A general information session for studying abroad was held in Escalante Hall room 101 on Oct. 9. Students interested in traveling to new locations outside the United States while continuing their higher education were encouraged to attend the session and learn more about the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP).
International Student Admissions and Programs Director Annie Gingerich presented information along with International Student Coordinator Derek Husvet. 13 students attended the first of three general information sessions.
During the presentation, Gingerich encouraged students interested in the program to know exactly what remained to graduate Colorado Mesa University and meet with their advisor to discuss how to study abroad and still fulfill graduation requirements.
Gingerich and Husvet alternated with one another in presenting information to the students. Husvet also discussed his personal experience with learning abroad.
“Studying abroad is like the best thing ever,” Husvet said. “Everybody is community and it’s so much fun.”
One of the questions asked by the audience centered around how much of the local language Husvet was able to learn while studying in Europe.
“A lot,” Husvet said. “Just being around it you learn so much.”
Husvet also said that traveling to other countries impacted more than just his education. It also affected Husvet’s confidence and worldview.
“I would definitely recommend it because it will change your outlook on the entire world. Personally, I am no longer scared to visit any country in the world as long as the political issues are okay,” Husvet said. “I have a more worldly view and I have a different view on the U.S.”
Gingerich thinks the experience helps to grow the understanding of the world for a student body that is mostly made up of individuals from Colorado.
“To be able to pay CMU tuition, what you’re normally paying, but spend that semester outside of the country in a different country learning a lot about yourself challenging yourself, you come back with a new sense of confidence, just an understanding about the larger world and your place in it,” Gingerich said.
Questions also focused on grades and how international grades translate into American grades. Gingerich and Husvet emphasized that grades abroad count for CMU, so student performance still matters.
“ISEP will send your transcript back to CMU,” Gingerich said. The Registrar’s Office receives the transcripts and translates the grading system other countries use into the format used by CMU.
CMU began using ISEP as it’s third-party study abroad provider to send and receive students through in 2010, but this is the first semester that the International Student Admissions and Programs office is really trying to promote it to the larger campus.
The idea is to get students in their freshman and sophomore years that haven’t heard about ISEP and are interested in studying abroad. That’s the reason for the information sessions as well as setting up a table in the University Center throughout the semester.
“We hung posters on campus about these dates and Study Abroad Day, we’ve worked with marketing to promote the upcoming info sessions and tables through the digital marketing they do across campus and through mavzone as well,” Gingerich said.
The first information table in the UC was considered a success because 53 students put their email down on a contact sheet for more information. The information table will be set up twice more and Husvet will sit and answer questions in the UC.
“We have three different dates where we have a table set up in the UC with photos on display of students who have studied abroad,” Gingerich said.
In addition to three general information sessions and three dates for the information table in the UC, Study Abroad Day is scheduled for Nov. 14.
“We’ll just have a day where we offer the session a couple different times. And we’ll have returned study abroad students give a short presentation on their experience abroad throughout the day,” Gingerich said.
Students attending the first information session were encouraged to begin their ISEP application if they hadn’t already done so. Deadlines for the applications determine when students will be able to study in other countries.
“The deadline for spring of 2018 has already passed. That’s September first, but you can still get in for summer because you have to do summer direct and that’s based on the host universities’ deadlines,” Husvet said. “For fall of 2018, that deadline is February 15,” Husvet said.
Gingerich said that on average, CMU sends 10-20 students abroad per semester, but her goal is to see that number double in the future.
Questions about the program or how to apply can be addressed to isepinfo@coloradomesa.edu or by searching ISEP on the CMU website.
