Through Global Learning, students are seeing the world, making friends and gaining confidence.
The worst thing about Tiffany Prizzi's study-abroad experience turned out to be one of the best things for her. Prizzi, who is based in Pullman as assistant director of global learning for all WSU campuses, had just embarked on a semester in Siena, Italy. What should have been a thrilling start to her adventure was, she remembers, "a horrible experience." Her plane landed in Rome, but her luggage did not. "I was freaking out," she said. "You’re tired, you don’t really speak the language, and not having what I would need for the next four months was overwhelming." She went on to Siena, and three days later her bags showed up.
"I knew on that day I could make it through anything," she recalled. "I overcame a lot of anxiety and homesickness and used my experience as a way to frame the rest of my time. When I came back home, I was more confident in myself and my ability to put things in perspective."
WSU students who have studied abroad consider the experience life changing. It can improve their confidence, problem-solving abilities, language skills and even their job prospects. Plus they often make lifelong friends.
The Global Learning office in Pullman orchestrates study abroad for all WSU campuses. "Because we're part of a greater system, there are a lot of options, so students can go almost anywhere, and most majors are included in some way, shape or form," said Maggie Musty, assistant campus director of engaged learning at WSU Vancouver.
Indeed, you can find WSU students in unexpected places. When Chancellor Mel Netzhammer was vacationing in Greece last year, he spotted someone wearing Coug gear. It was a group of Study Abroad students from WSU Vancouver, led by Professor of Marketing U.N. Umesh.
It was a fun coincidence, but not a surprise. The Carson College of Business requires its majors to have some type of international experience, and studying in another country is one way to satisfy the requirement.
Ready for takeoff
For WSU Vancouver students, Musty's office is often the first stop in learning what steps they need to take to study abroad. Her office serves as a liaison between WSU Vancouver and Pullman's International Programs office. Early on, students must complete Global Cougs 101, an asynchronous online informational session that describes the various learning opportunities available, explains how global learning can help fulfill academic requirements, and discusses financial aid and scholarships. Students are especially encouraged to discuss their study abroad goals with their advisor as early as possible—before meeting with a Global Learning advisor.
Musty outlined three types of global learning programs:
- Faculty-led programs. Typically one to four weeks, these are led by WSU faculty. Sometimes they are connected with a specific class. Students might stay with a host family or in some kind of student housing.
- Exchange programs. These typically involve 1-1 exchanges between a U.S. student and a student from another country. They usually last for a semester or an academic year.
- Provider programs. These third-party organizations work closely with WSU and universities abroad. Their fees typically include tuition, housing, cultural activities and day trips, and programs can last for a summer, a semester or a year. Classes are generally in English.
Internship programs are another option, sometimes through affiliated providers and sometimes on the student's initiative.
Earning credit for study abroad can be easy or somewhat complicated. With a faculty-led program, credit is automatic. With provider programs, students may need to consult with a study abroad advisor to make sure the program works with whatever their goals may be. The Carson College has pre-approved several courses, and WSU has a pre-approval process that students should begin a year or more before they go abroad.
Rather than trying to match up credits earned abroad with their major, many students use their study abroad experience to earn elective or UCore credits. "The nature of experiential learning coincides with the goal of the UCore program itself," Prizzi said.
Nina Albrecht, a senior in finance from Vancouver, studied in summer 2023 in Rome. She took two classes provided by the CEA-CAPA program there, both of which served as electives for her: art history and Italian cultural perspectives. Both classes involved excursions—to museums and historical and archeological sites for one, and to different districts in and outside of Rome for the other. She stayed in an apartment-like complex with other students and took classes at the program’s building downtown.
Kaden Weber, a junior and student ambassador, had a similar experience with CEA-CAPA in Rome. "We got to go to many smaller cities around Rome and check out the culture that was not city life," he recalled. He was thrilled to see in person the historical and architectural sites he'd only read about in history classes.
While language isn't usually a barrier (many classes are in English), everyone is concerned about money. But, according to Musty and Prizzi, the cost doesn't need to hold anyone back. A student's state and federal financial aid awards can help cover the cost of studying abroad. And other help is available too. "A lot of students don’t realize how many scholarships we have access to and can advise on," Prizzi said. Student Financial Services works with students to understand the financial aspects of studying abroad.
Jessica Miralrio, who participated in an ISEP provider program at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, South Korea, in 2022, said her program made things easy for her, arranging insurance, housing and some field trips. "I would say it is affordable," Miralrio said. "FAFSA covered about $5,000 toward my study abroad experience, and that pretty much covered tuition." She spent about $4,000 of her own money on housing, food and airfare. She lived in student housing, and food was cheap.
Moreover, Prizzi pointed out, study abroad need not be that expensive. It all depends on where you go. WSU Global Learning has created "advising guides" that provide a selection of education abroad programs recommended for a particular major or other special focus. While students tend to look at more expensive destinations, such as France and Italy, one advising guide, "Cheaper than WSU," identifies programs in countries such as Thailand and Uruguay, where tuition and cost of living may be lower than in the United States.
WSU is working on many levels to encourage study abroad. One way, for example, is First-Generation Abroad, offered expressly for students who are first in their families to attend college. The program’s website notes that first-generation students stand to benefit greatly from the professional and personal development opportunities of study abroad, yet they are among the least likely to participate. Among the benefits cited: higher GPA, stronger degree completion rates, better cultural understanding and open-mindedness—and the ability to "stand out in today’s competitive job market."