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Diversity
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Can I afford it? Will it make me more
competitive for jobs and graduate school? Will
I graduate on time if I go abroad? Is
study abroad for people like me? This page is full
of testimonials from current and former students of
color who went abroad because they knew the answer
to the questions above was YES. Talk with your
friends and student leaders about their experience
abroad and how it benefits their plans for the
future.
The world awaits you, whether on a
short- or long-term study
abroad program led by Texas A&M faculty, a non-A&M
program of your choice and then transfer credits back to
Texas A&M, an internship with a company abroad, or
on a volunteer service project. Everyone
at Texas A&M wants to help you, but you have to take
the first step! Stop by our
office and talk to a
Peer Counselor or a
Study Abroad Advisor! Don't forget
to read the testimonials below about how study
abroad experience helped prepare students of color
for the competitive job market upon graduation.
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Jacob
Michaels '06 Finance Major from Wichita Falls,
Texas
Currently
an English Teacher in Seoul, South Korea |
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Many Americans
don’t know much about South Korea, and many people
assume that I live in some relatively poor
country with poor sanitation and meager
possessions. Another misconception is that
South Korea is the same or similar to North
Korea. South Korea is actually one of the
wealthiest countries in the world; much of
this wealth is created from manufacturing
and high-technology. Did you know Hyundai,
Samsung, Kia, and LG are all Korean
companies? Did you know Samsung actually
makes cars? I didn’t know that until I came
here. It’s incredible what’s happening in
other parts of the world that we don’t know
about, so you should travel and find out! |
2005 Business Learning
Community Field Trip-France Participant |
There is Funding for Study Abroad
Back to Top
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You CAN study abroad and there
are funding resources for study,
internships, volunteer work, and independent research
experiences!
Not including personal funds, approximately 80% of
all Texas A&M study abroad students fund their
experience with a combination of grants,
scholarships, and loans. The
surprising thing about most scholarships is that
students have a good chance (25% - 42% on average) of receiving
them if they just apply!
You may have to write
an essay or two, but that one hour may earn you a
large amount of money. How much do you currently earn for an
hour of work? Don’t miss out on these scholarship
opportunities!
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Students can also write letters to
companies to be sponsored for study,
internship, research, or volunteer/service program. A company
can send a check in the amount this wish to the
financial aid office with a donor form. You can
visit local businesses in person or mail letters.
Visit the Financial Aid office website at
https://financialaid.tamu.edu/AllForms.asp#Scholarships
Visit the
Financial Resources section of our
website for information on scholarships and
how to use your financial aid package.
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Another concern for students
is that an international experience does not
fit into their academic plan or they can not
earn credits toward graduation. In fact, if
you ask your academic advisor what
electives, humanities, or even core
curriculum courses you need, you can search
for programs offered by faculty in your
college, or research non-TAMU program
providers (universities or companies) who
offer the same courses at different
universities. The pre-approved credits can
be transferred to your transcript and you
can graduate on time. |
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The key is to do your research a year
or more in advance! Map out your courses by
semester, then find the semester or summer in which
a program you want to attend can help toward your
major. Ask professors or academic advisors about
courses abroad, and talk with a
Study Abroad Advisor for more assistance.
After students return from their
international experience, they add the knowledge and
skills to their resume. Employers may send you
abroad in the future to work with an international
team, or you may work with international colleagues
in the United States. College is here to prepare you
for the workplace, so make it your priority to
study, intern, work, research, or volunteer abroad. Students
understand the world and issues that affect the
company they will work for, and they have developed
international relations and communicate with people
of different cultures and backgrounds.
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Rocio
Sotelo '06 Finance Major from Houston, Texas
Currently
a Financial Analyst at Intel |
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The spring
semester prior to graduation, I interviewed
with Intel Corporation, a tech leader around
the world. After graduation, I moved away
from Texas to Arizona and began a job as a
Financial Analyst. Two and a half years later, I’m working on very interesting
international projects. I
started a project 4 months ago and it
allowed me to travel to China, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Japan, and
Costa Rica. Currently, I’m a Senior Capital
Financial Analyst which means I manage
specific approvals to buy capital for our
manufacturing sites in Asia and Central
America. I believe my broad international
experience I mentioned during the interview process
differentiated me vastly from other
candidates from universities such as
, Berkeley, UCLA, and the University of
Texas. |
Mays Reciprocal Exchange and
WISE Abroad Intern Program Participant |
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Students
like you have lived, studied, worked,
traveled, and had a fun and adventurous
experience by exploring a new world,
leaving the comfort zone they know, and
creating new comfort zones. Students who
are successful think that earning funds is
possible, and they talk with advisors and
professors for guidance.
