Students are invited to participate in the 2024 study abroad program, which will take place in Germany, Italy, and Switzerland from May 5-14. It aims to foster global perspectives and cultural immersion for adventurous and intellectually curious people. Family, alumni, and community members are also urged to join. The program offers an array of invaluable benefits that extend far beyond the classroom, shaping the future of participants in remarkable ways.
The Dean of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS) and Humanities Dr. Brenda Brown, leads this program and hopes to facilitate an environment where people can explore the world, gain different perspectives, and change their life.
“The ability to see from different perspectives so that when you look at a problem, you don’t just see it from your perspective, you’re able to see it from another person’s perspective,” Dr. Brown said. “So, you understand cultural differences better. It’s not just understanding cultural differences but appreciating them more. Any kind of travel, especially when you live in Oklahoma, which is all landlocked, you can just expand your horizons.”
The program focuses on travel from the perspective of expatriates in Europe, what they found intriguing, what brought them there, what they discovered and what they didn’t discover. Participants will look at several authors who traveled there hoping for emotional calm after the First World War, such as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway.
During the 2023 Independent Study period, Caleb Smith, a senior biology major, had the opportunity to travel on the Science, Arts and Beer of Scotland and Ireland trip with Dr. Jeannette Loutsch, a professor of biology. Through this opportunity, Smith was able to leave the country for the first time and pursue his passions.
“Given my kind of experience, I also have a passion for golf. So, being here at school and going on that trip, I got to play golf in Scotland – it’s the birthplace of golf,” Smith said. “To get to play there, that was a lifelong goal. So, that was amazing, and that was another big thing on that trip that helped shape what I want to do once I graduate. I want to start in golf for a little bit in some capacity like teaching.”
Travelling anywhere, especially out of the country, can be costly. Dr. Brown ensures that money will be available for this trip in the form of scholarships and other financial aid. Funds can also be obtained by reaching out to unlikely people such as distant relatives, or family friends; often people are willing and able to help students gain such a unique experience.
The study abroad trip to Germany, Italy and Switzerland is designed to broaden academic viewpoints and global perspectives, but as Smith points out, traveling may provide students with professional and personal chances that lead them down a different route than if they stayed in Oklahoma. Students who study abroad have a greater employment and graduation rate than other students.
“There was one couple I had, and they met in Costa Rica on my tour. They are now married with a baby, and they continue to just go everywhere and just pop up here and there. Once you get a taste of travelling, it’s hard not to keep going.” Dr. Brown said.
The study abroad program in Germany, Italy and Switzerland in 2024 is an invitation to go on a life changing adventure. Dr. Brown’s goal for cultivating global views, along with personal and professional success stories from participants such as Smith, demonstrates the program’s significance. It is a chance that should not be passed up because it not only broadens academic horizons but also opens doors to new professional options and personal transformations.
For more information contact Dr. Brown, located in Davis Hall 119 or at www.efstudyabroad.com/2675022fy.
Ray Thomas-Lapham is a second-year communication major at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
