The Valdosta State University Center for International Programs will host a Study Abroad Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 21, on the Pedestrian Mall. Interested students are encouraged to stop by and discover how they can see the world and experience new cultures while taking classes and moving one step closer to earning a degree.
 
“There are 18 VSU faculty-led study abroad programs open to VSU students, in addition to eight statewide consortium programs,” shared Irina B. McClellan, assistant director of the Center for International Programs. “VSU students can also participate in about a dozen semester or yearlong exchange programs, in addition to the hundreds of exchange sites available through the International Student Exchange Program network.
 
“At this point, we have about 100 VSU students signed up for various short-term study abroad programs, and about a dozen students will be going on exchange programs in the spring.”
 
Center for International Programs staff members will be on hand to discuss any of the various study abroad and exchange opportunities available to VSU students. Former study abroad and exchange participants will also be in attendance for those who wish to ask questions and learn more about living and learning abroad from a student’s perspective.
 
The Study Abroad Fair will feature information about summer, semester-long, and yearlong study abroad and exchange programs, as well as scholarships and fundraisers available to help cover the costs of these educational experiences. Interested students will discover that financial aid can be applied to all approved programs and that they do not have to be fluent in a foreign language to participate.
 
Programs are available in almost every field of study, and students can take courses in everything from business, history, and political science to art and foreign language to geography, psychology, biology, and more as they expand their horizons and explore the world around them.
 
VSU recently introduced three new study abroad programs, one in Poland for art students, another in Cuba for history and Spanish students, and a third for biology students who want to live and learn in Costa Rica during the winter break.   
 
The benefits of living and learning abroad are endless, as the experience continues to impact each student’s personal, professional, and academic lives long after he or she returns to the United States, said McClellan. It has also proven to be a defining moment in a student’s life and has the potential to positively influence his or her self-confidence, career path, and view of the world.