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LINDA: Hi, I'm Linda, and I'm a junior in AIM. I'm studying abroad in the Netherlands this semester at Leiden University.
SPEAKER 1: Good morning from Oxford.
MICKEY: Hey, guys. I'm Mickey. And right now I'm studying at the London School of Economics.
OLIVIA: Hi, everyone. I'm Olivia. I'm a senior at Cornell studying information science. And today I'm going to be kind of showing you what a day in the life is like here in Edinburgh.
THEA GOLDMAN: Hello, my name is Thea Goldman. I am a sophomore PMA major in the Arts and Sciences school, and I am going to the London Dramatic Academy.
EMMA: Hi, everyone. My name is Emma, and I'm a junior at the College of Human Ecology studying nutritional science. Currently, I'm studying abroad in Sydney, Australia at the University of New South Wales.
SPEAKER 2: Over 1,200 Cornell undergraduate students have an international experience for academic credit each year. The Office of Global Learning's Education Abroad team provides advising and support for your undergraduate semester abroad. Other international opportunities also exist through your college, and specific Cornell classes.
SPEAKER 3: At Cornell, we see international study as part of your undergraduate student experience. The Office of Global Learning works closely with dedicated advisors in each college to make sure study abroad fits with your path to graduation.
SPEAKER 4: No matter what you choose to study, there are international opportunities available for you, whether it's pre-med, computer science, physics, art history, or business, you can find relevant coursework abroad. Explore hundreds of unique international programs on the Experience Cornell website.
SPEAKER 5: 100% of students who are eligible for financial aid receive it when they study abroad for the semester. It's never too early to start planning your time abroad. As you will meet with faculty advisors, let them know you're interested in international study on and off campus. Visit the Office of Global Learning website, and feel welcome to reach out to us with your questions.
CINDY TARTER: Good afternoon, everyone. How are you doing? How is your Saturday going? Good. Oh, active. Proud. It's a little rainy out there, but we persevere. The good thing for families to know is that, when you're not here, there are some incredibly beautiful fall days.
My name is Cindy Tarter. I'm Senior Associate Director of Education Abroad and the Office of Global Learning, and I'm so delighted to be able to talk to you about study abroad today. I'm going to talk about the what, the who, the how, and the why, and then I'll open it up for Q&A.
And the "why" is really to hear from our students. If there's one thing I want you to leave with today, I want it to be that you're excited and determined to fit an international experience into your time at Cornell, and that parents and families are ready to support that journey. I also would love for students to walk away with an understanding of how to take that first step.
So we'll start with, what is study abroad? Now, you probably have a sense of what that is, right? But let's all get on the same page, and address some of the key factors that make study abroad, study abroad, at Cornell.
By definition, it's outside the United States. You knew that already. But by definition, you are going to another country, and you are in some way engaging. The second attribute to share is that health, and safety, and travel safety is a priority here at Cornell. So our office works very closely with international travel health and safety at Cornell, we work closely with our partners on the ground with a multiple number of sources to both vet, and think about our programming in ways that ensure student safety.
The other attribute is that, by definition, a study abroad program is going to integrate one or more of these four areas. By and large, 9 times out of 10, you are going to be doing some kind of studying abroad. There are opportunities to integrate research with faculty at other institutions, there are opportunities to integrate internships, and community engagement such as service learning.
Study abroad programs are structured. And by that I mean there's a middle, there's a beginning, there's an end. There is something that is tying it all together, whether it's a thematic-based program, whether you're at another institution taking classes among other, local students, there is a rhyme and a reason. Whether you're taking humanities in the UK, studying mathematics and Budapest, there is a structure.
The last piece about study abroad that I'll mention is that the credit comes back. So when you study abroad, your credit that you're taking, the classes that you're enrolled in at another institution or a program abroad, is returning. It's returning to your Cornell degree. And it should align with your curriculum and your interests.
