Michigan State University prides itself in
consistently having one of the largest Study Abroad programs in the country. When
I first visited MSU as a senior in high school the presentation I sat through
placed a lot of emphasis on studying abroad. My tour guide stressed that there
are more than 275 programs to choose from in over 65 countries and all continents, including Antarctica. Yet, as crazy as it sounds I
remember thinking that I would most likely never find a program that would work
with my schedule. I assumed because I was going to be in a residential college
there would not be a program over the summer that would go towards my very
specific majors, let alone be in a country I was actually interested in. I was
frustrated until I learned that James Madison College sponsors multiple Study
Abroad programs available during the summer and both fall and spring semesters.
At first, I thought studying
abroad was going to be impossible being in a residential college but I could not
have been more wrong. This semester I was accepted to study Comparative
Republicanism in Rome and Florence for the summer. Once I looked into it, I
realized James Madison sponsors programs specific to both of my majors—
International Relations and Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy
(PTCD). The Study Abroad program for PTCD just so happens to be hosted in my
dream country, Italy. Not only do I have family in both Rome and Florence but I
also have been studying Italian as my Madison language for the past two years.
There is a program that is
over the summer, in the country of my dreams, and is specific to my major. For
anyone who has the desire to travel and study in another country, there is
definitely a program out there for you. Everyone is telling the truth when they
say Michigan State and its residential colleges have the best Study Abroad
programs in the nation!
Gabriela
Sophomore
IR &PTCD
