was a chance for students to learn about, and gain an interest in, the programs Mercer University offers and sponsors for students in a casual setting. “I didn't have an interest in study abroad until the study abroad fair, and what piqued my interest was the beautiful pictures and exciting adventures advertised,” says Ugan.
Ugan shares that what stood out to her the most in the Study Abroad Fair was that she learned about how willing and helpful Mercer will be to help a student to study abroad. Ugan shares that she was impressed that “there were no conditions [with the program], but simply a desire that everyone should have that experience if possible.”
Cost is often a factor that could deter students from studying abroad, but freshman Aaron Scherf shares that he learned about “how streamlined Mercer has made the process of studying abroad: all foreign tuition is paid for by your normal Mercer tuition. The only extra fees associated with the trip are transportation and entertainment, which can be easily managed with a little bit of extra planning.”
Scherf shares that he is interested in studying abroad because he hopes to make a career in international business and finance. “The global economy is quickly dissolving national boundaries, and businessmen that know how to take advantage of these blending cultures have a lot to gain if they have enough experience in dealing with a variety of people. My dream job is to consult for international corporations in Europe and America, so any opportunities to add a foreign school to my résumé would be incredibly helpful, not to mention the experiences to be had spending so much time in another culture.”
“The study abroad presentation was particularly interesting to me because of the personal nature of the stories the alumni gave. Each one of them remembered their trips in the terms of the people they met, and the experiences they had with them. While they all enjoyed their classes and learned a great deal being immersed in another culture, it was the human connections that stood out the most to them,” shares Scherf.
Students wishing to learn more about study abroad programs are able to make an appointment with an advisor in the Office of International Programs located in Ryals Hall.