Students build their confidence,
professional skills, communication skills,
and their resume highlights why they are
best for the job. |
We live in an interdependent world, relying on
information from different sources, so knowledge,
skills, traditions, and cultures will be shared on
your study abroad program. Make study abroad part of
your
Aggie traditions, and return with an enriched
perspective of the world outside the United States.
You have many skills and talents to share with
others abroad and here at home!
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Robert
Butler '06 Finance Major from Dallas, Texas
Currently
a Rotary International Scholar in Buenos
Aires, Argentina |
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Perhaps
the best thing that I gained out my
international
experience was the ability to interact with
others from many different cultures. In a
study abroad program, you’ll meet people
from all over the world with very diverse
backgrounds. I also learned how to adapt to
new situations. To say that I successfully
moved to a completely different country, on
a new continent, thousands of miles away
from home, where the spoken language was not
English amazes me. |
(Pictured in yellow shirt)
2005 and 2006 Mays Reciprocal
Exchange Program Participant-Barcelona and
Madrid, Spain |
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Attendees of a April 2008
Student of Color Focus Group stated that
they are interested in study abroad. The Study Abroad
Programs Office has 23 staff members available to answer your
calls, respond to emails, and assist you in
person. Advisors enjoy assisting
students in making the best choice of where
to go abroad, giving students financial
resources to apply to, and preparing them
for international travel and logistics. |
Stop by our
office and talk to a
Peer Counselor or a
Study Abroad Advisor!
http://studyabroad.tamu.edu/contact.asp
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Rachel
Hardaway '10
Architecture Major from Dallas, Texas |
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The Study Abroad Advisors helped
walk me through the entire process from meeting
deadlines for getting my passport, turning in my
application and finding financial aid. One
advisor, in particular, gave me tons of ideas about
how to raise money, encouraged me to make it happen,
and not to wait until the last minute. Aside
from turning in paperwork, she shared her
experiences with me so that I knew some of what to
expect. I'm glad she helped me because had she
not, I wouldn't of had the push to do the things I
needed to do.
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2008 Fall
Barcelona, Spain Architecture Program Participant |
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Students of
color report they use social networks like
Facebook, My Space, Twitter, and My Aggie Network,
blogs, IM, and other forms of online
communication to chat with their loved ones
back home. This helps even while they are
thousands of miles away. Skype is a low cost
internet phone service (free if calling from
computer to computer), and some students
send weekly email updates about their
travels, studies, new friends, and
experiences. |
Some students realize after being in
the foreign country, they do not need to communicate
home every day. Students learn the rewards of
living with other students from all over the world,
and students learn to grow stronger and more
independent.
In reality, if you have left home for college, you
can leave Texas A&M for a while to discover new
places and make new friends wherever you choose to
have your international experience. Most students
say time passed
quickly, and they were not ready to leave. Some
students even decide to go abroad for a second
experience!
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Joel
Castillo '06 Sport Management Major from
Houston, Texas
Currently
a Manager of
Jamba Juice |
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I saved up money for the Germany
program, [and received] scholarships and
loans. I earned Psychology 304 and
Kinesiology 421 credits. I didn’t email or call
home much
because I wanted to avoid being homesick. I
approached every day as a new experience
waiting to happen and I kept my senses open
to any and everything. I use my
international experience to be open minded
to people of international backgrounds. They
are people who have similar humanistic
desires that are satiable by services that
my company can provide. |
2007 Germany
Sport Management Program Participant |
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Glimpse Abroad Survey
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As you plan for your
experience abroad, you may wonder "Will I be
the only 'one' like me?" or "How will I be
treated?" You probably have
the same thoughts any time you try something
new such as leaving home to go to college.
Before you sign up for a program or go
abroad, research the racial and social
climate of your destination. Knowing
the history of and the current issues facing
your host country will help you prepare for
a rewarding experience abroad. Talk to
your friends about their experience and
browse through the resources listed below. |
In
2007, Glimpse Abroad surveyed students who had
studied abroad during 2006 and 2007 and
"...over 79% of students did not feel that they
experienced more racism abroad than they do in the
U.S." While every student's
experience is different and it varies from country
to country, you may find most people's knowledge of the United States comes
from television, movies, and music. Be sure to develop
strategies to overcome any stereotypes that people
may have about the U.S. In most cases, people
are curious to learn about you and American culture.
Use this as an opportunity for a cultural dialogue
about the media portrayal of one another's country.
You are are representative of Texas A&M and the
United States, so you can be an ambassador of
diversity and equality to the country where you live
and study!
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