Oregon State University students increasingly use the globe as their campus. They might live with a family in the Amazon rainforest, go scuba diving in the Caribbean and hear life-changing stories in health clinics in South Africa and India. They witness wildlife management on an African safari ranch and in the Himalayan foothills of Nepal.
These are just a few of the experiences that have expanded their horizons in recent years. And with a helping hand from the International Degree and Education Abroad (IDEA) program, students are successfully navigating the logistics (everything from visas to vaccinations) and securing academic credit for their studies. IDEA staff also assist students in managing their finances and identifying scholarship opportunities to cover the costs.
“We help students go through the steps to apply and also work with their departments to make sure the experiences meet academic standards for course credit,” says LeAnn Adam, education abroad adviser with IDEA.
Students interested in adding an international experience to their resume can talk with students who have already spent time abroad. “We have student ambassadors who have gone overseas and know what it’s like to be away from home,” adds Adam. “They are available Monday through Friday to mentor students.”
IDEA partners with organizations that coordinate more than 200 international experiences as diverse as formal internships and term-long student exchanges. They specialize in areas such as social justice, natural resources and health care. See an interactive Google map of Oregon State study-abroad and IE3 Global Internships sites.
Students can call IDEA at 541-737-7006 or visit the office in the University Plaza, 1600 SW Western Ave., suite 130.
