Students take a tour of the University of the West Indies Mona as part of a ߲ݴý study abroad program in 2017 in Kingston, Jamaica. (Photo by Mark DiOrio)
߲ݴý University is the No. 1 baccalaureate institution for mid-length, off-campus study participation according to the newly released published by the Institute of International Education with funding from the U.S. Department of State.
This year marks the fourth consecutive ranking of first place for ߲ݴý, which was recognized for sending 383 students abroad for full-semester study groups in the last school year.
“This report gives us a measure of the importance of off-campus study in our curriculum, and it’s a reinforcement of the generosity ߲ݴý provides to its faculty and students for opportunities to be a part of the world through an academic lens,” said ߲ݴý Director of Off-Campus Study Joanna Holvey Bowles. “These students aren’t tourists; they’re learning how to be in the world and through thoughtful study. We emphasize study in study abroad.”
There are 22 ߲ݴý-led, off-campus study groups this semester, and another 19 are planned for the spring, Holvey Bowles said. In addition, the University offers students the opportunity to participate in one of 107 approved programs led by other institutions.
Off-campus study is considered so integral to a ߲ݴý education that financial aid is also applied to is applied to study groups, both those led by ߲ݴý and those that are not.
“Students on aid can get additional funding to cover expenses for one semester off campus and one extended-study group during the course of their degree work,” Holvey Bowles said. “Students get the notion that this is the place where off-campus study is not only available, as it is most places in the U.S., but it’s widely encouraged across the curriculum.”
߲ݴý’s off-campus study offerings date back to the 1935 Washington, D.C. Study Group. Holvey Bowles said the University selected the top 10 academic performing students to participate. Today, students can apply to participate in programs that span the globe, from Freiberg, Germany, to Kyoto, Japan. A new group in the spring of 2021 will travel to Arkhangelsk, Russia, to study climate science or Russian studies with Associate Professor of Geography and Russian and Eurasian Studies Jessica Graybill.
These opportunities to explore the globe in the pursuit of knowledge are essential for ߲ݴý students and are often given serious consideration by prospective students in their college search.
“Prospective students are looking for a global education, and ߲ݴý offers tremendous opportunities for students to explore the world,” said Dean of Admission Tara Bubble. “Families are excited to learn about the diversity of study groups offered by ߲ݴý faculty that demonstrate the depth and breadth of study available here. Students are able to imagine themselves participating in programs such as an immersion in Arctic Russian communities, cultural achievements in Venice, or university life in South Africa.”