St. Ambrose students in Italy, Indian students at St. Ambrose. Every year the Study Abroad office sends St. Ambrose students all over the world and students from all over the world come to St. Ambrose.
There are two different offices that serve the purpose for studying abroad, the Study Abroad office and the office of International Student Sevices.
“The Study Abroad office focuses on sending SAU students out,” Loncarich said. “The International Student Services office focusing on bringing international students to the university.”
Stephanie Loncarich works in the Study Abroad office. She promotes study abroad to St. Ambrose students, and also coordinates study abroad events on campus.
Loncarich’s office offers resources to students that help them through the whole process, from their first application to the plane ride home.
“I studied abroad in the spring of 2012,” SAU junior Kathryn DeMatteo said. “I spent most of my fall 2012 semester in the study abroad office. They helped me fill out all of the applications and answered all my questions.”
The Study Abroad office helps student communicate with their Study Abroad program. They help them with program and visa applications. The goal is to keep students on track during the process.
Once you reach your destination, the abroad office doesn’t leave you hanging. They keep in touch with you to make sure you are properly transitioning to your new home. Loncarich will usually message her students every few weeks to make sure they are doing well.
Many students that travel abroad go through some sort of culture shock. That doesn’t only happen to American students visiting other countries. The same goes for International students that are attending St. Ambrose as exchange, transfer, undergraduate, and graduate students.
That’s where the International Student Services office comes in. The International Studies office works to transition International students into the Ambrose way of life. The office resources include answering every question from visas to classes offered at SAU.
International Student Services is growing. St. Ambrose has made partnerships with programs that will offer a tuition exchange. These tuition exchanges will apply to 50 different universities around the globe.
According to Ryan Dye, the program will give SAU students the opportunity to study abroad without the financial burden that students usually associate it with. When other universities, that are members of the ISEP program, send students to SAU, SAU can send that same number to other member’s universities.
As the option of study abroad becomes more affordable and realistic at SAU, chances are more students will experience life in a different country.