On Friday, Sept. 26, Villanova University Office of Education Abroad (OEA) hosted its annual Study Abroad Fair at the Riley Ellipse. Occurring from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., the fair featured a variety of poster displays, table presentations and representatives from Villanova affiliated programs.
The programs presented at the Study Abroad Fair spanned across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and the Middle East. The most common format of study abroad offered by the Villanova affiliate programs were Fall Semester, Spring Semester, Summer Term and embedded programs.
Spearheaded by the Office of Education Abroad, the fair aimed to expose Villanova students to the high quantity of international education services available through the University.
“Study abroad is a great opportunity for students to just expand their horizons and to grow personally… just take classes that they wouldn’t take here at Villanova, and to meet people that they wouldn’t meet here at Villanova,” Office of Education Abroad Director Liz Campanella said. “I think that students have a lot of options—they have a lot of opportunities.”
Affiliate programs represented at the fair included Arcadia Abroad, Worldstrides, Amideast Education Abroad, Boston University Study Abroad Global Programs, the London School of Economics and Political Science, the Institute for Study Abroad (IFSA), the School for Field Studies and the University of Minnesota.
Additionally, represented at the fair were Villanova study abroad options run by the University, including programs in Mexico, Singapore, Australia, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Ireland and the Czech Republic.
Representatives from the affiliate and University-run study abroad programs were more than willing to share their positive experiences with international education.
“I did a critical language scholarship in Morocco, and I found that to be a very transformative experience,” Samyuktha Sreeram, Program Assistant at Amideast Education Abroad, said. “I lived with a host family, I worked with language partners who were peers, my age, who helped me with Arabic language learning.”
Testimonies from representatives at the Study Abroad Fair demonstrated the educational, social and career benefits available to students who choose to pursue education abroad. Not only does studying abroad foster personal growth, but it also provides unparalleled opportunities for cultural immersion which are not available domestically.
“It was just a very unparalleled way to access culture and community in a different part of the world that I didn’t have much exposure to in the U.S., so I think that it’s obviously very important for students to get exposed to different views and studying abroad is a great way to do that,” Sreeram said.
The potential career benefits of studying and interning abroad were also underscored at the Study Abroad Fair, demonstrating the importance of a well-rounded education in professional development.
Employers recognize the unique cultural immersion and learning which occurs in study abroad programs, and they tend to value the diverse perspectives gained from such transformative experiences.
“Certainly, on a professional level, being able to put that on your resume and speak to, you know, your willingness to kind of go outside of your comfort zone and do something a little bit different and get that exposure experience is really valuable,” Ashley Brookes, Associate Director of Advising and Student Engagement at Arcadia Abroad, said.
For the hundreds of students who will go abroad this year, a unique opportunity lies ahead: cultural immersion, language acquisition, career opportunities and endless memories.
The Study Abroad Fair encourages students to explore and plan their own international education experiences, finding a program which fits their unique needs and aspirations.