I'm going to start with the "who." What do we mean by who studies abroad? Let's learn about who, but really, the who is you. And I feel like I'm Dr. Seuss.
But who studies abroad? You saw in the video already, in a typical year, over 1,200 students have some kind of credit-bearing international experience at Cornell. And here, I'm really talking about undergraduates, because that is predominantly who our office serves.
1,200-plus. That includes programs through the Office of Global Learning. That also includes college-specific programs. So there's a lot of value in talking with your college advisors, your faculty, about potentially engaging niche opportunities offered by your major or your college.
So this past year, Denmark, UK, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, and France have been the top destinations. As students begin to return to countries in Latin America, countries in Africa, countries in Asia, countries in the Middle East, you'll see this change. And I want to make note that some of our strongest partners are in Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, South Africa, Ecuador, and so on.
There are exciting things happening in the study abroad world at Cornell, and one of them is the introduction of Global Hubs in 2022. I won't spend a lot of time on this, but I want to share this really amazing initiative that's taking place under leadership of the Office of the Vice Provost for International Affairs.
Global Hubs is a multidisciplinary initiative across campus that's intended to support students, faculty, and staff across multiple intersections abroad. What does that gobbledegook actually mean for students, for you? It means that working with key strategic partners abroad in key locations. We're opening up more opportunities for students to have immersive learning experiences for a semester, for a short-term program, integrating again internships, research possibilities.
You can study conservation biology on the Galapagos, with our partner in Ecuador. You can spend a semester abroad in London, or Australia, coupled with an internship with a small business there. Or consider a STEM research placement, again, in Hong Kong or Singapore over the summer. So we're really quite excited about this new direction as related to study abroad.
How do you study abroad? How do I study abroad? Well, it's more than getting on a plane. And so part of this is to help talk a little bit about what's right for you as a student.
I'm going to talk about geography, language, program options, and timing. Geography and language are deeply connected to culture, right? And so some of the questions to begin to ask yourself is, what kind of cultural experience would I like to have? Are you drawn to a particular region of the world? Ask yourself why. Are you drawn to a particular country? Is there a connection for you somewhere already? Why? Are you open? Are you quite open to where you might go? Are you interested in an urban or rural experience? Did you come to Cornell from a bustling city, and are looking for maybe something a little different? And that's something for you to consider.
Language, deeply culturally connected. When students study abroad for a semester or year at Cornell, if you are going to a country where English is not the national language, you'll be expected to take the language class. That's how much we feel it matters. Because for those of you who speak multiple languages, you know that learning a language, or have learned a language, it goes far beyond the linguistics, the accent, the pronunciation. You are living and learning about another culture's norms and values through learning a language.
Would you like to go to an English-speaking country? Fantastic. Great. Non-English? Great. Balance between the two? Fantastic. What I would say to families and to students, don't let your apprehension about going to a place or a space where English is not the national language stop you from pursuing a program that meets your academic, your career, your personal, or your professional goals.
Program options. I mentioned Global Hubs briefly, but part of this is around type of experience. So would you like to go to a program where you're at a highly-ranked institution, immersed taking classes alongside other students, coupling that with other unique opportunities? Would you be more interested in a center-based approach? Or maybe you're taking classes that are led by non-profit organizations? Or maybe a couple additional classes at a local institution, but maybe with a cohort, mostly, of other US students coming from other U.S universities?
Are you drawn to a faculty-led program? Because you hear your faculty member, or you hear your DUS, Director of Undergraduate Studies, mention something about this wonderful opportunity embedded in your department. That might be something you want to pursue, and that would be with mostly Cornell students, and maybe local students on the ground. And lastly, research and field work. Are you really looking for something outside the box of pure academic study? How can we help you integrate that into your experience?
Timing. We get this question from students all the time, no pun intended. When do I go abroad? Like, when should I go? Right? Majority of Cornell students go abroad in their junior year. You don't have to. You don't have to. But you do want to fit it into your curriculum. So I'll talk about academics and a second.
