By Shannon Curran | Staff Writer –
Over nine hundred Salve Regina University students, looking for a change in scenery, flocked to Ochre Court this past Wednesday to attend the annual Study Abroad Fair.
The event took place on Wednesday, September 18th from 3-5pm. With two rooms of tables set up, hosting more then twenty organizations, the options and locations for potential travelers are nearly endless.
Upon arrival, each Salve student was handed a plastic bag filled with pamphlets to educate the potential traveler on the process needed to be completed in order to officially study in a different country. Refreshments and samples of cuisines from hosting nations were also available for tasting.
Erin Fitzgerald, the Director of the Office for International Programs says, “I think studying abroad is a critical part of any student’s college education. It offers them a unique chance to explore their major and learn so much about themselves. Wherever the student picks to go, it is an experience of a lifetime.”
Students have the option to pick from many countries around the world with a variety of cities within each country. Spain, according to the Globalinks ambassador, is a popular destination offering schools in Barcelona and Sevilla. The International Studies Abroad Program ambassador says they have a successful turnout in Europe. Ireland, England, and France have become top picks.
A sophomore, Katie Roman, states, “Picking which organization to travel through is a big decision. There is a lot to consider but the Study Abroad Fair is really great for getting information on a bunch of programs at once.”
The Salve Regina University Study Abroad office has been assisting students in this “life-changing journey” for twenty years now, according to Tricia McKinnely, Associate Director of International Enrollment. The Study Abroad Fair has been conducted for roughly the past fifteen years.
Present at the fair were study abroad alumni students who have found this journey to be one that they highly recommend. Karly LeBlanc, a senior at Salve Regina University traveled to Rome in the fall of her junior year and says, “going abroad is a truly incredible opportunity that students are given. No matter the organization to study through, an unbelievable and memorable time is guaranteed.”
The Study Abroad Fair had a successful turn out with over nine hundred students attending. Salve Regina plans to continue on sending students abroad to further their education outside Newport for many years to come says McKinnely.
