The Boston University Study Abroad Office said more students are going abroad than ever before. While many students map out their schedules to ensure they have a semester to study abroad, a number of others said their academic schedules and lifestyles work better if they remain in Boston.
“The classes for my majors are very specific and not general liberal arts classes that abroad programs typically offer, so there’s no programs with classes I would need to take,” said Alyssa Langer, a senior in the College of Communication and Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.
Study Abroad added more program options so additional students will have the opportunity to go abroad, said Chris Russell, Study Abroad associate director for marketing and recruiting.
“We are seeing more and more students study abroad than ever before,” Russell said. “We are working to make sure a study abroad option is open to every student.”
BU offers programs for more than 30 locations around the country and around the world that accommodate numerous academic focuses and majors, Russell said.
However, some students said studying abroad might not be an option for everyone because of credit requirements, previous commitments on campus or money.
“I was going to originally study abroad next semester [spring 2013], but I decided not to for a variety of reasons,” said Abigail Clauhs, a College of Arts and Sciences junior. “I work two jobs here at BU because I am financially independent from my parents. I need to be able to earn money, and I can’t do that while studying abroad.”
Russell said finances are not as much of an issue as many students expect.
“If a BU student chooses to study abroad on a BU study abroad program, the financial aid they receive from the institution and from the federal government can be applied to their semester abroad,” Russell said.
Sean Ashburn, a CAS junior, said that he does not plan to study abroad while at BU due to his commitment as an ambassador coordinator at the BU office of admissions.
“There was nothing in my way that kept me from doing it, it is just easier and more convenient for me not to,” Ashburn said. “I think there are more reasons to stay on BU’s campus for all four years, so it was okay with me. I think it is a great experience for a lot of people, but for me I don’t really see the relevance for my future career [as a high school guidance counselor].”
Clauhs also said she wants to stay on campus because she has responsibilities over clubs on campus.
“I am part of multiple clubs and organizations, and I didn’t want to be away from them for a whole semester,” she said. “I didn’t want to leave for a whole semester only to come back and see that they had become disorganized or that membership wasn’t as strong.”
Students who have been able to study abroad during their four years at BU said their experiences overseas have been well worth it.
COM senior Chris Roys, who is studying abroad in Sydney said going abroad is an opportunity he would not necessarily have had if not for BU.
“I wanted to study abroad because the chances of me ever getting to travel to Australia on my own outside of school weren’t concrete,” Roys said. “Traveling the world was made so much more accessible through BU and its many programs.”
Elizabeth Mehren, a COM professor, said studying abroad is an excellent way for students to feel out the workplace for their intended career.
“It’s a way to experience an overseas work environment at a time when it’s pretty tough to get those jobs, realistically,” Mehren said. “They get to get their toe in the water in a structured fashion.”
Evelyn Gross, a School of Management senior, studied in Spain during the spring of 2012 interning at Glamour magazine’s Madrid office, and said how rewarding the enriching the trip was for her.
“In one semester abroad, I learned more than I have in all of my years of textbook learning in college, because I just really grew up,” Gross said.
Lindsay Kirk, a SAR junior, is interning at a school for kids with special needs as a teacher’s aide while in Sydney.
“I know that during the end of my studies and into my professional working years, I’ll be able to use my time here to allow me to have a more wordily view and to become more experienced in my field,” Kirk said.