Part of it is mapping out kind of your intentions with your faculty advisor, with your staff advisor, and with your family, too. How does this fit into your plan for the years at Cornell? And as some of your departments and colleges actually help you fit that in. We've already actually thought about it, like what semester is actually best for food science students, for example, to go abroad.
When do you want to go? Do you want to go in the fall or the spring? Do you want to go for a whole year? You can do that. A lot of students want to get out of Ithaca in the spring, for obvious reasons, to escape the winter. But you can absolutely go in the fall, and we'd love for you to go in the fall.
I studied abroad as a senior in my undergraduate years. I went to Costa Rica on a social and environmental program. It was the best timing for me. It was the best choice I ever made. And I still think about it. I haven't been anyone who doesn't still think about their study abroad experience during their undergraduate time.
Academics. So this is key, right? To think about how you fit that semester or that year abroad into your time at Cornell. It's important to talk to your college advisors. There's advisors within each college that know a good deal about study abroad, and work really closely with the Office of Global Learning. Each college does have some unique study abroad policies, so it's important for you to understand what those are. They're on our website, but they're always on your college website.
But it's important to look at the course offerings. I'll say this. Fundamentally, it's easier to think about the region and the country you want to go to than it is to think about academics. And that's simply because it's the lower hanging fruit, right? It's easier. It takes more research and time to think about, what are you going to take, where you go? And I would encourage you to think of those as in parallel to each other, and hand-in-hand.
I'll say one thing on credit transfer, which is, again, I said this at outset. The credits that your student takes abroad will return to the Cornell degree. How they return is a college decision. So whether they come back as a major, minor, distribution, or elective credit, is a college decision, and many times in consultation with your students' faculty advisor or department for major credit. And that is all part of the application process.
Finances. When students study abroad at Cornell, they pay their regular tuition, and their financial aid package is portable. If you're looking at some short-term program opportunities-- in fact, there are some in the summer and the winter-- you'll want to do more careful planning to consider what resources you need to have in place to realize that experience outside of the terms of enrollment.
So lifestyle and support style. I kind of take these together. They're really important because it's about, what kind of experience do you want to have? So with lifestyle, what kind of living experience do you imagine that you'd like to have where you go? And it depends on where you go, right? One program might say, well, we have dorm and we have apartment options, and that's about it, and others will have a homestay possibility with a local family.
Do you want to live in an apartment maybe a little bit off campus? Do you want to live in a dorm that's either on or off campus, [INAUDIBLE] with peers? What about a homestay if the program offers it? I have never met anyone who has done a homestay in study abroad and come back later and said, gosh, I wish I hadn't done that. If anything, for those of you who've ever had that experience, most of the time those are lifelong relationships and connections that carry on until you're old and decrepit. But it's a valuable opportunity to live alongside a family and others who really do live that culture every single day, and particularly for language learning.
Support style. So independence and high touch, right? This is not about how much support you get from Cornell, how much you get from the program. But this is really pointing to is, do you want to program experience that's a bit more structured? Maybe where there's program managers on the ground that have actually built out an itinerary that you're already going to be participating in. You're going to travel here, you're going to go here, we're going to do this, we're going to take this class, you're with this cohort, you're moving with them, or you're not.
Or do you want something where your day-to-day decisions are a little bit more independent? In the same way that, on Cornell's campus, your student makes decisions every day about what they want to do, where they want to go, what do they want to eat, or what dining hall am I going to. And I would say for these last two, there's no inherent right or wrong, and there's no bad or good. What's important is that students and families think about what is going to be the right ingredients for success for my student, for their well-being, and their health. And I think that's critical.
So I hope those last two slides just give you a sense of the things to start thinking about as a student, and how you can support your student as family members. This kind of goes back to the "how." So we're not yet to get it into the deep logistics of how you apply and go, because that's going to be part of the process when you get to that point. Right? But just a couple of things to mention. Depending on what year you are, this may differ.
