Have you ever wanted to see the world and learn more about other cultures? Have you dreamed of walking the European streets or seeing the bustling nightlife in Asia? Or maybe wanted to gain more knowledge on other ways of life around the globe? Going abroad is a staple bucket list item for many college students, and the University of West Florida’s Office of International Affairs is making it a reality for many. 

The Office of International Affairs is a hidden hub of information that is adjacent to the visitor’s center and the College of Education and Professional Studies building. It’s the place to go when seeking additional information about international services. 

UWF partners and works closely with other schools, mainly in Europe and Asia, to give students as many opportunities as possible to study in a different country. 

These partner institutions include schools in France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Hungary, the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the Netherlands. Exchange students can attend these institutions for a semester or sometimes even a year and pay tuition to the University while abroad, which means all financial aid applies to the costs abroad.

“We have a lot of students on need-based aid that imagine studying abroad is out of reach,” said Director of International Affairs, Rachel Hendrix. “I remember having that same feeling as an undergrad and one of the things we are trying to do is dispel that myth. It can be affordable and accessible.” 

Bright Futures, Pell Grants and scholarships all go toward the cost of tuition for an exchange program, meaning many students can study abroad for nearly the same cost when it comes to school. If you get any aid through UWF, that aid will still be intact while you’re abroad since you are still paying the University. Additionally, all partner schools offer coursework in English and you are not required to learn another language, although it is encouraged. 

For some students, the idea of going abroad for an entire semester might be a hard pill to swallow. Most students have reservations about being independent in a different country they aren’t familiar with. To give students an abroad experience not as extensive, the University also offers Argos Abroad and Faculty-led programs, which typically consist of a group of UWF students traveling in a pack with a faculty member for 2-3 weeks. These programs are held during the summertime after students finish the spring term. 

“We have three programs in the works right now,” said Study Abroad Coordinator, Jessica Prather. “Argos in Latin America, which is a world cultivation course in Panama and Costa Rica in May for two weeks, and we are also doing Argos in Europe which explores the British Isles and will be offered alongside Literature courses for upper and lower divisions. We are still in the works seeing if an Argos in Asia program can be added as well.” 

“Our intent with these programs, at least the Argos in Asia and Argos in Latin America, is to target first and second year students by offering these general education courses that students need for their degree audit because with exchange programs we’re not seeing students go until their junior or senior year when they’re more independent.” added Hendrix. 

The idea is to make studying abroad as accessible and worthwhile as possible. Offering differing levels of going abroad makes it easier for students to try going to a new country and expanding their worldview. Argos Abroad offers a foundation for students to explore the world and then decide if going abroad for a longer period for an exchange program might benefit them. 

In addition to the many study abroad opportunities and exchange programs, the International Affairs Office has a Peace Corps Prep Program that allows students to develop sector-specific skills, foreign language proficiencies, intercultural competence and professional leadership. Upon completion, students receive a certificate from the Peace Corps which can provide a competitive edge when applying for Peace Corps service.

“The experience that you get is life-changing. Not only are there the intrinsic benefits of becoming more self-confident, independent and more global with an increased global view, but it also helps you in your career path.” said Rachel Hendrix. 

In a pamphlet designed by the Office of International Affairs, “84% of human resource executives believe that an international education experience is important in distinguishing a candidate for overseas job placement. Additionally, study abroad returnees report salaries 25% higher than their counterparts in similar jobs, and 80% of study abroad returnees built valuable job skills during their experience, according to the Office of International Affairs.”

Hendrix further added to this, stating that the University works together to showcase the students’ time abroad in a way that will best benefit them. “We work with career services with students on how to incorporate that into their resume as well because it is an attractive feature to hiring committees.” 

When I asked what some of the biggest benefits of studying abroad are, Jessica Prather said it’s all about personal growth. “Getting out of your comfort zone is a big one. It’s [studying abroad] still kind of within the confines of a University and you still have a lot of that assistance and help to where you’re not completely on your own.” 

When surveyed about their experience, 13 students all said that the study abroad experiences had changed their worldview, strengthened their self-confidence and was overall a good or excellent experience. 

If studying abroad is something you’re interested in but don’t know where to begin, start by visiting the Study Abroad section on the UWF website. After glancing over some basic information, “The best thing to do would be to reach out and email [email protected] and say you’re interested, ask what you need to do and we’ll reach out to schedule an initial meeting to discuss what options there might be.” advised Jessica Prather. 

What if it’s difficult for me to study abroad with school, work and life? What if I’m a nursing student? How can I get credit abroad? That might be difficult to manage since most credits don’t transfer over to the American system of nursing but going abroad is still a possibility. “Our nursing program in the past has done service-learning programs where they teamed up with social work and they did a program in Guatemala. There are opportunities that exist outside of academic purposes as well.” Rachel Hendrix explained.

Not only does the University send students abroad, but they also recruit exchange students from their partner schools as well. “Right now, the school has around 50 students attending from these partner institutions in other countries,” said Rachel Hendrix.

These students serve as ambassadors for UWF and will be showcased in the Fall Study Abroad fair happening on November 7. International students will be given the opportunity to showcase their country and their school for all students to attend and ask questions or learn more. 

Apart from the Study Abroad Fair, the Office of International Affairs always has plenty of events and happenings going on. Every Thursday from 5:30 -7:00 p.m., the office hosts a coffee hour for students with any global interests. Coffee hour serves as a meet-up for students to get more involved and have some interaction around global conversations. 

The International Affairs office is home to The Center for Asian Studies, International Student and Scholar Services and an Intensive English program as well.

The Intensive English program is Mon.-Thurs. in the International Affairs Office and students come to learn English for approximately 18-20 hours a week. It’s not for credit through the school, but is a great resource for those looking to learn the English language.

“We also have the Center for Asian Studies,” said Hendrix, “The Japan House was built in 2004 in partnership with our sister city Garro, Japan. We do a lot of programming there and every Tuesday we do Sado, a traditional tea ceremony. We also have origami workshops, calligraphy and more that are open to anyone, not just students, and they’re free.”

To get more involved in global affairs at UWF, follow @uwfglobalquarter on social media to stay up to date, and reach out to Study Abroad Coordinator Jessica Prather at [email protected] or through Navigate. Visit the website now to see what opportunities await.