Spring Break
Bill looks to increase study abroad options
Eastern has above average participants
Emily Zulz/Administration Editor
Issue date: 9/18/08 Section: News
Last year, 300 students participated in Eastern's study abroad program.
President Bill Perry said he wants to increase that participation by 10 percent and increase that number to 330 students.
"We want to continue to increase our study abroad participation," he said.
A bill on Congress' agenda this year would help make that more possible and easier for students to study abroad.
The Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act bill was introduced on March 12, 2007.
It passed the U.S. House of Representatives on June 5, 2007 and is awaiting the U.S. Senate's approval. The bill passed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee earlier this year.
The bill would require the Foundation to award grants to U.S. students and nongovernmental institutions that provide and promote study abroad opportunities for students in association with higher education institutions.
Resources would be provided to higher education institutions and students to develop quality study abroad programs and take advantage of study abroad opportunities, said Wendy Williamson, director of the Office of Study Abroad.
She said if passed, the act would really help students study abroad.
"Especially, in this difficult economy, we need all the help we can get," she said. "I think that increasing the resources available for scholarships, etc. would really help increase the percentage of students who study abroad."
Williamson said Eastern would work within the bill, if passed, and apply for any grants that would become available because of the bill.
The act sets a goal that in 10 years' time, one million students will be studying abroad annually in programs around the world.
According to NAFSA: Association of International Educators, only 200,000 American college students participate in study abroad, which is 1 percent of the U.S. college student population.
Eastern is already above that average.
"If you think about eastern, we have about slightly over 10,000 undergrads and that 300 studying abroad, that's 3 percent," Perry said. "So, I think we're already ahead of the curve nationally."
Over the past five years, Perry said the study abroad program has increased from 100 students to 300 students.
"I'd like before long to see us at 500 students," Perry said. The bill would help progress the program, he added.
"A study abroad experience is very beneficial to a student to broaden their horizons, enable them to grasp the opportunities and challenges of going from one culture into another," Perry said.
Williamson said research shows that students with study abroad experiences are starting jobs at about 5,000 more than those without, in their respective fields.
"This is because employers know that students with study abroad experiences tend to be more focused, independent, self-confident, flexible, adaptable, driven and more," she said.
Click here to track the bill.
Emily Zulz can be reached at 581-7942 or at eazulz@eiu.edu.
President Bill Perry said he wants to increase that participation by 10 percent and increase that number to 330 students.
"We want to continue to increase our study abroad participation," he said.
A bill on Congress' agenda this year would help make that more possible and easier for students to study abroad.
The Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act bill was introduced on March 12, 2007.
It passed the U.S. House of Representatives on June 5, 2007 and is awaiting the U.S. Senate's approval. The bill passed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee earlier this year.
The bill would require the Foundation to award grants to U.S. students and nongovernmental institutions that provide and promote study abroad opportunities for students in association with higher education institutions.
Resources would be provided to higher education institutions and students to develop quality study abroad programs and take advantage of study abroad opportunities, said Wendy Williamson, director of the Office of Study Abroad.
She said if passed, the act would really help students study abroad.
"Especially, in this difficult economy, we need all the help we can get," she said. "I think that increasing the resources available for scholarships, etc. would really help increase the percentage of students who study abroad."
Williamson said Eastern would work within the bill, if passed, and apply for any grants that would become available because of the bill.
The act sets a goal that in 10 years' time, one million students will be studying abroad annually in programs around the world.
According to NAFSA: Association of International Educators, only 200,000 American college students participate in study abroad, which is 1 percent of the U.S. college student population.
Eastern is already above that average.
"If you think about eastern, we have about slightly over 10,000 undergrads and that 300 studying abroad, that's 3 percent," Perry said. "So, I think we're already ahead of the curve nationally."
Over the past five years, Perry said the study abroad program has increased from 100 students to 300 students.
"I'd like before long to see us at 500 students," Perry said. The bill would help progress the program, he added.
"A study abroad experience is very beneficial to a student to broaden their horizons, enable them to grasp the opportunities and challenges of going from one culture into another," Perry said.
Williamson said research shows that students with study abroad experiences are starting jobs at about 5,000 more than those without, in their respective fields.
"This is because employers know that students with study abroad experiences tend to be more focused, independent, self-confident, flexible, adaptable, driven and more," she said.
Click here to track the bill.
Emily Zulz can be reached at 581-7942 or at eazulz@eiu.edu.
The Daily Eastern News encourages on-topic, civil discussion on its articles posted online. It is our policy not to screen comments before they are posted or edit them after they are posted. However, we reserve the right to remove comments that are off-topic, malicious, libelous or include excessive foul language. The DEN also reserves the right to turn off all comments on any story it deems necessary.
Comments violating copyright law will also be removed.
Users who repeatedly violate this policy will be banned from commenting.
If you have any questions on our comment policy or wish to report a comment that you feel violates these standards, please e-mail a link to the article to our Online Editor at DENNews.com@gmail.com.
Be the first to comment on this story