But if you're at the beginning of your journey with Cornell, right now is the time to explore. It's more important to establish your study habits now than it is to begin to apply to a study abroad program. What I would impress upon you is to explore. Think about what your peers are doing, talk to your college advisors. Talk to our advisors. We have three study abroad advisors in our office who advise by region, who have been here at Cornell for years, who are just excellent resources. You can reach out to us at any time with questions, and we can help you begin to think about the program options.
Start by going to our website, and you can look at the different programs that are currently part of our portfolio. Again, talk to others. I can't say how much that is important talk to others. And if you feel quite certain that an international experience is something that you want to embed in your time at Cornell, or you know that your student wants to embed in their time at Cornell, they should plant the seed now. And by planting the seed, that means telling someone. So telling their faculty advisor, telling their college advisor, I want this mapped into my three or four years at Cornell, and doing that really intentionally so you don't lose sight of that. Because it is a busy time, right?
Visit experience.cornell.edu. This is-- I don't know if you've been told to go to Experience, yet. Experience is a shared platform at Cornell of opportunities for students, and this is actually where we house all the more distinct details about our programs. It's also where students apply from. So this is between study breaks, your student, or you as a student, can go to this space, and filter by Global, and take a look at the programs that are out there and see what begins to interest you.
Really quick, just on application deadlines. This is on our website. You don't have to write this down. But just to think about, when do you actually make the move, right? You're exploring, you're thinking about it. You really want to study abroad. When do you need to take that real step and start planning pretty seriously?
So spring application deadlines are in September. They slightly vary by program. Right? And fall application deadlines are February to March. And if you're planning to go abroad, I would encourage you to begin the journey of actually putting that in-- those steps into motion the semester before that. In other words, if you're planning to go spring '23, spring '22 is when you're going to want to be kind of getting the wheels in motion. If you want to go in fall '24, fall '23 is really the time to start having those conversations with your family, or your faculty, and your peers.
Why study abroad? So in a minute I'm going to show you one more video, and this is a small compilation of students sharing their thoughts and insights, who are studying abroad right now. I don't think we've ever, in the history of Family Weekend, actually been able to share with you insights from students who are abroad right now.
And that's super special, because they made those videos for you, with this group in mind. But before we show that, I wanted to touch really quickly on impact of study abroad. So if you're kind of thinking, I think I want to do this. So there's a lot of stuff. There's a lot of stuff you can do at Cornell, right? You might want to do a full semester abroad. Maybe you want to do something a little shorter, right, to fit time in. The impact of study abroad, and for anyone in this room who's actually studied abroad themselves, is palpable. Right?
And what research suggests, when students self-report after coming back, there's a couple of particular growth areas that I think are valuable to mention. One is that students report higher self-confidence coming back. They also relay that they have more confidence in independent decision-making. But the other attribute that I see and I love to share is that studying abroad gives you an opportunity to relate and work and engage across difference.
And what I tell students is that, for the rest of your life, in one way, shape, or form no matter what you do, no matter where you work, you are going to work in teams of people that are different than you. And study abroad gives you a unique opportunity from the intercultural side to really flex that muscle. Right? Because that will be a critical attribute.
The last thing I'll say. Study abroad is never just a line on the resume. It really becomes a fabric of what your student can share in employer interviews of the stories, the interactions they've had, and the challenges they've overcome. I can tell you that employers deeply value study abroad on the resume, but also in practice.
So with that said-- make sure I didn't miss anything. We'll show the video now, and then I'll open the floor. And if anyone has any questions, feel free to ask them. And I'll also say after if there's anything that I can help shed light on. But we'll show a brief video now. And again, we're so proud of the fall '21 cohort that's abroad now.
SOFIA WALZER: Hi everyone, from Thailand. My name is Sofia Walzer. I'm in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences studying biology and society, and after a year of COVID, it's been great getting to study abroad and get some hands-on experience with the International Sustainable Development Studies Institute, and it's been amazing so far.
