Fair in Slane Center shows students study abroad opportunities
By Nick Bainbridge// News Editor
Friday, Sept. 28 featured the High Point University Global Experience Study Abroad Fair. While it was initially planned to take place on Sept. 15, it had to be rescheduled to Sept. 28 due to the threat Hurricane Florence posed to the city of High Point and the surrounding area.
The event was located in the Slane Student Center near the gymnasium and ran from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Students from a myriad of different majors were able to view the multiple options available for study abroad programs to various countries and the universities within.
Students interested in studying abroad had the opportunity to speak with some of their peers who spent some of their college experience in another country. The interactions allowed considering students to gain deeper insight into what study abroad entails so that they could determine whether or not it is right for them.
Many of the HPU students who went abroad spoke glowingly about their experiences, remarking on how they were given the opportunity to experience a lot during their time abroad.
“The most memorable thing for me was seeing Michelangelo’s ‘David’ in person. When I turned the corner and saw it for the first time I was amazed,” said Becca Sands, a senior who went to Italy for her study abroad program.
Visiting another country for a month, also called a “Maymester” is an appealing thing to many HPU students, as it allows them to gain a better understanding of different cultures while still allowing them to focus on their education.
“It is about immersing yourself in another country’s culture while you study. It is an experience that everyone should have, as it allows us to grow as people,” said Cassie King, HPU sophomore.
Students from HPU were not the only students to learn from at the fair. There were also some students native to different nations who were studying abroad in America at HPU. They too had their own things to say about the value of studying abroad and why they think HPU students should take a semester somewhere outside the continental United States.
“It is one of the best opportunities you have to immerse yourself in a new culture and study environment and learn a lot from people who live quite differently from you,” said Jordan Akindutire, an exchange student from the University of Essex in England who was offering information on his college to those interested.
While the semester only started a short while ago, students who are studying at HPU as part of an exchange program said that they were already enjoying the experience.
“It’s just been one month that I’ve been here but it’s been pretty good so far,” said Ryosuke Sakai, a student from Akita International University.
Ryosuke also explained that students who came to HPU from other countries are assigned mentors from among the HPU student body to help them become more accustomed to life in their new surroundings.
There were several more countries offering study abroad programs for HPU students to participate in, including an exercise science course in Nepal, an animal behavior Maymester in South Africa and cultural study in Thailand.
Students get information on studey abroad opportunities at the fair. Photo by Nicholas Bainbridge