Study Abroad in College

Did you know that big companies are looking for someone who has overseas experience?

The year just started and the best way to begin is by starting planning your study abroad experience for this upcoming summer. The Texas A & M International study abroad office, located in the Student Success Center 226, provides an extensive list of countries to chose for those students who desire to initiate their upcoming study abroad experience.  Most summer program deadlines are between now and March Hurry!

According to the website coursehero.com"Over 90 percent of employers believe that students are likely to possess other highly desirable skills, including: cross-cultural communication, independence, cultural awareness, maturity and flexibility". Depending on the country you are visiting you are most likely to learn a second language and in some cases it might be your third language. The skills obtained abroad will also allow you to gain a worldview perspective of other countries that will help you for international understanding. This experience might lead you to work abroad live abroad on a future. Who knows, you might find your love on the other side of the world.

 The Bridge had the opportunity to chat with Jannet Garcia, Associate Director of International Education, who provided advice to future study abroad students when expressing, "The difference of those who study abroad and those who do not it is not about cost or whether courses are being transferred, it is about your desire to study abroad, how bad you want something. After that everything starts to fall in place because you will find ways to conquer your concern".

Double think, who can give you free money to study abroad while in school? Answer: scholarships!  Nowadays studying abroad is no longer a luxury but a necessity. Achieving to do study abroad program sometimes is difficult to accomplish mainly due to financial need in college. These problems can be solved if you apply on time for the Guadalupe and Lilia Scholarship and the International of Education Scholarship offered by the TAMIU Study Abroad office. Deadlines for these scholarships are from February 1^st to March 15^th.Also look up for national scholarships such as the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship, deadline is March 1st.

Study Abroad information sessions are available at the Student Center room 226. Monday and Friday at 3pm, Tuesday at 10am, Wednesday at 9am and Thursday at 4pm. Welcomed but appointments are strongly recommended.

For more information on Study Abroad programs, visit their website at http://www.tamiu.edu/dip/oie/  or visit their office at the Student Success Center room 226. For more scholarships click here.

(For more information on this article, please contact Linda Bravo at lbravo@dusty.tamiu.edu.)