LINA BECK: Hey guys, I'm Lina Beck. I'm in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. I'm a junior studying environmental sustainability. And one of my favorite experiences here so far is going to the Patara Elephant Farm. We got to ride the elephants, got to feed them, and learn all about the health and safety of these elephants. So if you're looking to study abroad, I definitely encourage you to do so.
HINA WIEGET: Hi, Cornell freshman family. My name is Hani Wieget, and I am a senior at ILR, studying Industrial and Labor Relations. And this summer, I was lucky enough to be in Seville, Spain, which is in the South, with the Casa Sevilla program. One of the most challenging parts for me, I think, being here, is speaking in Spanish all the time and thinking in Spanish.
It's kind of weird, but I never thought I would say this, but I missed myself and I miss my English personality, and initially that was very hard. But with time, I think that you get adjusted, and it's been absolutely incredible to see how far my Spanish has progressed. And being on this program-- being in this program has been really amazing. And behind me here, you will see La Plaza de Espana.
JENNA: Hi, everyone. My name is Jenna. I'm a senior studying International Agriculture and Rural Development through CALS. This semester, I'm studying abroad in Bologna, Italy, with the Bologna Consortial Studies Program through Indiana University. At this moment, though, I am in Florence. I'm at one of the giardinis, and you can see the entire city overview from here.
My favorite memory of studying abroad has to be when we went to Alghero in Sardinia on one of our long weekends, and we ended up going on a boat at sunset. It was so incredibly beautiful, but also, our boat driver, on our way in, we were all singing and dancing to Adele. He hopped right in. It was just so spontaneous, and we joke about it all the time to this day, because it's one of those memories that you will just always have.
ERIC MIRANDA: Hi, my name is Eric Miranda, and I'm a double major in Economics and Government. Here at the University of Oxford, I'm studying politics, philosophy, and economics. And I implore you, make the mogul move and apply to study abroad. For me, the reason is simple. I had a conversation with one of my advisors at Cornell, and he explained to me that in four years, you're going to be working a successful job because of the work you accomplish at Cornell.
But what you won't have time for is to spend a couple of months, even a whole year in a new country, a new culture, making once-in-a-lifetime experiences. So don't miss your shot. Once again, I'm Eric Miranda. Make the mogul move and apply to study abroad.
AUDIENCE: Yes, Eric!
[APPLAUSE]
CINDY TARTER: I love Eric. I can tell you that for our staff to get these videos last week, I mean, there's no more warm fuzzies that you could have in a study abroad office than to see those smiling faces and hear those stories. So I don't have any more slides. Well I do, actually, that's a lie. I have a couple more slides. But I just want to open the floor for any questions that you have. I'm happy to answer anything at all. I'll start in the front. And big voice, if you don't mind.
AUDIENCE: Yeah, I'm feeling that. So hi, my name is Jacob. I'm a sophomore at the College of [INAUDIBLE] Science. So I already studied abroad. I deferred before I came here. I took a gap year, and I went to Brazil. So unfortunately, during my study abroad, the pandemic cut me short. So I had to finish all my classes online.
And when I was going to submit my transcript to Cornell, they said that they weren't able to accept online credit transfers from institutions that are not affiliated with Cornell study abroad. So if we were to study abroad in the future and we had the opportunity to take classes online wherever we were to study, how would Cornell accept those credits if they do it at all, and how can you sort it bypass that [INAUDIBLE]?
CINDY TARTER: Yeah. That's a great question, Jacob. For those-- just to repeat. The question is about the ability to take online coursework internationally and have that credit return. I think, without a doubt, the pandemic has affected higher ed in multiple ways, right? And study abroad, in a particularly significant way.
