Instead of spending two years studying a language at the U, Ben Williams went to Tianjin, China last summer to immerse himself in the culture and learn Mandarin with hands-on experiences.
Williams, a junior in international business and Chinese, said that besides receiving school credit, the six-week summer program gave him the opportunity to learn and practice Mandarin from local Chinese people and also perfect his pronunciation.
“It was helpful for me in learning my target language,” Williams said. “It was epic.”
Students can learn about experiences such as Williams’ at International Week, which lasts until Friday. Besides traveling to China, the U’s study abroad program offers trips to Germany, Spain, Czech Republic, France, Italy and Mexico.
The U is hosting International Week in the Union main lobby with a specific theme every day. Today, students can learn about Africa and the Middle East, on Wednesday about traveling to Europe, Eurasia and Latin America and on Thursday, there will be tables filled with food, pictures and memorabilia of the Asian and Pacific Island cultures.
To end the week, on Friday the International Center will host an international party in the Union Ballroom from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
The week will feature tables set up by different colleges and organizations on campus, such as the College of Humanities and the Lowell Bennion Community Service Center, to promote the opportunities they offer for students.
Monday, students mingled around tables covered in brightly colored pamphlets about study abroad programs and others with international food to sample.
The Bennion Center had a table to inform students about abroad and local service projects, including a trip to Mexico in May in partnership with Choice Humanitarian, a group that works with the center to organize volunteer opportunities. The group of students going will help villagers build leadership skills and overcome poverty through self-reliance.
“A lot of students are unaware of the opportunities available to them,” said Christy Tobolski, spokeswoman for the Bennion Center. “Setting up tables in the Union helps. It’s a good outreach for the international efforts.”
Along with study abroad programs and service projects, there are majors and minors focused on international studies. June Marvel, an academic adviser for the Middle East
East Center, said the government has identified a group of critical languages that it needs the younger generations to learn, including Arabic, Hebrew, Persian and Turkish.
The College of Humanities offers courses in these critical languages, as well as additional languages and majors emphasizing specific countries. It also offers various minors, such as the peace and conflict studies interdisciplinary minor.
This is where jobs are going to be in the future, Marvel said. The government will be losing a lot of people in the next five to 10 years and will be looking for employees with global experience.
“Students should know it’s not that hard to make the time to have an impact on either the local communities or communities abroad,” Tobolski said. “There are lots of representatives, like the Bennion Center, on campus who are here to support students in their efforts.”
Greg HarlowTodd McKay speaks about study abroad programs during International Week Monday at the Union.