During his inauguration weekend, President Barry Corey made it clear that one of his goals is getting more students involved in meaningful, cross-cultural experiences.
Many Biola students — and students across the nation — seem to be taking that to heart. In the past few years the number of U.S. college and university students participating in study abroad programs has been increasing as more destination options emerge.
According to the latest survey by the Institute of International Education (IIE), more than 223,000 U.S. students were involved in a program of study abroad during the 2005-2006 academic year. These numbers were an increase of 8.5 percent from the previous year. Compared to ten years ago, the number of students is up 150 percent.
At Biola, the numbers are following suit. This semester, 54 students are currently studying abroad through 10 separate programs, a 57 percent increase from involvement ten years ago.
While part of this increase is due to undergrad population growth, another part comes from Biola’s affiliation with the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) which has added more study abroad programs throughout the years. The spring of 2004 marked the addition of the CCCU’s Australian Studies Center, Uganda Studies Program, and Biola’s most popular program to date, the Scholar’s Semester in Oxford.
Now with 11 programs offered with the CCCU and five others through other organizations, study abroad is steadily becoming a draw for undergrad students. Not only are Biola students grasping onto the opportunities before them, but many prospectives see the programs as a draw to attend the university.
“Biola’s study abroad program was actually a huge pull for my attending Biola,” said junior Morgan Lindstrom, who is currently studying at London’s Roehampton University.
The IIE also reported that the United Kingdom is the most popular destination, with 32,109 students enrolled from abroad. These high numbers also match with Biola figures, as both the Scholar’s Semester in Oxford and Biola London have remained the largest among current students. This fall, 15 students were accepted to Oxford and 20 were accepted for London, making up 65 percent of all Biolans studying abroad.
For many, studying abroad is about the opportunity to immerse in a different culture’s. Such is the case for junior Melissa Hartwig, who is also spending the fall at Roehampton.
“I feel like an education isn’t just textbooks and lectures, but it’s also about experiencing other cultures and seeing new places, with that learning something about yourself,” said Hartwig.
Lindstrom agrees.
“Living here has opened my eyes to how I see the world and how much more there is to see outside the United States,” she said. “I wouldn’t have traded it for the world.”
According IIE, it’s not just Europe that’s attracting American collegians. Programs in Asia increased by 26 percent, Latin America by 14 percent, and the Middle East by 31 percent, which represents a much faster growth rate than European programs. Similarly, Biola students this semester are experiencing life in locations on all corners of the map including Tokyo, China, Egypt, and Costa Rica.
According to Amy Agadoni, coordinator of undergraduate off-campus and special programs, numbers for next semester’s study abroad are not yet finalized. However, 54 applications have been turned in for 9 separate programs, with about 34 receiving acceptance.