And we saw a lot of our programs pivot to online coursework in the midst of the pandemic, and through our office, we're able to make some exceptions. I think what I would recommend for you is to talk directly with your college, specifically around the transfer of credit external from a gap year because they really are the decision makers. But I would say for our office and for Education Abroad, the virtual landscape has-- as you know, anyone who works or worked remotely, that you're constantly on Zoom all day.
That's different than online learning, of course. And the students here experienced online learning in a significant way, the last year here at Cornell. But I do think there is some deep value into considering hybrid and online learning experiences through education abroad, which has been a field for a while. That I would be certainly interested to turn towards that in a real, significant way. Other questions? I'll go on the way back, on the right. Yes, you.
AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE] my son was [INAUDIBLE]. And he's going to [INAUDIBLE] in the spring. And I wanted to know if there was a way for you guys to help facilitate the whole visa process? Because [INAUDIBLE].
CINDY TARTER: So the question was, what is the way in which her office supports visa acquisition for students studying abroad? So there's a couple of different ways. We more directly support students obtaining visas for Italy and Spain, but there are very specific reasons why, which is that the consulates for New York City actually want a batch visa process in place.
Depending on your son's program-- and I'm suspecting it's DIS. But if it is, then he would receive direct support from the organization or partner on the ground, who is in fact leading the program on the visa acquisition. So we wouldn't actually get into direct support on obtaining the visa, but if he had any questions at all, I would strongly encourage him to reach out to his study abroad advisor in our office, and we can direct him accordingly. Yes, over to the back and the left. Yes, yep, sorry.
AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE] how many students study abroad in the fall, how many study abroad in the spring, and how are those numbers going to change and potentially grow because of the new issues that you have with these [INAUDIBLE]?
CINDY TARTER: So the question was, how many students do we have study abroad in the fall, how many study abroad in the spring, and how do we see the Global Hub's initiative potentially impacting that? The first question, in a typical year, and I'll say through our office. OK? I want to just equate it.
Because Cornell is so amazing that there are so many international programs. The Office of Global learning administers most of the semester-based programming for undergrads, but there are other opportunities. In a typical year, though, we have between 5 and 600 students going in the spring, and close to 200 students going in the fall. We do anticipate that numbers will grow, and part of our lesson from COVID and the pandemic has been that-- and this has been a lesson actually that many of our Ivy peers are reflecting-- is that deeper investment and deeper engagement with key strategic partners holds a lot of value to ensuring that the experience for students is safe, that it follows appropriate protocols, but that we can leverage and build upon new opportunities for students.
So we do project that numbers will increase. I think because of rollout, it's a little too soon to project that with certainty, but it is very much the goal of our office to increase the number of students going out abroad. OK, I'm going to go over here.
AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE]
--summer study abroad [INAUDIBLE]
CINDY TARTER: Yeah.
AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE]
CINDY TARTER: We're recording, so we want to get every question. The question is about summer study abroad, and in particular, noting the student who was in Sevilla. And so to be clear, that student in Sevilla actually is there this term, so she is there for a specialized language learning program through a partner we have called "Casa." In terms of the summer, so summer not being a traditional term of enrollment at Cornell, there certainly are program options.
There are program options through Cornell, but there are also lots of organizations or universities or institutions that are our partners that offer unique opportunities. I would say that the STEM options are strongest in Asia, but it's not the only option. So Imperial College London has a really fascinating STEM program that they are launching with us in real time.
So it hasn't been launched yet, but that stands out. And I think more and more, we really are looking to facilitate six to eight week opportunities over the summer for students to engage in research, specifically in the STEM. Hong Kong University of Science and Technology also has an excellent program through the College of Engineering. In the front.
AUDIENCE: Are there specific major [INAUDIBLE] courses [INAUDIBLE] that are offered as supplications and not others? For example, as an English major, I'm interested in studying [INAUDIBLE] but would I be able to speak English in your classes and things like that there, in Sevilla, for example?
