Finding the Perfect Study Abroad

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

Interning Abroad

When I applied to Michigan State University, one of the biggest attractions to me was that MSU has one of the best study abroad programs in the nation. I found the perfect program for me not through a traditional study abroad program, but in an intern abroad program – where students intern in cities across the world for academic credit through MSU. Part of James Madison graduation requirements is to complete a Field Experience, which most students fulfill by interning for a semester. This program was an excellent way for me to add an international element to my working experience.

I spent the summer of 2015 interning for the Disability Federation of Ireland. DFI is a non-profit umbrella organization for disability rights advocacy groups. It is funded to act as an intermediary between the government and their member organizations to unify and represent the voices of people with disabilities throughout Ireland.  This is a very difficult task as disability itself is such a broad term. DFI represents organizations of people with physical, intellectual, sensory, learning, and hidden disabilities and they all have extremely different priorities and needs due to the wide variety of their daily struggles.

I went on this trip with several other MSU students, all of which had their own unique international internship. My friends worked in places like international legal offices, Eco-Unesco (an environmental branch of the UN), the various political parties and candidates, economic development firms, and marketing firms. Every Monday - Friday, we would take the bus into the heart of the city and walk the streets of Dublin to reach our internship. Often we would rendezvous after work to go to a local pub in the city for dinner and drinks to wind down from our day before heading back to our apartments.  

Not only did I have an amazing professional experience, I also got to travel extensively throughout Ireland. Almost every weekend, a group of us would travel to go explore a nation so incredibly different from our own. From the foreboding Cliffs of Moher to the quaint local pubs, we traveled the countryside and discovered much about ourselves along the way. 

Mandy 

Senior

PTCD

Spring Break Beyond the Comfort Zone

For spring break, I went on a study away trip to Friday Harbor, Washington, a small town located in the San Juan Islands in the Salish Sea. I spent a week at the Friday Harbor Laboratories run by the University of Washington studying the history of the station, the marine biological life studied by scientists, and the unique career paths that people take that bring them to this beautiful island. I also made an incredible set of new friends and discovered life beyond my comfort zone.

Before I went on this trip, I knew nothing about marine biology. I did not consider myself an outdoorsy person at all. I liked exploring busy cities, going to museums, and seeing musicals. I had heard that this trip involved lots of hiking and time spent in the laboratory, and I worried that it would be obvious that I was out of my element.

But my nerves at seeming out of place were unfounded. The scientists at the labs and the residents of the island were incredibly welcoming and warm. They recognized that the students on the trip were from all different majors and backgrounds, and they emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary work. We collected samples of small marine creatures from the docks and observed how they suctioned on to hard and smooth surfaces in the lab. I never knew it could be so fascinating and fun to play with starfish and barnacles!

Collecting animals stuck to tires on the docks.

I also did not realize how much I would enjoy hiking and exploring the lab grounds. The beaches were rocky and the shores were steep, but that did not deter our group from thoroughly exploring the island. We scrambled over rocks, discovered caves, and climbed over fallen trees. At the end of every day I was exhausted and muddy, but I feel asleep with a smile on my face.

The view from the top of Mt. Constitution

The greatest part of the trip was the other MSU students. We were a diverse group—our majors ranged from international relations to fisheries and wildlife to neuroscience, and our ages ranged from freshmen to seniors. But throughout the week, we developed a supportive group dynamic and wonderful friendships.

We learned about each other’s interests and majors, as well as our backgrounds and families. We told stories as we made s’mores over a huge fire and played board games and ping pong well into the night. On this trip, I learned how to skip rocks and shoot pool. I also realized that the best people to learn with and from are my fellow students.

What I really discovered on this trip was the purpose and beauty of being in college. This trip forced me out of my comfort zone. I met new people and had incredible experiences that made me a better person and helped me focus on what was really important in my life. College is a time to explore, and I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to travel to these beautiful islands and push my own boundaries.

