Learn how to explore world at UT’s Study Abroad Fair

September 19, 2012 | Events, UToday
By Samantha Watson



Students and faculty at The University of Toledo will have the chance to broaden their horizons at the second annual Study Abroad Fair Monday, Sept. 24.

UT student Zachary Reaver took this photo of Rocky on the Great Wall of China.

The fair is sponsored by the Center for International Studies and Programs and will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Student Union Ingman Room. There will be study abroad program representatives, faculty members who lead their own international programs, and financial experts to answer questions about costs and grants.

“We want to bring the vendors on campus not only so they get a feel for our culture and our climate here, but also so our students can ask destination-specific questions that we might not be able to answer,” said Kristen Huffman, interim program coordinator and graduate assistant for the Center for International Studies and Programs.

During the event, there also will be drawings where students can win a free iPad and two free passports.

Those who don’t win a passport but would like one can apply through UT’s passport agency and have a photo taken that day.

At the Center for International Studies and Programs, students can have their passports provided for free through grants if they participate in an approved study abroad program. Some of the approved programs are offered by vendors that include the University Studies Abroad Consortium, International Studies Abroad, Semester at Sea and GlobaLinks. Any faculty-led program also qualifies.

Since last year, the number of UT students who study abroad has risen 60 percent. UT President Lloyd Jacobs and the Board of Trustees approved a strategic plan that aims to enhance the experience of UT’s international students and to give every student an international experience both within the University and abroad.

“We hope to provide our students with a unique, diverse, global experience,” said Dr. Sammy Spann, assistant provost for international studies and programs. “We want them to understand that globalization is not just going abroad — you can be globalized here in the United States.”

The Center for International Studies and Programs also supports faculty members conducting research abroad or participating in exchange programs. Two faculty members plan to participate in the University Studies Abroad Consortium Visiting Professor Program: Dr. Juan Martin, associate professor of Spanish, will teach in Spain in fall 2013, and Dr. Andy Jorgensen, associate professor of chemistry, will teach in Germany in spring 2014.

The center also plans to strengthen its relationship with select schools throughout the world in order to have around 50 partner universities with reliable, efficient programs set up for students and faculty.

At UT, the Center for International Studies and Programs encourages faculty and students, both domestic and international, to explore their world and become well-rounded individuals. It serves as a guide to those who wish to study or teach abroad, providing not only the opportunity to do so but also the tools and guidance to help along the way.

The center assists with a variety of programs both in the United States and abroad by providing grants and scholarships, passports and valuable information. It even offers a food guide that details local restaurants that prepare international cuisine.

For more information about the Center for International Studies and Programs, visit utoledo.edu/cisp.

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