Creighton University’s biannual study abroad fair was held in the Harper Ballroom so students could explore study abroad opportunities. Students that went on study abroad trips in the past had booths advertising the countries they visited. Students interested in going on a study abroad trip in the futurewere able to learn about the different programs Creighton University offers.
Creighton University’s study abroad programs are very popular, with 550 students traveling abroad last year. Creighton offers a large variety of programs designedto fit the needs of any student.
Miles Monson, a student in the College of Arts and Sciences,went to Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands. For Miles, the trip “really solidified [that] this is what I want to do [environmental science]...[It] really solidified my passion for what I’m doing.”
On the trip, Miles got to explore the Amazon. “I saw a jaguar twenty minutes into our boat ride,” he said.
The study abroad fair saw360 attendees. Students from all grade levels got to learn more about their options for studying abroad.
Martin Kuhn,a student in the College of Arts and Sciences,was “looking to become an immigration lawyer, so it would be really good…to have that experience and get to know the culture and the [Spanish] language.”
Another student interested in studying abroad is Ava Welter in the College of Nursing. She is interested in studying in the Dominican Republic.
“It [the program] incorporates nursing into it, so I can do a semester out there… I want to travel,” Welter said.
Creighton University offers an extremely broad selection of countries for students to visit including Australia, Belgium, China, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, France, Galápagos Islands, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Cape Town, Seoul, Scotland, Spain, Sweden and many more through the International Student Exchange Program, (ISEP).
ISEPis a program where students can travel abroad to countries outside the ones offered by Creighton University. ISEP offers over 200 countries and lots of customization.
At the moment, Creighton is hosting AleksandraNiva from Finland through ISEP. “I’ve been loving it so far; it’s really nice, and it’s really easy,” Niva said when asked about her experience with the program.
Additionally, Grace Cifuentes recently traveled to the Czech Republic through ISEP. “People are very supportive at the universities that you go to, and I just felt supported the whole time.”
Creighton also offers Faculty Led Programs Abroad (FLPAs). These programs started in 1998 with the Rev. Michael Proterra,S.J., former dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
One of the first FLPAs, run by David Vanderboegh, still exists today.
“Study abroad programs are often too long, expensive and don’t fit into their program of study, so it can be really difficult for a lot of students,” he said. FLPAs are designed to mitigate these problems.
If any students are looking to go abroad but don’t know where to start, they can attend a Global Engagement Office Getting Started Session, which is held every Friday at 12:30 p.m. in Creighton Hall 324.