Interested in getting away from New Jersey and pursue studies somewhere else temporarily? Now is the chance!

College is a busy time in a person’s life. There are classes and assignments, socializing and friends, and prospective careers and internships. Then there is the money situation. Students holding down one, sometimes even two jobs while attending school. Yet it is common for students to be told that the best time to travel is during college. But what with a crazy schedule and cash flow concerns, a student has no time to travel. There is a solution to this: study abroad.

The center for international studies (CIS) is hosting Study Abroad Workshops and Fair from Wednesday, September 23 to Thursday, September 24, 2015. CIS wants to provide all students the opportunity to learn more about studying abroad and is offering the workshop multiple times. All workshops will take place throughout Wednesday, September 23. The meeting times are as follows:

• CAS room 106 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• CAS room 247 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
• CAS room 244 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Solely interested in studying abroad at Kean-Wenzhou? A specific workshop will take place on Tuesday, September 29, 2015, from 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. in the Little Theater located in the Miron Student Center.

Ever wonder what it is like to study and live in a foreign country for a semester? Now is the chance to find out. CIS is hosting Living Across the Pacific on Thursday, October 22, 2015, from 3:20 p.m. to 4:20 p.m. in the Little Theater. Students, faculty and scholars will recount their first-hand experiences of living and studying at Kean-Wenzhou and Kean-Main Campus.

Come learn about study abroad programs in Wenzhou-China
Photo courtesy of the Center for International Studies

At the Study Abroad Workshops students will learn what their options are, such as studying abroad short term versus long term. Students will also be walked through the entire process so they know what is to be expected.

Yaruby Petit-Frere, director of CIS, is expecting Trixie Cordova, student outreach coordinator at Diversity Abroad, to attend the workshops. “[Cordova] will give valuable insight about programs and scholarships so that all students feel empowered to participate in study abroad,” Petit-Frere stated.

The goal of Diversity Abroad is to guarantee all students are given equal opportunity to partake in studying abroad. “They are passionate about increasing the visibility of underrepresented students (student athletes, first generation, Latino, LGBT, science majors, etc.) who go abroad either to study, work, intern or volunteer,” Petit-Frere commented.

The material covered in the workshop will be of help to students when they attend Study Abroad Fair. The fair will be on Thursday, September 24, 2015, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the first floor of the Center for Academic Success (CAS) Building. Students are invited to attend the fair to learn which countries host study abroad programs. There will be tables set up and dedicated to various countries, such as London, Spain, Germany, Coast Rica, and much more. After learning of the available locations, students will find it hard to believe these programs are theirs for the taking.

More information can be found by clicking on:

http://www.kean.edu/offices/center-international-studies

http://www.keaninternational.com/#_about

The competition is tough out there and college students need to prepare themselves. Although it may not appear so at first glance, studying abroad will enrich a student’s profile, the same profile that will land on an employer’s desk.

 “Regardless of major or specialty, all employers appreciate and seek students who have had global experiences and can bring a richer perspective to the industry/company,” Petit-Frere said. At the end of one’s college career, all of his or her experiences shape them into the individual they have become.

Students will simultaneously gain an education, explore new landscapes and adopt a culture. A passport in one hand and a notebook in the other only allots a student one choice: hop on a plane and when the wheels touch ground next, embrace the learning experience that’s about to happen.