By
William Tredo
Kangaroos, kolas and crocodiles, oh my! Take
a bushwalk on the wild side and experience new culture,
customs and courses, all while working toward a college
degree. Study
abroad opportunities in Australia and other countries
are now flourishing throughout the SUNY
system.
Students can:
• live and study in a new and exciting
environment
• gain valuable foreign language skills (on some programs)
• apply courses taken abroad to fulfill degree requirements
(take some courses that aren’t offered at Buffalo
State College)
• gain cross-cultural sensitivity and global experience,
which are two characteristics essential for success in the
workplace of the future (according to a Buffalo News article)
There are two different types of study abroad programs offered
through Buffalo State. The first is an exchange program.
Under an exchange, a student pays the same tuition that
they would pay at Buffalo State. Since this is dependent
upon another student traveling here, the number of available
exchanges is limited to how many students will be attending
Buffalo State.
The second is the study abroad program. Under this program
a student pays a certain fee (it varies between different
locations and campuses) and does not depend upon other students
traveling to Buffalo State or other SUNY campuses.
Upcoming information sessions include:
• Siena Night, March 10, 7:30 p.m, Margaret Grant
Lounge, Caudell
Hall. (Learn about studying in Italy next year.)
• Trois-Pistoles Information Session, March 15, 12:15,
Bacon
115. (Learn about studying French in Quebec this summer)
• Mini-Study Abroad Fair, March 16, 11:00 a.m. to
2:00 p.m., lower lobby of the Student Union. (Learn about
all of the study abroad/exchange options available to Buffalo
State students.)
Assistant dean of international and exchange programs, Lee
Ann Grace, gave advice for students traveling abroad: “Adapt
your behavior to the customs and expectations of the host
country. This is not to deny your own culture but to respect
that of others. Students should remain open in order to
become aware of similarities and differences, to learn rather
than to judge. And above all, go with an open mind, be prepared
to change, and make the most of this experience.”
According to Grace, the most common problem that students
have is homesickness at the beginning. However, she insisted
that incidents involving alcohol or drug consumption are
among the other leading causes of problems in study abroad.
Someone who lost her homesickness quickly was Holly Stoklosa,
a Geneseo college student. She did an exchange through Buffalo
State to Central Queensland
University in Australia during the spring 2003 semester.
“It was unbelievable! I made lots of friends, learned
a ton and got a chance to experience a similar but completely
different culture. I didn’t want to come back!”
she said.
The international education office encourages students to
begin working on study abroad a year in advance to maximize
their opportunities for placement and potential scholarships.
Since exchange programs are competitive, students who aren’t
accepted can still go as study abroad students. A GPA requirement
is normally between 2.5 and 3.0, depending on the rigor
of the program.
For more information visit the International Education Office
in South Wing 410.
Related Links: http://www.buffalostate.edu/studyabroad/x487.xml
http://www.sysadm.suny.edu/international/studyabroad/applications.htm
http://www.studyabroad.com/suny/
www.cqu.edu.au/
William Tredo can be contacted at: tredwm35@buffalostate.edu
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