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UA study abroad students avoiding the border

Wednesday, 26 January 2011 22:13

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Ongoing border conflicts are influencing the countries where University of Arizona students are choosing to study abroad.

Laura Thornes, assistant director for Study Abroad and Student Exchange, said the current trends and relationship between Mexico and the U.S. form a direct correlation to the number of students that venture across the border.

“We used to send a lot of students to Mexico,” she said. “The numbers have been hurt in the past couple of years as a direct result of the issues we have been having with the border."

“You can see hesitation in students, especially in the semester programs,” she added.

Thornes explained that the faculty-led summer programs offered are more comforting to students because they have someone to rely on, while the semester programs force students to be in a situation where they are more independent.

Thornes also mentioned that although students have been shifting away from Mexico, the total number of students studying abroad is at an all time high.  Spain, Italy and China are currently the most popular choices.

“At the start of the recession the number of students participating in programs leveled off for about a year, but since then the numbers have been going up,” Thornes said.

Thornes added that over 1,400 students studied abroad last year, and reached a new high for summer programs.

The Spring Study Abroad Fair took place on the University of Arizona Mall on January 26th to showcase the vast study abroad opportunities available to students.

The Office of Study Abroad and Student Exchange offers opportunities to study abroad in more than 60 different countries for college credit.

Samantha Perez, a UA student interested in studying in Argentina and Spain, said the fair was helpful because you can “grab all the information you need and go.”

“Living so close to the border, Mexico did not appeal to me,” she said. “I want to go somewhere completely different and the fair was great at showing the huge number of places I can choose from.”

For many students studying abroad is an experience they cannot compare to taking classes at the UA.

Patrick Moore, a senior, studied abroad in Germany last year and recommends it to students considering it.

While helping out at the fair he took time to explain, “I learned a different perspective on life.”

“You gain language skills, survival skills and are immersed in a totally different social environment,” Moore added.

The Office of Study Abroad and Student Exchange office is located on 939 N. Tyndall Ave. and is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Written by Danijela Grk You are reading UA study abroad students avoiding the border articles

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