Studying abroad Offers Benefits for Communication Majors

            I found a very informative video online featuring an interview with Dr. James Gaudino, Dean of the College of Communication and Information at Kent University.  During this video interview, Dr. Gaudino stresses the importance of communication majors immersing themselves in study abroad programs around the world. He notes the fact that students who come from a wide range of communication majors, such as Public Relations, Journalism, Communication Media, etc, will benefit from studying abroad because at some point in their careers they are going to work with people from different cultures.He believes that the more preparation you get in interacting with people from different cultures while in college, the better your career is going to be. 

             I am a communication major at NC State University, studying Public Relations with a minor in Journalism and I found this video helpful because it described how studying abroad can greatly benefit someone in my field of work. I did not want to study abroad if it did not give me a further understanding into the field of communication in some way. While studying abroad I will be able to interact with people and students from a different country, which will be a valuable experience as a communication major.

Study Abroad at Kent University

Political Leaders on Studying Abroad

While researching all of the possible benefits that study abroad offers to college students, I came upon an interesting website that featured prominent U.S. President's and political leaders and their position on studying abroad. The opinions of some of the most influential political leaders in the United States share why they think it is important for students to study abroad and become educated on different cultures.  Here are some of the more significant speakers that were listed on the website and how they feel toward cultural immersion:



1.President George W. Bush- "America's leadership and national security rest on our commitment to educate and prepare our youth for active engagement in the international community."


2. President Bill Clinton- "To continue to compete successfully in the global economy and to maintain our role as a world leader, the United States needs to ensure that its citizens develop a broad understanding of the world, proficiency in other languages, and knowledge of other cultures. America's leadership also depends on building ties with those who will guide the political, cultural, and economic development of their countries in the future. A coherent and coordinated international education strategy will help us meet the twin challenges of preparing our citizens for a global environment while continuing to attract and educate future leaders from abroad."


3. Former Secretary of State, Medeleine K. Allbright- "While these initiatives focus on specific areas of expertise, they also improve the climate for respecting basic human rights. In relatively closed societies, IIE programs provide a rare chance to establish outside contact and explore wonderfully dangerous ideas, such as freedom. In transitional countries they provide a means of educating future leaders about the nuts and bolts of democratic institutions. And in every nation they touch, they help open the door of opportunity to minorities and women."

Political Leaders on Studying Abroad 

To study abroad near or far?

While browsing through the different study abroad programs offered at NC State, it came to my attention that many students chose to study abroad without going all the way across the world. Some students find it more economical to simply study abroad by traveling a little further south to Central America or even South America. It is fairly cheaper to do this and the currency exchange is a lot more pleasant. Walker Petty, an NC State alumni in Business Entrepreneurship with a Minor in Spanish, raved about his summer study abroad trip to Peru two years ago. Looking back on his college career, he raves that his study abroad experience is one of the best memories he has from college. It was cheaper to fly south to Peru than it would have been to fly all the way to Europe. Another reason why he wanted to travel to Peru was because he wanted to be immersed in a culture that would help him sharpen his Spanish speaking skills and hopefully become fluent. He didn't have to travel all the way to Spain to do this.

Walker Petty hiking Machu Picchu in Peru

While this program worked out well for Walker Petty, I do not have the same interests as he does. I am not particularly focused on becoming fluent in the Spanish language and this program primarily focuses on language skills. I also think it would be better for me to travel to Europe while I can and am in college because later on down the road, it will be easier and cheaper to travel South to Central or South America.

Here is a link to another students blogged experience on the Peru Study Abroad Trip at NC State:
NCSU Peru Blog 

A word from the wise..

The NCSU Study Abroad fair was held last week to help shed some light on what programs are offered for NC State students. These programs ranged anywhere from New Zealand to Denmark. Students had a chance to meet with faculty that are sponsoring the trips and also speak with students to gain a better understanding of what they actually did on their trips. I decided to conduct an interview with one of the students to see what they actually thought of the program they went on through NC State.

The interview was with Sam Alcorn, a junior at NC State University in Criminal Justice. He recently spent this past spring semester of NC State in the beautiful Sydney, Australia.

Me: Why should students study abroad in Sydney, Australia?
Sam: Well, because it was honestly one of the most amazing experiences of my life and there is no better time to get out of the country than while you are in college and do not have a full-time job.
Me: In what ways has traveling to Australia altered your outlook on life?
Sam: It has given me a broader perspective of things that I never would have had if I had stayed in Raleigh, NC the rest of my life. I think it's important for everyone, if they have the means, to study abroad and experience cultures that they never have before. It broadens your perspective on so many things in life and provides you with a totally different experiance in college.
Me: How is the NCSU Sydney, Australia program different than others?
Sam: Well, for one thing it's a little bit farther than some of the other more popular ones, in Europe for instance. That is why this program is more expensive than a lot of the others. It is definitely worth it though, to study abroad in such a beautiful country on the other side of the world.

 Sam Alcorn in Royal Nation Park, Australia

The Sydney, Australia program sounds like a very unique, exciting study abroad destination, however, it does seem a bit pricey. The application charge for a semester in Sydney at Macquarie University, in Sydney is $605, through ISEP who works in conjunction with the NC State Study Abroad programs. The programs that are directly through NC State required only a $200 application fee, which is a lot more reasonable.

The first step to actually stepping outside of the box...

Studying abroad for me will mean stepping outside of my comfort zone and stepping outside of the box. Are you willing to step outside of the box with me? How do we go about doing this though?

1.)First, I searched online for my universities study abroad website Once I got there I began to surf around the website to get a good feel for what it will actually take to study abroad. I found information for a study abroad fair that is being held here at NC State University.
2.) Next, I am going to visit the NCSU study abroad fair on September 16th. There I will have the opportunity to meet with advisers and faculty that will guide me in the right direction as I look over the study abroad programs being offered. If you are trying to study abroad too, first check out your university's study abroad website and see if they are holding a similar fair. These fairs are very informative and will provide you with pamphlets and informational guides for the programs being offered at your university. You can also speak with people that have actually been on these trips to get the inside scoop.
3.) After visiting the study abroad fair, I am hoping that I will have found some interesting programs to choose from. I will begin to research the specific locations of each program to find out which one seems most appealing to me.

 Here is a short video clip I found at the NC State University Study Abroad office website:

"Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained..."

Isn't that what they always say? Well I have decided that I desperately need to travel the world and discover what's really on the other side. This blog will document my journey on picking the perfect study abroad destination. Study Abroad Advice

-Jess