The University of Iowa Study Abroad office offers in-person classroom presentations for faculty and staff interested in promoting study abroad to their students. The visits typically run 30-60 minutes, depending on the desired topics to be covered.
“Study Abroad is happy to visit classrooms and talk about international opportunities for your students,” said Phoebe Nishimoto, study abroad advisor and outreach coordinator. “Our office can give general information sessions, provide information specific to a major or field of study, and talk about global internships. We'd love to interact with your classrooms.”
“The most impactful part of the classroom presentation is that students learn that study abroad is accessible for everyone,” remarked Sophie Switzer, assistant director, engaged learning and career preparation, College of Public Health. “When the study abroad office visits my seminar course, they highlight the amount of funding available, where to search for it, and the level of guidance and support the global internship advisor can offer them. Many of our students lack family financial support or are the first in their families to attend college; they haven’t considered global experiences due to these barriers. These presentations do a great job of showing them that this is not the case. In fact, several of our students traveled abroad last summer without having to pay anything out-of-pocket.”
Student organizations or other campus groups are also invited to request a visit.
“The idea of studying abroad can be overwhelming for some students and they procrastinate learning more,” said Meredith Gall, senior academic advisor in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “Having a class presentation helps them take that first step and puts them on an easier path to meeting with a study abroad advisor... In a class setting where they are already comfortable, they can ask questions that they may have been intimidated to ask.”
If you’re interested in requesting a presentation, you can do so through this application form. Ideally, these requests should be made at least two weeks in advance.
“The process to schedule a presentation was incredibly easy,” said Switzer. “The staff are very responsive and after having them in our classroom for several semesters now, they know to expect my request and are great about fitting me into their schedule.”
International Programs (IP) at the University of Iowa (UI) is committed to enriching the global experience of UI students, faculty, staff, and the general public by leading efforts to promote internationally oriented teaching, research, creative work, and community engagement. IP provides support for international students and scholars, administers scholarships and assistance for students who study, intern, or do research abroad, and provides funding opportunities and grant-writing assistance for faculty engaged in international research. IP shares their stories through various media, and by hosting multiple public engagement activities each year.