News

The study, conducted by the Institute for International Education, included the input of Syracuse Abroad alumni. It investigates the connection between study abroad programs and the development of skills that contribute to employment and career development in today’s workforce. The study was released at the IIE Summit on Generation Study Abroad in Washington, DC on October 2, and the full report can be downloaded at www.iie.org/employability.  The study shows that studying abroad for longer periods of time has a high impact on subsequent job offers and career advancement as well as the development of foreign language and communication skills.

A key takeaway: Among alumni who studied abroad for one academic year, 68 percent reported studying abroad contributing to a job offer or promotion.

Last month, Syracuse Abroad, in partnership with the Office of Alumni Relations, hosted a reception at the State Room in downtown Boston, Mass. for its alumni in the greater Boston area. It was a chance for alumni to mingle with one another, to stay up-to-date on the latest developments from the Syracuse Abroad office, and to listen to Professor Randall Korman share his memories from 30 years of teaching Syracuse University students abroad. Paul Miller ’09 and Michael Messina ’98 also spoke at the event about the lasting impression study abroad experiences leave on students long after they return to the United States.

Further abroad alumni receptions are scheduled for 2018! The first will be held in Washington, DC in June – keep an eye on your email for an invite in spring 2018!

The Syracuse Abroad office is proud of its commitment to expanding to offering students a wide range of abroad programs that meet their academic needs. A robust list of summer programs, ranging from three to nine credits, changes each year. Exciting new programs have been announced for summer 2018: A course examining the geography of wine and beer along the Franco-German border, an architecture course focused on public transportation issues in Guatemala City, a public health course examining issues of public health and drug abuse offered just over the border in Vancouver, Canada, and a course that takes students to Mount Everest Base Camp in Nepal to examine the effects of high altitude in human beings.

At the same time, changes are underway at the Syracuse Abroad centers: engineering courses are now offered for second-year students in Strasbourg and Florence, computer science and information technology courses are available in London, and a new Discovery first-year study abroad program for engineers will launch at the Madrid Center in fall 2018.

All told, Syracuse University students can now choose from 100 programs in 60 countries. We can’t wait to introduce you to them!

By Meghan Stark

1) Facetime is your best friend

None of the data usage, all of the sentimentality. Facetiming or Skyping your family and friends can relieve some of the homesickness you’ve been feeling, as seeing their faces can make you feel more connected than just hearing their voices.

2) Eat something that reminds you of home

Make something that warms your belly and your heart; eating food you usually eat at home can help connect you to home and the kitchens you love.

3) Keep familiar things around

Maybe it’s a stuffed animal or a sweatshirt from your favorite vacation spot, but keep important things close to you to foster a sense of home in your new location.

4) Pictures

Pictures of EVERYONE! Your parents, dogs, siblings, friends, anything that reminds you of happy times in a happy place, print it out and hang it up! You’ll be surprised how much visual suggestion can make you feel at home.

5) Movies/Music

While it’s awesome to get into the cultural scene of your new home, music and movies from home are a big comfort and reminder that you’ll always appreciate the music and movies you grew up with. Stream your favorite local radio station, see what movies they have on their respective Netflix (Yes, other countries have Netflix – it’s pretty wild!). Remind yourself of what made you dance or laugh when you were home, and chances are it will still make you laugh while abroad.

6) Visit friends

Chances are, you know other people studying abroad right now. Plan a weekend trip to go see them! A familiar face can do wonders.

7) Avoid obsession or romanticizing

While home is GREAT, there are hardships there as well.  It’s possible your longing for something familiar is stopping you from remembering that if you were home right now you’d still have to do homework, go to work, and do other things you’re probably not crazy about. But you don’t get the added bonus of getting to travel to other countries on the weekend.

8) Learn the language

Maybe one of the reasons you’re feeling out of place is because there’s a barrier between you and your new neighbors. Learning some basics of your new home can help connect you to the people and culture of the city you’re studying in.