CINDY TARTER: Great question. So more broadly, the question is about course access. Are there certain institutions or programs that have options that others do not? That's kind of how I'm understanding your question, and in particular for you for what you're studying. And the answer is sort of yes and no, and that doesn't seem fair. But what I would love to do is have you talk with one of our advisors specifically about your interests and studies.
But there are some programs-- most of our programs are open to all students across all colleges. I'm just positive with that. But there are institutions that have particular strengths, whether that's language learning, whether that's arts, whether that's STEM, whether that's drama. Just throwing that out there.
But there really are institutions with unique strengths, and it's important for you to know what they are so that you can align your direction. Certainly I do think, based on what you just said, that there would be an option in Spain for you that you could consider. This gentleman right here.
AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE] pre-med students [INAUDIBLE] challenges [INAUDIBLE]
If so, do they have to do summer courses [INAUDIBLE] semester as a requirement? And are there some program requirements that they can take [INAUDIBLE]
CINDY TARTER: So the question is about pre-med students. And as you may know, we have a lot of pre-med students at Cornell, and they certainly want to go abroad as well. We do have program options that they can choose from, and depending on what college they're in, our college partners and our career advisors are all really attuned to the policies and the expectations around the specific courses that a pre-med student might need in order to continue with their application for med school.
And in some cases, med schools want to see-- they want to see a specific type of transcript from a study abroad experience. In other words, they want it to be on an accredited US institution transcript, in some cases. Pre-med students can meet requirements abroad, but they have to work really closely with their pre-med career advisor just to ensure that the classes that they might take are applicable. The other side of pre-med is the practice side, which is an interesting topic in study abroad.
But to the extent that students can look for an opportunity that allows them to observe or volunteer is actually a wonderful attribute of study abroad for a pre-med student, depending on their specific medical interests. But we certainly send pre-med students abroad all the time, and they are able to fit it in the curriculum. But it would depend a little bit on your students' background interests in college.
Happy to help in any way. Send her to our office. OK. I'm going to start in the back. [INAUDIBLE] Yes, you. Yep.
AUDIENCE: So I notice for Arts and Sciences to go to a non--English-speaking country where-- there's a lot of requirements on the language side of it to take a certain level of classes. Do you foresee opportunities coming up for students where they don't want to take their classes in Spanish, or Italian, where they can participate in programs in Spain or Italy and their classes would be in English?
Because I know my daughter spoke with her advisor, and I know right now, it's kind of limited. You have to [INAUDIBLE]. Now, if you want to go to Spain, you have to take programs, and your classes are in Spanish and so forth. I don't know if that's just because of COVID, there's a limitation on classes and programs.
CINDY TARTER: Yeah, that's a great question. So that question is about language learning and arts, and specifically, I think, college policy. And I would say to that question, Arts cares very deeply about language immersion, but also key language learning policy when it comes to non-English speaking countries and immersion. I do think it's a college question specifically around their policy, and I do know that they're exploring and reviewing their study abroad policy over time.
But it really depends on the student, and sort of their objectives. And so I would want to talk to your student to really understand the conversation with their advisor, and also talk to the advisor to think about, are there other potential options if the language-learning path seems untenable or inaccessible, or is there something else that they could do to make that a viable path?
But it is a college policy specific to Arts around language learning. It doesn't really answer your question, but I'm happy to talk about it at any point. Yeah. Yes, right here.
AUDIENCE: You mentioned about research and field work, and your presentation really focuses a lot on studying abroad. If your child is interested in field-driven research, what's the best way to identify an opportunity [INAUDIBLE]
CINDY TARTER: Excellent question. So the question is about research and internships against study abroad, and thinking about what opportunities are available. Can I ask what college your student is in?
AUDIENCE: Arts and Science.
CINDY TARTER: OK, thank you so much. So there's a two-part question to that, which is to say that our office predominantly supports semester-based study abroad. And in many cases, that is a full course load, but in many other cases it's that and plus. So there are ways to take courses that embed research, and there are also opportunities through the new Global Hubs initiative where students will be able to establish research connections with faculty at highly-ranked institutions abroad, so that their semester experience is coincided with a research track.
