Stepping out of the classroom
Students take summer classes away from SIUE campus, into Costa Rica and China
Erika Helmerichs
Issue date: 8/22/08 Section: News
Senior Elizabeth Overman is no stranger to unconvential classrooms and foreign accents. She has been on trips to both Ireland in the fall semester and Costa Rica this summer as part of SIUE's study abroad programs.
"SIUE currently sends about 50 students on semester-long study abroad programs each year," Study Abroad Coordinator Julie Beall-Marshall said. "This number has grown from no more than a handful of students going on semester long study abroad programs in the year 2000."
Beall-Marshall said students can see the world through exchange, provider and direct placement study abroad programs.
"Some of the most popular destinations for study abroad include Spain, Costa Rica, Australia and the UK," Beall-Marshall said. "However, in recent semesters more students are showing an interest in non-traditional study abroad destinations like China, Korea, Czech Republic and Ghana."
In addition to semester-long study abroad options, SIUE offers a number of short term "travel study" programs led by SIUE faculty. Last year approximately 130 students enrolled in SIUE travel study programs, according to Beall-Marshall.
Overman said her favorite part of study abroad is making new friends and seeing new places.
"I made friends with students from several different countries," Overman said. "I learned a lot about their culture and used that information to compare to see how different we are, as well as how similar."
Overman said students should take the opportunity to study abroad if they can.
"Take it while you have the chance because you may not get a chance to go later," Overman said.
Pharmacy professor Cathy Santanello co-taught Overman's trip to Costa Rica with geography professor Mark Hildebrandt this summer.
Santanello said the main focus was global warming, Latin American culture, tropical diseases and medicinal plants.
"Students can read about these topics anywhere, but the impact of having students walking into the rainforest … seeing examples of medicinal plants and talking to local experts about these plants is a great example of experiential learning that you just cannot replicate in a traditional classroom," Santanello said. "I wish that every student could have such an international experience because I feel they become a more global citizen if they really experience another place and culture."
"SIUE currently sends about 50 students on semester-long study abroad programs each year," Study Abroad Coordinator Julie Beall-Marshall said. "This number has grown from no more than a handful of students going on semester long study abroad programs in the year 2000."
Beall-Marshall said students can see the world through exchange, provider and direct placement study abroad programs.
"Some of the most popular destinations for study abroad include Spain, Costa Rica, Australia and the UK," Beall-Marshall said. "However, in recent semesters more students are showing an interest in non-traditional study abroad destinations like China, Korea, Czech Republic and Ghana."
In addition to semester-long study abroad options, SIUE offers a number of short term "travel study" programs led by SIUE faculty. Last year approximately 130 students enrolled in SIUE travel study programs, according to Beall-Marshall.
Overman said her favorite part of study abroad is making new friends and seeing new places.
"I made friends with students from several different countries," Overman said. "I learned a lot about their culture and used that information to compare to see how different we are, as well as how similar."
Overman said students should take the opportunity to study abroad if they can.
"Take it while you have the chance because you may not get a chance to go later," Overman said.
Pharmacy professor Cathy Santanello co-taught Overman's trip to Costa Rica with geography professor Mark Hildebrandt this summer.
Santanello said the main focus was global warming, Latin American culture, tropical diseases and medicinal plants.
"Students can read about these topics anywhere, but the impact of having students walking into the rainforest … seeing examples of medicinal plants and talking to local experts about these plants is a great example of experiential learning that you just cannot replicate in a traditional classroom," Santanello said. "I wish that every student could have such an international experience because I feel they become a more global citizen if they really experience another place and culture."
Be the first to comment on this story