Two globetrotting faculty members from OSU Institute of Technology’s School of Arts & Sciences— Dr. Jennifer Smith and Jacqueline Anderson— have merged respective international interests into an 11-day faculty-led study abroad trip to England, Ireland and Wales with a transatlantic journey scheduled for May 2017.
Students participating in this trip will earn humanities credits while gleaning both historical knowledge and cultural experience from diverse epicenters of the British Isles. Enrollment is currently open to any student who will be attending OSUIT during the summer term of 2017, and early registration is encouraged for added benefits such as reduced cost, fundraising opportunities, and ample time for trip preparation.
The 11-day trip is scheduled for May 15 through May 25, 2017, and will take students through various stops and sights in Ireland, Wales, and England.
Anderson said she believes a transformative experience lies ahead for each participating traveler, especially for those who have never ventured abroad before.
“I believe every student should have an opportunity to travel internationally as I did,” she said. “Traveling opens minds and hearts to learn about different cultures and the related opportunities these destinations have for us.”
Smith agrees.
“You become more involved and can relate to what is being said about overseas. You also gain a whole new appreciation for what it is like to do without abroad versus doing without in the United States.”
The School of Arts & Sciences and International Student Services, in collaboration with EF College Study Tours, the OSU Study Abroad/National Student Exchange Office, and OSUIT’s Office of Academic Affairs, have invested substantial manpower orchestrating the reinstatement of study abroad on the campus of OSUIT.
In fact, the 2017 British Isles trip stems from positive outcomes of a statewide study abroad service learning initiative to the Dominican Republic that occurred over the summer of 2015 involving one OSUIT student majoring in Nursing and another majoring in Construction Management.
“The returning OSUIT participants of the 2015 trip magnified the importance and relevance of study abroad on a campus otherwise focused on domestic technical education,” said Kenneth Kern, director of international students. “What Dr. Smith and Jacqueline Anderson have done for the OSUIT student body by championing this renewed effort is immense as it has now provided a comfortable and affordable opportunity for individuals to foster much needed cultural competencies expected in today’s workforce.”
For more information about the British Isles trip, contact Dr. Jennifer Smith at Jennifer.smith@okstate.edu or Jacqueline Anderson at Jacqueline.anderson@okstate.edu. Also check out the trip website at efcollegestudytours.com/professors-trip/1803161ZB
Required travel forms must be submitted to the International Student Services Office located in the Grady Clack Center, which also serves as a source for trip information.