VCU Study Abroad Blog

Angela Kappus participated in the VCU Summer Study Abroad program to China. She has kept a blog of her adventures including magnificent photos and more. Take a look! http://wonders-seen.greatestjournal.com/

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Spring 2008 Application Now Open - Deadline: October 9, 2007
Apply now at http://www.iie.org/gilman

This year the Gilman International Scholarship Program will provide 850 scholarships of up to 5,000 for U.S. undergraduate students to study abroad for up to one academic year. The program aims to diversify the kinds of student who study abroad and the countries and regions where they go. The program serves students who have been under-represented in study abroad which includes but is not limited to: students with high financial need, community college students, students in under-represented fields such as the sciences and engineering, students from diverse ethnic backgrounds, students attending minority-serving institutions, and students with disabilities. The Gilman Program seeks to assist students from a diverse range and type of two-year and four-year public and private institutions from all 50 states.

A limited number of $3000 Critical Need Language Supplements are available for students studying a critical need language for a total possible award of $8000. A list of eligible languages can be found on the Gilman website at http://www.iie.org/gilman

Eligibility: Students must be receiving a Federal Pell Grant at the time of application and cannot be studying abroad in a country currently under a U.S. Department of State Travel Warning or in Cuba.

The Gilman International Scholarship Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered by the Institute of International Education.

For more information, full eligibility criteria and the online application visit: http://www.iie.org/gilman

Contact for Applicants: Lindsay Calvert
email: gilman@iie.org
Phone: 713.621.6300, ext 25

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If you are thinking about studying abroad in France or Germany through the international student exchange program, read below!

The International Student Exchange Program (ISEP) is now accepting applications for spring candidates for the New York Community Trust-Annette Kade Scholarship!

Grants will be awarded to U.S. ISEP exchange participants in order to encourage students with a genuine interest in study abroad, who do not have sufficient financial resources, to apply for a placement in France or Germany. The target audience for these scholarships is students wishing to pursue study at one of the German or French ISEP member institutions during the spring semester. The award criteria for the scholarships include academic background, desire to improve language ability, and genuine financial need. The deadline for all applications is Friday, October 12, 2007.

Please click here to view more details or download the application.

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VCU Education Abroad will now be holding General Information Sessions starting next Tuesday during Welcome Week from 2:30-3:30 in the Alumni Association Board Room of the Commons (see the VCU Welcome Week calendar for more info on other events next week) and then throughout the semester every Monday and Tuesday from 12-1 in the Student Commons Theater. See below for details on specific dates:

August 27, 28
September 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25
October 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30
November 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27
December 3, 4

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The VCU Study Abroad Fair is coming! Every September, the Education Abroad office coordinates a Fall Fair which showcases the wide variety of study abroad opportunities available to the VCU student body. This year, the event will be held on Wednesday, September 19 from 10-2 in the Commons Plaza. Students will be able to talk with students who have recently returned from studying abroad, pickup information from various study abroad vendors, and meet the faculty who lead our summer programs. There will be music, free giveaways and door prizes including an iPod Shuffle and several gift certificates from local businesses including Cous Cous, Ukrops, Ellwood Thompson's and more!

Here's a peek at the various organizations you can expect to meet with on campus that day:

European Heritage Institute
American Institute for Foreign Study
Semester at Sea
Cultural Experiences Abroad
Amerispan
Study Abroad Italy
Australearn
BCA
Academic Programs International
Council on International Educational Exchange
Temple
Study Australia
Global Student Experiences
Knowledge Exchange Institute
VCU International Partnership Universities
VCU Summer Study Abroad programs: Peru, Guatemala Fashion, Russia, Spain, Mexico Biology, France, Mexico Spanish, Dominican Republic, Africa Theater, Guatemala Health, Guatemala language, Puerto Rico
National Scholarship Office
Office of Financial Aid
OMSA

If you have any questions, please contact us by e-mail abroad@vcu.edu or phone (804)827-7882

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Last night was the conclusion to the Fudan/BFSU American Studies Program 2007. Directors Julie Harris and Hernan Restrepo and their 15 interns said goodbye to the group of 69 students and 4 faculty from Fudan University and Beijing Foreign Studies University. Participants reflected on their experiences in the US and spent time saying goodbye to the directors, interns, professors and families that welcomed them here at VCU. One student said that she would remember this experience throughout her entire life.

Thank you, BFSU and Fudan for spending time with us this summer!

The whole group

The interns and directors

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June 14, 2007 – an incredible day of many firsts in my short life of 21 years. On Thursday, June 14, I traveled to Washington D.C., for the first time, in order to board my first flight to travel to London, England, for the first time. This day began my traveling study abroad program. I chose the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS) for my study abroad experience because they offered a course that is relevant to my chosen field of study, but more importantly, AIFS offered a traveling program where I would be able to visit and experience as much of Western Europe as possible during the summer semester.
I began my study abroad experience in London, and remained there for nine days. From London, our AIFS group traveled via Eurostar to Paris, where we resided for four days. Next, we were off to Brussels, Belgium, for three nights. Then to Strasbourg, France for a two-night stay, and off again for an overnight stay in Frankfurt, Germany. Our penultimate stay of three nights was in Prague, Czech Republic. Our trip ended in Berlin, Germany, where we stayed for four nights. Overall, the trip gave an amazing sample of Western and a small bit of central Europe. The meetings that AIFS arranged with businesses that were relevant to our course work, for example British Parliament, the Coucil of Europe, and Lloyds of London along with tours of each city determined the amount of time spent in each city.
A typical day included waking up at 7 A.M. to breakfast (which was included at each hotel) and dress, then off to a class for a lecture, a meeting with a business, a tour of a city, or any combination of these. The organized aspect of our days would last until early afternoon, usually between 2 – 3 P.M. then we were left to occupy the duration of the day. Most would grab a bite to eat for lunch at a pub or a sandwich shop and head off to tour museums, national landmarks, or tourist sites before they would close (most businesses closed at 6 or 7 P.M.). Afterwards, dinner was an event all its own because you are not rushed to order, eat, and leave in Europe like you are in America. Once seated, you would talk to your server perhaps three times – once to order drinks and food, then to receive food, and lastly to receive the cheque. In the meantime, you would remain seated at the table for at least two hours between ordering food and receiving the cheque. After dinner, we went out to sample the pubs, clubs, and bars – your typical college student night scene – and back to the hotel around 2 A.M. and then repeated it all over again the next day. Food, aside from continental breakfasts, and transportation to and from the hotel was left to your own means. You had a plethora of options for transportation that ranged from the underground/metro to the bus system to cabs to walking.
Overall, my trip to Europe was simply amazing! I met some of the greatest people from all over the United States as well as fascinating people in Europe. I was able to enlighten myself on cultures that make America look juvenile; to learn, not only about the European Union course work, but about current issues that were unique to each city, such as London’s public buildings going smoke-free July 1, 2007; and to also learn about and challenge myself. I chose to throw myself into a situation where I was uncomfortable and unfamiliar. It was either sink and not use the experience to learn or I could flourish and absorb all that was surrounding me to broaden my mind and to expand my horizons. I chose to go on the trip, knowing I would not be acquainted with a single person; knowing I would be traveling constantly and living out of a suitcase; knowing I would be challenged academically; and knowing I would not have a restful summer. All the sacrifices I had made, all the challenges I faced, were more than worth it! I will not forget a single moment!

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