Students find many ways to occupy their time in college. Whether it's never going back home and immersing yourself in the college life, or applying for internships to gain experience, recently studying abroad has been a popular college must to have on the checklist.
Deborah Weiss, director of Auburn Abroad and exchange programs in the office of international programs, said traveling abroad became popular about six years ago because there was a desire and need that hadn't been there before.
"This generation is truly willing and able and interested in working in cross-cultural lines, number 1," Weiss said. "Number 2 employers want flexible employees who can work across different cultural lines as well."
Weiss has been director of Auburn Abroad since 2004 and worked in marketing and public relations in Britain and Germany prior.
Growing up, Weiss said she lived in Japan for three years, because her father was in the Air Force.
When she was in college, she said there weren't as many programs, studying abroad was only available in language and architecture programs.
However, now Auburn has 91 different study abroad programs encompassing all 12 colleges. Weiss said there are about 1100 students who go abroad.
There are faculty-led programs, service programs and exchange programs among others.
"The goal is to have every single department have a program, and there are just a few that don't at this point, so we are 95 percent, 95 percent of our departments have programs for students, and we're looking for more," Weiss said.
Weiss said students in liberal arts and language majors tend to study abroad more than science, technology, engineering and mathematics students, so there is a push for more STEM students to study abroad.
"STEM students are the least likely to go abroad and the most likely to work in an international group the day they graduate," Weiss said.
Technology innovation is not U.S. bound anymore, according to Weiss, so STEM students work with students from all over the world.
Laura Oudenaarden, senior in mathematics, recently studied abroad with the Taormina, Sicily, Italy summer program with Susie Pratt, senior in communications disorders.
The program started May 25 and ended June 20, and Oudenaardan said they went on multiple excursions to the Valley of the Temples, churches in Catania and an active volcano on Mt. Etna.
She said she took an Italian class, geology class and two other class at Babilonia University, and said she went on the trip to contribute to her Italian minor.
Pratt said they were in a group of 22 students led by Rosetta Giuliani.
"She became our mom, teacher, and friend and I think I speak for everyone when I say that the trip wouldn't have been the same [or nearly as fun] without her," Pratt said.
According to Pratt, the last week of the program was the beginning of the 61st annual Taormina Film Festival. She said students in the geology course were able to take field trips in addition to the excursions for more hands-on experience.
"We got passes to watch movie premiers in the Greek Theatre and attend press conferences of various celebrities if we wanted," Pratt said.
Overall, Weiss said studying abroad prepares students for work life through global innovation.
Pratt said she feels students should try to broaden their horizons in life.
"The Auburn program takes the Auburn Family feel with you, even when you're 5,000 miles away from home. Having other Auburn students on the trip gave you a common bond in which to connect and build relationships from," Pratt said. "There are several people in our group that I wouldn't have met in Auburn if it weren't for this program, but I am so thankful for the friendships and memories I made on this trip."
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