Emory is one of the few schools that can boast that more than 50% of its student population studies abroad. The University, attuned to many students’ rigorous or inflexible schedules, has made great strides in providing multiple abroad opportunities of varying length, so that a significant portion of the community can experience what nearly everyone at Emory describes as “one of the most amazing experiences of my life.”
Katie Lushbough, a senior in the college, studied abroad twice: for a semester in Salamanca, Spain, and for a summer in Paris, France. “I did it twice. Need I say more?”
The Center for International Programs Abroad, or CIPA, offers a range of locations across six continents, and programs during the summer, fall, or spring semesters. The Goizueta Business School also offers abroad programs for its students (and roughly 25% of them go abroad). There are many advisors who work with CIPA that may be able to help pinpoint certain programs for you—because after all, Emory offers not only direct enrollment programs at universities all over the world, but specialized programs such as linguistics in Amsterdam, psychology in Vanuatu, and environmental studies in Tanzania.
Can’t bear to part from Emory for a semester? Or perhaps, like many students on the pre-med track or a particularly scheduled academic path, can’t seem to find a good semester to go abroad? The University is aware of the academic rigors it demands of its students, and offers more than forty summer semester programs through CIPA. Many of these programs are very Emory-specific, which means that they are not direct enrollment programs at various universities; most are taught and led by Emory professors and transfer as very specific academic course credits. These programs range from two weeks to all summer long, and take students everywhere from Namibia to Argentina.
“I went abroad during the summer because it most easily fit my schedule,” says Megan Tougher, a senior in the B-school. “And I went to Dharamsala, India, because it seemed like an incredible experience I would not easily have in the future.”
So why study abroad? There are certainly some big components of the decision that are important to measure out. Being pushed out of your comfort zone and learning to assimilate into a new culture—even if it is for only a limited amount of time—is no easy feat, especially if you are in a country where English is spoken few and far between, or safety is a big concern. For some, it is a welcomed change, and one they relish; for others, it is daunting, and the familiarity and plethora of opportunity at Emory is difficult to leave behind.
“I spent the fall semester of my junior year in Paris,” says Chase Jordan, a senior in the college. “I participated in the EDUCO program. Assimilating into French culture and attempting to speak in the language definitely wasn’t the easiest thing at first, but it quickly became second nature, and my experience with a host family was phenomenal. I can’t speak highly enough of my experience.”
Liz Simon, a junior in the college who is currently studying abroad in India, agrees. “I chose to go abroad last minute, weighing my pre-med course track and my extra curricular activities at Emory. I’m currently in Dharamsala, India. And I don’t want to come back.”
Going abroad for a semester means forsaking some yearlong leadership positions in clubs and organizations, and can certainly pack a punch to your wallet. Additionally, as anyone who goes abroad can tell you, the transferring of academic credit isn’t always the smoothest process, even if CIPA blanket-approves (the term used to indicate that a class abroad is pre-approved by the university for credit) some courses. But for most, none of that matters.
“There are no negatives to studying abroad. I really believe that,” says college senior Ben Karsai,. “You grow in all aspects: you experience a new culture. You experience working with new people. You experience living on your own in a foreign country. Your grades go up. You learn so much. The only inhibitor is homesickness, and that’s manageable, absolutely.”
College senior Chelsea Williams agrees. “I am the first to tell others to study abroad. Yet it is a double-edged sword. Going abroad means giving up many things: family, friends, for many places toilets and running water, but more unexpectedly lots of opportunities for leadership positions. Even after having spent the year going through the competitive medical school application process I am absolutely convinced that was the best decision I ever made. My months in Morocco helped me grow as a person. I came back better prepared for my future, for medicine, and for my remaining time at Emory. No leadership position could ever compare. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”
I have to agree. What I gained from my semester abroad is invaluable, and that experience is something that I exhibit now as an individual. A semester in South Africa was truly a testament to my character: learning to be discreet, streetwise, independent and frugal, while indulging in the activities I loved: traveling, hiking, scuba diving, and, yes, going out with friends. Independence, common sense, wits, inclusiveness—call it what you will. But those things are put to the test while you’re abroad, and you realize it while you’re tramping through the African wilderness or walking High Street in your Wellies.