The Study Abroad Fair at Gustavus will be held Nov. 17 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Campus Center. This fair provides Gustavus students with an opportunity to enhance their knowledge about the study abroad program.

“It’s really helpful. It’s a great first step to decide where to travel and to see what programs are available,” Carolyn O’Grady, director of international and cultural education said.

Gustavus began holding the Study Abroad Fair ten years ago.  The fair is helpful to students who are just getting their feet wet in the study abroad process and also to students who have already signed up for a study abroad experience. “There are about 150 approved programs to choose from,” O’Grady said. “All of these approved programs are featured at the fair.”

Along with learning about the many different study abroad programs, students can speak with other Gustavus students about their past study abroad experiences. The fair also offers brochures about traveling experiences and services to renew your passport.

You do not need to be signed up for a study abroad course in order to use this service. “Many professors use this fair as a chance to renew their passports,” O’Grady said.

Students who are not planning on studying abroad can make use of this opportunity. “Every Gustavus student should have a passport, every college student. It’s very important to understand how interconnected the world is,” O’Grady said.
Another advantage of the Gustavus Study Abroad Program is the range of both programs and costs. “We offer a great menu [of programs],” O’Grady said. “Right now we have two semester-long programs, a semester in India and a semester in Sweden.”

The semester in India is offered during the fall of every year, and the semester in Sweden is offered during the spring of odd years. “The semester in Sweden will cost no more than a semester at Gustavus,” O’Grady said. Students from the last semester in Sweden program will be present at the Study Abroad Fair to share their experiences.

“There are many other programs that don’t cost too much more than a semester at Gustavus,” O’Grady said. “The cost depends on what the student chooses.”
The Study Abroad Program provides students with opportunities to expand their knowledge of other parts of the world. “I went to Guatemala last January Term, and I never really have been to a place with a lot of poverty and a corrupt government. It was an eye-opening experience, and I’m really glad that I went there. People in the United States take many things for granted, but the Guatemalans take each day as it comes and are very humble and grateful for what they have,” Junior Health Fitness Major Kayla Tacke said.

Students look forward to their experiences abroad and to the insight they will gain from studying in other areas of the world. “I am going to Costa Rica this January and I’m very excited to experience a new culture. I like that Gustavus gives so many options for studying abroad,” Junior Health Fitness Major Amanda Hestness said.
This upcoming fair provides an overview of all of the programs Gustavus offers and gives students the chance to talk to the directors of these courses. “After the Study Abroad Fair, a good next step is to come into the office for an appointment,” O’Grady said.