By Kaity Hersee, Staff Writer
Studying abroad in a foreign country may sound scary to some. It’s often viewed as unattainable, as it’s something that many students dream of but never experience. Some students have heard of others going and may wish to go themselves, but are afraid that the cost may be too much or the program may be too daunting.
There are plenty of challenges to studying abroad, but there are also plenty of solutions. Daemen’s Global Programs department works closely with students to address any concerns they may have about a potential or upcoming trip.
“Elizabeth Renner, who works in Daemen’s Global Programs, is incredibly helpful,” senior graphic design major Carly Cipollina said. “I had decided where I wanted to go, and she helped me match with a program through a partner program called AIFS.”
The American Institute of Foreign Study (AIFS) is one of the primary study abroad programs Daemen offers.
Cipollina, who went abroad to take an advanced drawing class in Florence, Italy, felt that the program was extremely well-planned and thought out. Her class was located in a school specifically for study abroad students in Italy. The three-credit class was through AIFS, though after the study abroad experience, the credits were sent to Daemen. This is a common practice for trips that focus on a single class.
Some study abroad programs focus more on a hybrid model of study, combining a semester-long course at Daemen with an international trip at the end of the term, or on a semester break. The upcoming Coral Reef Survey in Australia and the Literature of London courses use this model.
“I think the most impactful part was all the people you get to meet when you are abroad,” Cipollina said. “Sometimes I would sit in a cafe and talk to others who were eating there…the people really made all the difference in this experience.”
Students may find themselves worried about a language barrier, since they may not be able to communicate with locals or read the language. However, this is a common misconception about studying abroad, as most programs that Daemen works with teach classes in English. While the Global Programs office encourages students to take at least one class in another language, it is not required.
“The first day, there’s a language class where they give you a list of stuff you might need,” said Bridget Thornton, a senior biology and pre-med major.
Thornton has gone abroad twice, both times attending the Service Learning in Thailand international seminar.
Concerns about studying abroad can be big or small, as they tend to revolve around their personal needs or what program a student has chosen. Finances and accessibility concerns, in particular, contribute to a student’s decision on whether or not studying abroad is the right choice for them.
“I have Celiac disease, so I can’t eat anything with gluten in it,” said Sienna Abeler, a junior history, political science and English major. “They were able to accommodate no problem.”
For others, the issue may be more prominent when it comes to transportation or non-wheelchair accessible cities. For example, many European cities lack wheelchair accessibility due to their infrastructure and space concerns around historical buildings.
“Some cities might be more difficult for students to get around. ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] compliance is not universal in other countries, like it is here in the United States, so it’s just having a conversation of what is going to be the most feasible thing,” said Elizabeth Renner, associate director of global programs & international initiatives.
While she did not find herself faced with such accessibility issues, Faith Hackett, a senior illustration and graphic design major, noticed that accessibility could be an issue during her abroad experience.
“I could certainly see some accessibility issues in some of the places I visited. Italy, where I studied, had quite bumpy roads, tiny sidewalks, lots and lots of stairs, getting anywhere was quite a hike,” Hackett said.
Such problems are unavoidable, especially for a student who may have greater accessibility needs, such as severe allergies or being a wheelchair user. Global Programs works closely with students and external programs to ensure these issues are handled with care.
The potentially high cost is another major concern that students have when considering an abroad program. Often, the cost of going abroad can be thousands of dollars, money that students may not be able to easily come up with.
The cost can depend on a mix of factors, such as the intended destination, length of stay and the time of year.
“What I always encourage students to do is to gently track their flights in advance, so wherever they want to go and look from some different points of exit,” Renner said.
A great tip from Renner is to always track flights in incognito mode to avoid websites inflating the price. She also mentioned to look on Tuesdays, as they tend to be the cheapest on that day.
As it’s one of the major concerns for students, Renner focuses a great deal on costs when planning trips with students.
“It usually just starts with a conversation,” Renner said. “Where do students want to go? What’s their time frame? Can we find a program that’s more affordable?”
Scholarships also play a big role in giving students the chance to go abroad. Daemen has a variety of options for students, with partner programs also offering scholarships for interested students.
The Global Programs office has small donor-funded scholarships that can be awarded to students. When these are paired with national and partner program scholarships, students have a decent number of options to apply for.
“I got about a thousand dollars from Daemen, which is very helpful, as well as my passport covered from Daemen,” Abeler said.
The process for scholarships may seem overwhelming, but recently, it has become significantly easier for students applying to many of them in a short period of time.
“You used to have to write a bunch of different essays, like, per scholarship. But now, in Global Programs, I believe you only have to write either one or two essays, and they use it for all the scholarships,” Abeler said.
Sometimes, it’s the little things that add up, which is why budgeting also plays an important role in saving.
“Sometimes students make a cup of coffee at home versus going to, you know, 78 West every day,” Renner said. “All of those things can help add up to make a program more affordable for students.”
Studying abroad may pose challenges, some easy to overcome and others a little harder. However, through everything, those who do go abroad find the trips to be fulfilling and unique.
“I really enjoyed getting to experience the culture as well as see all of the amazing art that they have in their museums,” Hackett said. “It was so special seeing paintings and sculptures that I’d only ever seen on a screen.”
Even through homesickness and 100-degree weather, Hackett found that her time in Italy was worth it.
Cipollina, too, faced homesickness; she found that, due to time changes and scheduling differences, she was not always able to keep in touch with friends and family. Despite these small problems, she too believed that the impact was worth more than the struggle.
“I truly think that if anyone has an opportunity to study abroad, they should do it,” said Cipollina. “It was such a formative part of my experience here at Daemen.”