Claire

Sophomore

IR & SRP

Studying Abroad Through JMC

As my sophomore year began, and the talk of my friends' summers across the globe loomed through the air, I knew that I wanted to have that experience next summer. While in my STEPPS (Science, Technology, Environment and Public Policy) intro class, Professor Craig talked about a summer in Italy, starting in Rome and ending in Florence. The study abroad included a deep understanding of Rome’s history, by reading Livy’s masterpiece, The History of Rome, and then while in Florence, we dug deep into Dante’s works, including The Inferno. The thought of reading about the history of Rome, then going out onto the streets of Rome and seeing that history come to life was something that I wanted to experience. So, after that class I sent in my application and kept my fingers crossed. Knowing that studying abroad is not cheap, I knew that I still needed to talk my parents into letting me go, also since this was a PTCD study abroad rather than a IR study abroad I knew that persuading my parents would be difficult. However, after talking with Jeff Judge, he suggested that I use this study abroad as my field experience and also with the help of the study abroad office, along with a generous donation from an alum, I was able to cough up the money and fly 4,627 miles across the globe to Italy! After the long plane ride to Italy, a few of my classmates and I got off the plane waited for our luggage and made our way out of the airport. Luckily for me, my dad’s college roommate lives in Italy, so I was able to do a quick tour of the city before meeting up with the rest of my classmates. As the trip began to unfold I began to realize how lucky I was to be in Italy. Not only was I blessed with touring two of the most beautiful cities in the world, but also I made some of my best friends along the way. Studying abroad was truly the best experience I had as an undergrad thus far. Instead of just reading books or taking blue book exams, we got to immerse ourselves in what we were learning about by visiting historic sites in Rome and Florence. We got to fully dive into the culture and the people that surrounded us. This is truly a once in a lifetime experience. After graduation and we are in the “real world” we may not have the chance to do something like this, so why not do it now?

Lisa

Senior

International Relations

Science, Technology, Environment, and Public Policy Minor

Love of Languages

Like many students who enter James Madison College, a love of learning languages and cultures was a motivating factor in the direction of my higher education. While I have always intended to major in International Relations and Comparative Cultures and Politics, I knew that I wanted to continue learning the foreign language that I had developed a love for: Spanish. Upon arriving at the university, I completed my Madison language requirement using Spanish and continued to take Spanish classes for my first two years at MSU.

However, I made a drastic decision and picked up a new language for the Fall of my 2^nd year: Portuguese. As a language that is rarely (if ever) taught at the primary and secondary education levels in most American school districts, Portuguese may appear as a random decision for many. However, for others it makes complete sense. Brazil is a rising nation in every aspect of today’s world, which will be very visible in the upcoming FIFA World Cup and Summer Olympic Games that the South American nation will host. In addition to this growing importance, the similarity yet difference that the language had to Spanish was enticing, as was the fact that it is a rarely studied language in American society, which I hope will set me apart when I begin applying for jobs after graduation.

Like many other languages at MSU, Portuguese is fortunate in that it has a smaller more intimate department at the University, meaning a strong community is formed and a support network is personalized. This fact, in addition to my love for learning the language, encouraged me to adopt Portuguese as a minor despite the fact that I had already studied a different language for a full year.

This decision, however, will not force me to stay over four years in undergraduate education and in fact opened an entirely new opportunity to me: studying abroad in Brazil. While the program that James Madison College offers in Brazil is conducted in English, the fact that I was learning Portuguese and would have a year under my belt during the program encouraged me to apply and really enjoy my time spent abroad. I had the valuable experience of both attending a Madison study abroad program while emerging myself in a culture that I hope to one day become a part of. This had many benefits, including background and contextual education that allows me to both use my Madison class in my language courses as well as the other way around.

My decision to adopt Portuguese as a minor is a decision that I continue to be pride of and I hope will pay off in the future. While every student is different and has unique ambitions, I would encourage any student who wishes to further round out their education to pursue a language they enjoy beyond what is required of them.

Danny B.

Junior, Comparative Cultures & Politics and International Relations