Students interested in studying abroad learned about the opportunities Cal State Monterey Bay (CSUMB) provides at the Education Abroad Fair.
Over 60 students registered for the event, held at the Main Quad Plaza from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 10.
“Taking advantage of what the school offers to travel elsewhere would be…a major privilege,” said Adrian Lopez-Lopez, a third-year ethnic and gender studies major, who came looking for information on the programs offered.
“There are so many reasons why CSUMB students should study abroad,” said Nicole Newton, CSUMB’s Education Abroad Advisor.
“There’s a lot of personal growth that happens when you’re in another place. Maybe you’re in a place where they don’t speak English as the first or primary language…you get to go travel, to eat new foods and make new friends,” Newton said. “All of that is going to contribute to you becoming a more flexible and culturally minded person.”
According to Newton, these sorts of experiences are increasingly desirable for many employers.
“A lot of employers will come to the university saying they want students who are flexible so they can deal with ambiguity, and they want students who can talk to people regardless of what their backgrounds are culturally,” Newton said.
CSUMB’s study abroad programs, ranging from Japan to the United Kingdom to Australia, include CSU International Programs and Direct Exchange programs with CSUMB’s many partner universities across the globe.
These programs are designed to be financially accessible, as students can apply their financial aid directly to a foreign university. For the Direct Exchange, in particular, students pay the same tuition and fees as they would if they stayed at CSUMB.
Newton added that because of the many different universities partnered with CSUMB Education Abroad, with some planning, advisors can often keep students on track with their current graduation date even if they study elsewhere.
“We send students all over and pretty much get good feedback about all of our programs,” Newton said.
This was the case for Karly Mai, a fourth-year environmental studies major, who studied in Viña del Mar, Chile for a semester. Mai, who spoke no Spanish before going, fondly recalled the hospitality of her host family, who spoke no English.
“You find other ways to get the idea across…we ended up having a bunch of inside jokes about miscommunication,” Mai said.
“It was a big challenge but I was still so eager to meet people, get connected with the community, and try to make the trip as memorable as I could,” Mai said, showing pictures she’d taken of Chilean landscapes and wildlife to curious students.
“The application process was really smooth and the advisors are really communicative,” Mai said, encouraging other students to look into the Education Abroad program.
In addition to regular financial aid, Mai received the Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. “One in four people get it and it’s up to $5,000 for [writing] three essays,” Mai said.
According to Newton, there are many such opportunities available to students interested in Education Abroad.
“The best way to get started is to come to Education Abroad 101, information sessions that I have every week,” said Newton.
These information sessions are held both online and in person, with their time and location announced on MyRaft.
“I give you everything you need to know — the different program types, how it works with your aid, how you might choose a program and which one might look best for you.”