In hopes of one-upping the record-breaking number of Aggies who studied abroad last year, the university is hosting its Overseas Day festival once more.
Overseas Day is an annual festival that provides information to students on various study abroad programs that are sponsored through A&M that take students all over the world.
Kelsie Kirk, telecommunications and media studies junior, works as a global ambassador in the College of Liberal Arts. As an ambassador, she works with students to plan for study abroad trips.
“Studying abroad really transforms who you are — it transformed me from a dreamer to a doer,” Kirk said. “It has made me way more comfortable being put in an environment I’m not comfortable in and in relationship building as well.”
Jane Flaherty, director of the Study Abroad Office, said last year the office saw a record level of students going abroad.
“Currently, we have 688 students signed up to go abroad in this academic year and roughly 3,700 students went last academic year, which was a record high,” Flaherty said.
Kirk said the fair also addresses way students can finance a study abroad trip, which she said can be a deterrent for students.
“What most students don’t realize is that if they already have financial aid that they are already receiving they may be eligible to apply that towards their study abroad trip,” Kirk said. “Talk to the financial aid office and they can tell you if it will apply.”
There are four types of study abroad experiences that can be organized with the university: faculty led, reciprocal exchange, transfer credit research and intern or volunteer experiences.
For example, Tobin Redwine, professor in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, leads a study abroad trip to Namibia, Africa, every summer. He encourages students to study abroad so that they can see new types of environments like Namibia.
“The stars literally suck the breath out of you,” Redwine said. “We have this beautiful experience with the natural world and with agriculture.”
Overseas Day will be held from 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Rudder Exhibit Hall.