Kent State College of Education, Health and Human Services provides students with opportunities to explore new cultures through studying abroad,  as the spring semester wraps up, a variety of students are preparing to leave for a summer abroad as well as return back.

“One of the biggest things that I enjoyed about studying abroad was getting to know some of the other students in my major and students from some other disciplines that I wouldn’t have met” said Laura Thompson, a Human Development and Family Studies major who studied abroad in Ireland. “Getting to see Ireland was absolutely fabulous and the education aspects were wonderful.”

Through the university, EHHS Center for International and Intercultural Education and the Department of Global Education, there are a variety of destinations for students to travel for various lengths of time, such as a full semester or just a few weeks over the summer.

Education majors specifically can participate in any study abroad opportunity, or used learned skills to student teach in schools abroad through the Consortium for Overseas Student Teaching (COST).

According to its website, “COST is a collaboration of 15 colleges and universities in the United States that provides opportunities for its students to have quality student teaching experiences in overseas settings.”

Chris Morelli, a senior middle childhood education major, is currently student-teaching eighth and ninth grade mathematics and eighth grade social studies in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. He left mid-January and plans to return home in the middle of May.

“One of my concentrations is social studies and I have always been fascinated by the world and different cultures. Due to this, I have wanted to travel and dive into other cultures,” Morelli said. “The COST program not only gave me the option to travel, but to also teach, which are two things I would love to do for the rest of my life. I chose to travel to South Africa because they have a very diverse culture.”

Another study abroad opportunity developed through EHHS is the Human Development and Family Studies Study Abroad Experience in Ireland. Stated on its website, “The course, during summer intersession, provides an analysis of interpersonal relationships and families across the lifespan in Ireland and the US.”

Although it is an HDFS course, Maureen Blankemeyer, the program instructor, welcomes students of all majors, and the credit would count toward university experiential learning requirements.

“I basically lead the study abroad so I do recruiting of students all through Fall semester and sometimes Spring if needed, and then I put together the class part of it and lead the students when we’re over there (Ireland),” Blankemeyer said. “I think it is absolutely essential that our students start to become aware of ways that people do things in other countries.”

The course lasts for two weeks and it takes place only during the summer. The students can visit places all throughout Ireland such as Dublin, Killarney, Galway, and the village of Sneem.

“Definitely the culture is pretty different. When we were in Dublin, the city wasn’t too different, but I feel like when we went to the small towns we got a better sense of the culture and just Irish history,” said Candace Jaymes, a senior speech pathology and audiology major. “I’d say we definitely just got a different sense of what living there was like and we got to be immersed in that for two weeks and travel all over.”

Shorter summer study abroad programs are also offered to give students who are not financially stable enough to study abroad for a full semester, or students who personally feel they are not ready to spend an entire semester abroad a chance to explore a new culture at a more affordable price, and for a shorter time period.

“They (the students) pay $2,500 (for airfare, hotels, food, museums and other expenses) plus the three-credit course,” Blankemeyer said. “It kind of gives them at travel bug and so then I have a lot of students who say, ‘I’m going to do the Florence on next year because I realized I could do this.’ It (the Ireland program) is a safe way for students to start learning about other cultures and travel.”

Between airfare, housing arrangements, personal expenses and more, traveling abroad doesn’t come cheap. Fortunately for students, the Office of Global Education provides students with a lot of financial aid information and a variety of scholarships to apply for.

 “I would like to suggest to everyone and anyone that they should travel and learn about other cultures,” Morelli said. “It not only helps you learn about the world, but it helps you learn about your own country, family, and friends.”

Kent State College of Education, Health and Human Services provides students with opportunities to explore new cultures through studying abroad,  as the semester wraps up, a variety of students are preparing to leave for a summer abroad as well as return back.

“One of the biggest things that I enjoyed about studying abroad was getting to know some of the other students in my major and students from some other disciplines that I wouldn’t have met” said Laura Thompson, a Human Development and Family Studies major who studied abroad in Ireland. “Getting to see Ireland was absolutely fabulous and the education aspects were wonderful.”

As a whole, the university, EHHS Center for International and Intercultural Education and the Department of Global Education offer a variety of destinations for students to travel for various lengths of time such as a full semester or just a few weeks over the summer. Education majors are welcome to participate in any study abroad opportunity, and they also have an opportunity to put their teaching skills to the test and student teach in schools in different countries through the Consortium for Overseas Student Teaching (COST).

According to itswebsite, “COST is a collaboration of 15 colleges and universities in the United States that provides opportunities for its students to have quality student teaching experiences in overseas settings.”

Chris Morelli, a senior middle childhood education major, is currently student-teaching eighth and ninth grade mathematics and eighth grade social studies in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. He left mid-January and plans to return home in the middle of May.

“One of my concentrations is social studies and I have always been fascinated by the world and different cultures. Due to this, I have wanted to travel and dive into other cultures,” Morelli said. “The COST program not only gave me the option to travel, but to also teach, which are two things I would love to do for the rest of my life. I chose to travel to South Africa because they have a very diverse culture.”

Another study abroad opportunity developed through EHHS is the Human Development and Family Studies Study Abroad Experience in Ireland. Stated on itswebsite, “The course, during summer intersession, provides an analysis of interpersonal relationships and families across the lifespan in Ireland and the US.”

Although it is an HDFS course, Maureen Blankemeyer, the program instructor, welcomes students of all majors, and the credit would count toward university experiential learning requirements.

“I basically lead the study abroad so I do recruiting of students all through Fall semester and sometimes Spring if needed, and then I put together the class part of it and lead the students when we’re over there (Ireland),” Blankemeyer said. “I think it is absolutely essential that our students start to become aware of ways that people do things in other countries.”

The course lasts for two weeks and it takes place only during the summer. They visit places all throughout Ireland such as Dublin, Killarney, Galway, and the village of Sneem.

“Definitely the culture is pretty different. When we were in Dublin, the city wasn’t too different, but I feel like when we went to the small towns we got a better sense of the culture and just Irish history,” said Candace Jaymes, a senior speech pathology and audiology major. “I’d say we definitely just got a different sense of what living there was like and we got to be immersed in that for two weeks and travel all over.”

Shorter summer study abroad programs are also offered to give students who are not financially stable enough to study abroad for a full semester, or students who personally feel they are not ready to spend an entire semester abroad a chance to explore a new culture at a more affordable price, and for a shorter time period.

“They (the students) pay $2,500 (for airfare, hotels, food, museums and other expenses) plus the three-credit course,” Blankemeyer said. “It kind of gives them at travel bug and so then I have a lot of students who say, ‘I’m going to do the Florence on next year because I realized I could do this.’ It (the Ireland program) is a safe way for students to start learning about other cultures and travel.”

Between airfare, housing arrangements, personal expenses and more, traveling abroad doesn’t come cheap. Fortunately for students, theOffice of Global Education provides students with a lot of financial aid information and a variety of scholarships to apply for.

“I would like to suggest to everyone and anyone that they should travel and learn about other cultures,” Morelli said. “It not only helps you learn about the world, but it helps you learn about your own country, family, and friends.”

Alexandra Seibt is the EHHS reporter for The Kent Stater, contact her at [email protected].