The Office of Study Abroad, a division of Mississippi State University’s International Institute, is presenting its semi-annual fair to assist students interested in studying abroad from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 23 in the Dawg House of the Colvard Student Union.
The fairs are offered once each fall and spring semester, and this will be the 10th year the fair has been conducted.
Last summer, over 400 MSU students studied abroad. This fair is a great opportunity for students who have never heard of study abroad programs and are interested in learning more, or for anyone who has questions regarding studying abroad.
Annie Carr, the study abroad coordinator at MSU, said these opportunities allow students to grow both in their personal and academic life.
“Study(ing) abroad gives students the opportunity to learn another culture and live in another country, while also earning course credit at the same time,” Carr said.
Study abroad programs are open to all students in any major or classification, and credits earned can be put toward majors, minors or electives.
Carr studied abroad many times in various countries, including the Netherlands and Guatemala. She said she enjoyed the programs so much, she decided to dedicate her life to sharing her experiences with others and encouraging them to study abroad as well
Kacey Faver, a junior majoring in international business, said she ventured to Alcala de Henares, Spain, last summer.
“I gained a new understanding and appreciation for other cultures, made new friends from all over the world and learned in a way that I never would have been able to learn from in a classroom in the United States,” Faver said.
Studying abroad also allows students to visit places they may never be able to go to again due to future situations involving money, time, work or family. Plus, studying abroad looks great on a resume.
Madison Zuber, an MSU junior who studied abroad last summer, said her favorite part was how she grew as she tried something new.
“Whenever you are that far away from home and are disconnected from friends and family but surrounded by people who speak a different language, you learn so much about how far you can push past your comfort zone, and how much the world has to offer outside of the United States,” Zuber said.
The fair will have over 45 tables set up, each run by the directors of each study abroad program, so all programs are represented. Some of the programs include studying in Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Italy and France, just to name a few.
The offices of financial aid, scholarship and National Student Exchange will also be present in order to assist students with any questions regarding funding or scholarships for this experience.
The Office of Study Abroad also hosts biweekly sessions to assist with the process of applying or answering any questions. General information interest sessions are held bi-weekly at 3:15 p.m. Tuesdays in room 220 of the Union, and at 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays in the second floor conference room of the YMCA Building.
Advising sessions are held bi-weekly for specific questions about programs from 2-4 p.m. Thursdays in Allen Hall room 116, and 9:30-11:30 a.m. Fridays in McCool Hall room 129.
Students can find more information about studying abroad through MSU at www.international.msstate.edu/abroad/. They can also visit the official Facebook page, MSU Study Abroad or its Instagram page at msustudyabroad.