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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 7, 2002)
NF.li battali- From Pagei s it more fit ending on where they .§ics is ulsotni ployers iat studentst H^ing, COItlpi; e. Mason saii must fill o, 1 t0 get acce> •st their job® lid. te Jobs for As tore than 75Qd yers on its site. nts and empl wanted mote; mprosed v- but it has t is ore webinr. ‘You don't tion sheet." 1 rom page! and Alo ram is also a secondary tf:; ■re the action >erson invok: people, sail or rides, vor: ing a distink ' dorms, scheduled n throughoui om page i Hof Winery ! itings and to® Brawl Gol 42 domino i« ixie Chicken Aggielife The Battalion Page 3 • Monday, October 7, 2002 Oh For once-in-a- By Gary Livingston THE BATTALION , the places you will go... lifetime experiences, many students choose to study abroad After five weeks of studying abroad i Italy, Sara Schoenfield gained the ind of education that can’t be found gies replace;; n a classroom tern from a “Standing in the Roman blloseum was mind-blowing, (espe- ially) to think how old it is, the histo- ythat took place inside, and that it’s till standing,” said Schoenfield, a sen- bg sis suit or j 0U malism major. “That was proba- . outithasi ^ m y favorite thing in Italy, along m L 0re ' with the food.” Schoenfield said mealtime in Italy ,, vas as tasty as it was relaxing. “The meals were amazing. You sit lown for hours and enjoy course after ourse (because) the meals are sup- losed to be laid back,” she said. After studying five weeks in Italy, choenfield said she backpacked iround Europe w ith other students for wo weeks, squeezing in as many ountries as possible. Schoenfield said he chose the Italy program because it , ^ Jras longer and cheaper than the origi- J’lvL 6 Ia i program she had considered. Every year, almost 1,000 Aggies ravel and study in places all over he world through Texas A&M’s _ _j —‘tody abroad programs where stu- ■..li ? tents can gain classroom - as well will be locate;^ cultura ,_ education Whether students choose to explore the Australian outback, scuba dive in Costa Rica, study Michelangelo’s David in Italy, walk along the beaches of Normandy or learn Russian in Moscow, A&M’s study abroad pro gram can send students almost any where in the world. Brian Lancaster, program coordina tor for the study abroad program, said there are about 40 study abroad pro- a ; S rai ^s, not including university-wide ^changes or department exchanges. Many students choose to study in another country because they dream of seeing certain parts of the world, want to learn new languages, or just want to the event wi rtfinment fo veil as boost fe smiation, call tit: on at 68( itaegielandxor ;t port enters jek get away. Cathy Schutt, assistant director of the study abroad program, said sum mer is by far the most popular semes ter for students to study overseas and close to 700 Aggies travel overseas during the summer months. Schutt said the most popular pro grams are ones that have been around for a while and have established themselves. “(The Italy program has) been around for so long that students come back and tell of their adventures,” Schutt said. “Through word of mouth the pro gram has become the most popular.” The Italy program takes students to a small Tuscany town located in the Apennine Mountains, an hour from Florence. Here, students spend five weeks studying Italian culture in a dormitory like complex complete with class rooms and a dining area which cooks authentic Italian food everyday. Students take class trips to Florence, Rome, Venice and other cities to study famous art and architecture. Participants have weekends free so they can travel independently through out Italy. Schutt said before applying for a study abroad program, students should check to see if the classes will count toward their majors. “We recommend students talk to their advisers first to see if the cours es offered will work for their major or degree plan ” Schutt said. Advanced planning is important for prospective study abroad participants, Lancaster said. “We also emphasize for students to begin thinking about it early, as early as their freshmen year.” Lancaster said. “That way they can think about the money and degree aspects.” Once students apply and are accept ed into a particular study abroad pro gram, they go through a semester-long orientation. Meetings are usually held weekly or biweekly and are designed for students to learn what they should bring, what not to bring, class infor mation and safety techniques while studying abroad. “We can’t promise nothing will happen while studying abroad, but we do our best to try and prepare students while they are away,” Schutt said. “Usually if students are smart and don’t do dangerous things such as going into bad areas they will be safe.” Lancaster said students can follow certain techniques to heighten their safety while in a foreign country. “There are certain safety precau tions you have to take when studying abroad,” he said. “Mostly, the number one danger is people trying to steal from you. If you blend in and don’t look like a tourist, you’ll be fine. That’s what the orientation is mainly for — showing you how to fit in.” Schoenfield said she traveled around Europe with nothing but a backpack and a Eurail Pass that allowed for easy transportation between countries. “Including Italy, we went to six countries in two weeks,” Schoenfield said. “There was one guy who had his whole trip planned out. He ended up going to seven countries in the two weeks and he met up with us in different cities.” Because limited finances is one of the main reasons students cannot par ticipate in studying overseas, A&M has many scholarships and financial aid available for interested students. Schutt encourages students who think they can’t participate in a program to apply anyway. She said there are many possibilities for students, and they should not to let an opportunity pass them by because of financial reasons. Both Schutt and Lancaster empha size how important it is for students to gain experiences in different cultures. “The work force is globally-mind ed and diverse,” Lancaster said. “Employers want employees who fit that bill. Students need to gain a global understanding and step out of their comfort zone to show they won’t get lost. And it looks great on your resume.” Schutt said listing a study abroad experience on one’s resume often proves beneficial when a student is searching for a job. “I can’t tell you how many students put that they studied abroad on their resume, and during interviews all the potential employer wanted to talk about was their studying abroad expe riences,” Schutt said. “It definitely puts you a step ahead. We all need to step in other’s peoples’ shoes.” RUBEN DELUNA • THE BATTALION Schoenfield said she still looks back on her trip and can’t believe how many experiences she encountered this past summer. She said she and many others on the trip took plenty of film so that they could document their travels and share them with friends back home. “I had the most amazing time in Italy and in Europe,” Schoenfield said. “The study abroad program did a great job of preparing us for the trip. While they told us things we would be doing, they can’t prepare you for what you’re about to experience.” On Friday, Oct. 1 1, students interest ed in studying abroad are invited to the Overseas Day, which will take place in the MSC from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Education Majors irt sMi ticeat: usine asin: to f< Chief or 3 Editor lies Editor roducer ■Ser«*r iodicals Posf o The Battalion' Have you thought - . ■ about the incentives in California? California has more financial and professional development incentives than any other state to assist the starting teacher in a new career. Aggieland Nail Salon Grand Opening Special Sanitation is Aggieland Nails tt \ priority... i Jacuzzi Spa j Full Set Solar Refill | ! 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