Study Abroad

December 4, 2015

By Emma Alexander, Honors Communications Intern

Studying abroad has become an essential part of a well-rounded honors education in the 21st century, whatever a student’s field of study.
— Dr. Diane Facinelli

There are many opportunities to study abroad at Purdue, and what many may be unaware of is that the Honors College itself offers several study abroad programs for its students. These programs include everything from spring break to maymester to semester-long experiences, and they offer students a more interdisciplinary experience than opportunities offered through specific majors. In the coming calendar year, there will be five unique programs offered by the Honors College. Two trips will take place over the course of a week during spring break. There will be two more trips during the maymester, and finally, a single-semester exchange program. More detailed information on each of these trips can be found both on the Honors College website as well as Purdue’s general study abroad page. However, students can seek out even more information by speaking with or emailing the faculty advisors for each trip. Links and contact information for resources corresponding to each trip can be found at the bottom of the page.

However, as the fall semester comes to a close, so do the registration windows for both spring break opportunities. In order to aid students in learning more and provide additional insight, we spoke with a faculty advisor from each of these trips to garner what wisdom they had to offer.

First, Dr. Diane Facinelli, the faculty advisor for the trip to Transylvania, shared the general benefits of studying abroad as an undergraduate student.

Studying abroad provides personal, academic, and career benefits. It strengthens a student’s personal identity and makes them better prepared to engage in our continually globalizing society. A German study compared personality development and found that students who studied abroad showed improvements in five core traits compared to their peers who did not study abroad: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and emotional stability. Academically, students earn major, minor, or elective credits and gain a global perspective on their area of study while still graduating on time. Also, students who study abroad are 20% more likely to graduate than those who do not. Benefits continue after graduation as 85% of study abroad alumni say their experience helped them build skills for the job market such as adaptability, effective communication, critical thinking, and decision-making. 97% of study abroad students found employment within 12 months of graduation, whereas only 49% of college graduates found employment in the same period, and 90% of study abroad alumni who applied got into their 1st or 2nd choice grad school.

In considering these opportunities specifically, students may also weigh the additional benefits of studying abroad with the Honors College. In addressing this, Dr. Facinelli shared,

Study abroad opportunities through the Honors College offer the benefit of interdisciplinary learning experiences with fellow honors students. You experience other cultures and classes together with dedicated students who represent different majors and fields of study, which enriches your study abroad experience as you share ideas and insights.

Dr. Facinelli will be accompanying students to Romania, where they will enhance their learning about Bram Stoker’s Dracula, vampire legends, and the historical figure of Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler), and how contemporary Romania regards and uses the historical and fictional accounts, by traveling to places detailed in the novel and those connected with Vlad. After a day in Bucharest, they will travel as a group to such places as Sighisoara, Castle Dracula, the Borgo Pass, and Bran Castle. While talking about this opportunity Dr. Facinelli divulged,

I cannot overstate my excitement about seeing as many Purdue Honors College students study abroad as possible.

However, a group of students will also be traveling to Peru this spring break, accompanied by Dr. Elizabeth Brite. On this trip, students will explore the diverse ways that humans interact with animals in different cultural and environmental contexts. In discussing the upcoming trip abroad, Dr. Brite shared,

I think what I am most excited about is the variety of human-animal contexts we will be examining, and also the group activities we will be doing in collaboration with Peruvian graduate students. I think these two elements are going to give us some incredible insights on the diversity and complexity of life in Peru in a very short amount of time. I also have to say I am pretty excited about the bus ride — we will be driving through some incredible scenery, from the coastal desert all the way up into the pure air of the Andes Mountains!

Clearly, many exciting opportunities and experiences are made possible through studying abroad, especially through the Honors College. But don’t forget, the deadline to sign up for the Transylvania trip is December 15th. See below for more resources and information.

Spring Break Trips

Transylvania: Dracula and Beyond

Peru: Explorations in Human Cultural Diversity: Humans and Animals in Peru

Maymester Trips

Further information on each can be found on our study abroad page . Registration deadlines and other details will be announced in the coming weeks. Continue checking the website for details.

Semester Exchange Programs

The semester-length program currently offered through the Honors College is the Copernican Scholar Exchange Program in Padua, Italy. This is a reoccurring program, and more information can be found in one of our news stories: https://honors.purdue.edu/news/article/copernican-scholars-2015.html

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