But the other piece I would strongly suggest is that your student connect with their faculty. And you're going to-- I'm sure you heard this ad nauseam already, but my number one regret in undergraduate is that I didn't go to my faculty's office hours. I don't know what I was thinking. But that's what they're there for. They are paid to help you. So go to their office hours.
Because if you want to do research, you want to break down that door, you want to get into a lab, whatever it is, it may not be that the faculty you sit in front of actually has the answer, it could be that they know someone else who has the answer. So you never walk away from that meeting without asking, who are two other people that you would recommend that I reach out to? Don't be afraid to talk to faculty and reach out to them. They are here to support you.
But I know that's kind of an on-campus answer, except to say that some of our faculty-- many of our faculty have international research connections, and actual research projects on the ground. And some of that is the student to proactively ask those questions and pursue that. But I see it all the time, where our students are successful in being able to develop opportunities for a short-term program abroad with a faculty member. And our faculty are deeply internationally engaged. Yes ma'am.
AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE]
Our daughter is [INAUDIBLE] and if she's interested in going to study abroad and combine that with internship, is the application process a simple one, or [INAUDIBLE] to study abroad [INAUDIBLE]?
CINDY TARTER: So the question is, how do you pursue an internship vis-a-vis study abroad? Is it a two-path process where you're independently securing, that are you doing it through your program, or is it something else? The answer is a little bit of both. Human Ecology, they care so deeply about applied experiential internship opportunities, that we have a number of programs in our portfolio specifically there to meet their students' needs.
One is an internship program in Sydney, Australia, another is an internship program in Prague. But that is combining both a regular full load of study-- because when you study abroad, you got to stay fully enrolled-- with an internship attribute alongside. And I actually think that's the better viable route, and actually the easier route, depending on where your student is in terms of their progression of professional experiences. And you guys all-- you know this. Well, maybe you don't.
Cornell students covet the summer for professional internship experiences, but often those are progressive. You have that first experience, and you're having that next summer experience, and having that next summer experience, and they're building upon each other. If one of those can be international, that's outstanding. But certainly, they could fit that in with many of our programs that are internship-driven. There's another internship program in London, so those do exist.
But it's a little bit of both. I would advise actually, though, if they were going for a semester abroad, they not try to independently secure an internship without support. Any other questions? Yes, in the left. The last one.
AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE] If your student's in [INAUDIBLE] program, then do you still recommend you [INAUDIBLE] in your area? Or do they just stick with [INAUDIBLE]?
CINDY TARTER: Did you say CALS?
AUDIENCE: No, [INAUDIBLE]
CINDY TARTER: Yes.
AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE] So could she also talk to your [INAUDIBLE].
CINDY TARTER: I understand. So the question is, if your student's pursuing a college experience that's global in nature, should they also connect with our office? Most of the time, our office is already connected to the faculty member leading that program or engaged in that program, and so is a global health minor, your student might be looking at Zambia or Tanzania as a potential option. That is the option that I recommend they continue with, if that's what you're speaking to.
But they wouldn't need to necessarily reach out to us right now, because that faculty member and/or folks involved in running that program are there to support your student from the department level. And so that also is included for CALS and ILR. They have their own independent exchange programs that students can also participate in. So, happy to talk specifically about that.
But I think for a global health minor, I really would want your students to connect with Jeanne Moseley, unless they were looking at one of our semester programs through our office. OK, thank you so much everyone. I really appreciate your time. Have a wonderful weekend.
Cornell University shapes global citizens and promotes global learning through education, service learning, and research. Study abroad encourages diverse interactions with peers, faculty members, and communities—building global networks that open opportunities across the world long after graduation. In this session, moderated by the Office of Global Learning, students will talk about their experiences abroad and how they found their place in the world.