9) Explore your new home

The best way to combat homesickness? Make a home where you are now. Explore your city, eat the local food, get to know the streets and people. Make new happy memories in this new place. By the time you leave, you’ll be homesick for where you went abroad.

Syracuse Abroad has announced that space is still available in the following programs for the Spring 2018 semester:

• Beijing Center
• Florence Center
• Florence Center and Direct Enrollment at the University of Florence
• Florence Center and Intensive Language Program at the University of Florence
• Florence Center: Design
• Florence Center: Engineering
• Florence Center: Studio Arts
• London Center
• London Center: Architecture (B.Arch)
• London Center: Design
• Madrid Center
• Santiago Center
• Santiago Center: Cuenca, Ecuador Immersion
• Strasbourg Center
• Strasbourg Center & French Language Institute
• Strasbourg Center & U. Strasbourg

Students interested in applying for these programs should visit suabroad.syr.edu/apply and begin their applications. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at suabroad@syr.edu.

Participant bios:

On Monday, September 25, Syracuse Abroad will host its first-ever Study Abroad Showcase in the Schine Student Center Atrium from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Students worried about choosing a study abroad program that fits their major or minor requirements are invited to attend and talk to representatives from ten of Syracuse’s schools & colleges*. School and college advisors will be paired with study abroad staff members and global ambassadors to highlight abroad programs that work well with specific majors and minors.

In addition to the seven Syracuse Abroad centers and 65 World Partner Programs, the showcase aims to highlight 2018 summer and short-term programs. Faculty members who are leading programs in 2018 will be available to answer specific questions about their courses.

New faculty-led programs in 2018 include a Mount Everest base camp trek, led by Professor Tom Brutsaert from the School of Education and Falk College Professor Rick Burton; a spring break program to Cuba focusing on Afro-Cuban dance, led by Professor Sydney Hutchinson in the College of Arts & Sciences; and a summer program based in Vancouver, Canada, led by Professor Dessa Bergen-Cico from the Falk College, which will focus on drug policy and harm reduction.

“We want to help SU students figure out which study abroad program is right for them,” said Jennifer Horvath, Syracuse Abroad Marketing and Communications Manager. “With over 100 programs in 60 countries to choose from, we know it can be overwhelming for students who are unsure where to begin.”

*Participating schools and colleges: The College of Arts and Sciences, The Maxwell School, the Newhouse School, the School of Education, Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the School of Visual and Performing Arts, the Whitman School of Management, and the iSchool.

Syracuse Abroad Showcase

Monday, September 25
11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Schine Student Center Atrium

Congratulations to all six Syracuse Abroad students who received Gilman Scholarships for their abroad programs this fall! The Gilman Scholarship Program is open to U.S. citizen undergraduate students who are receiving Federal Pell Grant funding at a two-year or four-year college or university to participate in study and intern abroad programs worldwide. We encourage all Syracuse Abroad students who meet the qualifications to apply for awards that can reach up to $8,000!

The next deadline (for spring 2018 programs) is October 3, 2017.

Our fall 2017 winners are:

Sammy Cayo – Syracuse Hong Kong
Alexandra Goodnough – Syracuse Hong Kong
Calvin Guo – Syracuse Hong Kong
Jessica Vinciguerra – SIT India: Sustainable Development and Social Change
Yeshi Wangmo – Syracuse London
Thandar Zone – Syracuse Hong Kong

Summer program update! The students on the South Africa Immersion: A Global Health Education Experience program are in their second week of the program. One of the course instructors, Jason Torreano, sends in this picture and update from Grahamstown:

“This past week, SU students worked to tutor our students in the first hour of Inkululeko and in the second hour, they’ve begun a project where they have our learners identify triggers of stress and then look at ways to combat that stress (particularly relevant now that it’s exam time). They’ve also heard from Jane Bradshaw, who is the Founder of Amasango School for Street Children. She was our first guest speaker and she spoke about how she launched Amasango more than 30 years ago, her time as principal and now, her reflections on it as she recently retired. The students were captivated. We actually had to cut off questions (a wonderful problem to have) as Jane had to leave for another appointment.”