Gateway to the world open wide
at Study & Intern Abroad Fair
Dr. Bret Wagner and Dr. Leingpibul Thaweephan with
students participating in WMU's
Business Relationships in London and Paris program
The world view today’s employers are seeking in new hires is one of the many benefits gained by the 200,000-plus Americans who study and intern abroad each academic year.
Western Michigan University offers more than 60 programs spanning 35 countries in which students can earn academic or internship credit for any major or minor, which will be showcased at the Study & Intern Abroad Fair from 4 to 7 p.m. October 6 in the Bernhard Center’s South Ballroom. The fair is sponsored by the Haenicke Institute for Global Education and open to campus and the public at no charge.
Exhibitor registration form
The University’s 2009 Study and Intern Abroad Fair provides attendees the opportunity to speak with WMU students who have studied and interned abroad, WMU professors who coordinate programs and courses around the world, and study abroad advisors from the Haenicke Institute. Also on hand will be representatives from non-WMU organizations touting more than 100 study and work programs conducted worldwide.
Prospective global travelers attending the fair will learn about completing internships with overseas companies and numerous academic and language-intensive programs, such as studying business in Thailand, aviation in Australia, religion and culture in Japan, health care in Ireland, or art and architecture in Europe. Many overseas programs are taught in English.
Graduate and undergraduate students working toward degrees in any discipline, regardless of their foreign language skills, are eligible to earn major and minor or general education and elective credits at WMU while exploring new cultures overseas.
Some short-term, faculty-led programs are even open to mature high school students, as well as adults interested in travel and learning who are not currently attending college.
Nearly all types of student financial aid may be applied toward study abroad programs, including money received through the Kalamazoo Promise and Michigan Education Trust funds.
The 2009 Study and Intern Abroad Fair features several new elements, including: - Expanded opportunities for overseas internships due to broader collaboration with WMU’s Career and Student Employment Services.
- Presentation of two informational sessions, Intern Abroad for Academic Credit from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., and the Study Abroad 101 panel discussion from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. with financial aid staff members and students who have previously studied abroad.
- Prize giveaways hosted by STA Travel—a three-week Eurail pass and two international cell phones. STA is one of the largest student travel organizations in the world.
- A free pop and slice of pizza, while supplies last.
As in past years, representatives from WMU's Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, Career and Student Employment Services, and Sindecuse Health Center will be at the fair to answer inquiries about financial, health and other issues related to traveling abroad.
More than 500 WMU students participate in study and work abroad programs each academic year, and numerous scholarships are available to them through the University and other institutions.
In 2007, WMU students received some $400,000 from scholarships and grants specifically earmarked for study abroad. Of that amount, $385,000 came from WMU sources, such as the President's Grant for Study Abroad Program, a WMU endowment that offers grants of up to $10,000 to students who study a foreign language overseas.
For more information about the 2009 Study and Intern Abroad Fair, including registration details for program representatives and study abroad vendors, visit www.wmich.edu/studyabroad or contact Krystal Bresnahan, WMU study abroad fair coordinator, at k4bresna@wmich.edu or (269) 387-5890. |
