Study abroad programs will host their bi-annual study abroad fair to inform students about the over 200 different study abroad programs offered.
The fair will be on Wednesday, January 28th in the University Ballroom.
Rebecca Laumann, assistant director of international and study abroad programs thinks the fair is a great way for students to learn about the programs.
“It’s an opportunity for students and parents to learn about the programs that the University of Memphis offers,” Laumann said.
“Our goal is to get more people in the community to be involved and let them know what we offer at the University,” Laumann continued.
The University of Memphis has been hosting the study abroad fair for more than 15 years. In the past, the fair consisted of two tables that were set up in the University Center. Now they have over 20 tables set up with information on the different programs. They travel to over 50 different countries worldwide. The most popular countries students traveled to in 2014 where Spain, Italy, Japan, and Germany.
Lillie Owens, 19, a nursing student who is also minoring in Spanish spent a summer in Costa Rica learning Spanish. At the fall 2014 study abroad fair, Owens spent time talking about her experiences abroad.
“The fair is a great way to learn about all the different programs that are offered through the University,” Owens said. “You can get an idea of what you want to study and what countries you can travel too.”
Study abroad trips are anywhere from a week during spring break to an entire academic year. There are many different scholarships available to those who want to study abroad. Every student pays fees in their tuition that goes toward scholarships to study abroad. Students who attend the fair will be eligible to win one of three $1,000 scholarships for studying abroad.
Jenny Mauro, 20, a sophomore nursing student studied abroad in India for six months with a full scholarship.
“I wanted to learn more about other cultures and be able to see other parts of the world,” Mauro said.
“Be able to go without it costing was amazing,” Mauro continued.
The study abroad program offers opportunities for many majors and working to add more programs for other majors. Foreign languages are the most popular field of study when studying abroad. There is also a new program offered through the criminal justice department. Led by faculty at the University, students will travel to Mainz, Germany and Munich, Germany this summer for two weeks to study the difference in prison systems in Germany and the United States. The study abroad program is also working on a trip for sport management students to England.
For more information or any questions about the fair or studying abroad, students can make an appointment with a study abroad advisor or visit the office located in Brister Hall 102.
