BOONE—Appalachian State University ranks second among top 40 master’s degree granting institutions for the number of students participating in a short-term study abroad program in 2007-08. The data, released by the Institute of International Education’s annual Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange, also lists Appalachian sixth among the top 40 master’s degree granting institutions in terms of the number of students participating in all study abroad programs.

In 2007-08, a total of 558 Appalachian students participated in a short-term study abroad program, studying in countries such as Costa Rica, France, Germany, China, South Africa, Ireland, Greece, New Zealand, Vietnam, Jamaica and Mexico.

“There were major shifts in 2007-08 in the geographical regions where our students studied for short term,” said Jesse Lutabingwa, associate vice chancellor in Appalachian’s Office of International Education and Development (OIED). “For the first time, the majority of Appalachian students did not study in Europe but in South and Central America and the Caribbean. Short-term enrollment numbers in Asia doubled.”

Ireland is one of the many international destinations for Appalachian State University students seeking a study abroad experience. Other popular destinations include Africa, Greece, Germany, France and New Zealand. The university is ranked second among the nation’s top 40 master’s degree granting institutions for the number of students who participated in a short-term study abroad program in 2007-08. (Photo courtesy of Scott Meister, Hayes School of Music)

Short-term programs are typically eight weeks long or less. At Appalachian, they can range from weeklong faculty- or staff-led service-learning trips during the university’s spring break to four-to-six weeklong faculty-led trips during the summer months.

Lutabingwa credits the growing interest in Appalachian’s study abroad programs to the individual contribution and personal dedication of faculty who lead programs abroad and the staff in the Office of International Education and Development who work with them.

“During the 2006-07 academic year, we started encouraging new faculty members to lead programs abroad and provided small financial support to help them learn how to develop and lead programs abroad,” Lutabingwa said.  “Our investment in these efforts seems to have paid off.”

Lutabingwa says the growth in the number of students studying abroad and the shift to non-traditional locations also follows his office’s philosophy of providing students an array of opportunities and encouraging them to consider diverse countries for their international education experience.

He said students’ expectations also had begun to change. “Our students are looking for experiences where they can contribute meaningfully to peoples’ lives and at the same time learn from those experiences,” Lutabingwa said. “Particular destinations outside Europe provide these kinds of experiences, which Appalachian students are finding very attractive to pursue.”

For instance, students in study abroad trips to Latin America and the Caribbean have helped construct wildlife habitats; renovate schools, orphanages or community centers; install micro-renewable energy systems; and worked on sustainable community development projects.

Forty-two percent of students studying abroad in 2007-08 participated in programs located in South and Central America and the Caribbean, compared to 31 percent the previous year. Europe was second with 36 percent of the total number of Appalachian students studying abroad, down from 49 percent in 2006-07. Thirteen percent of students studying abroad traveled to China. Other popular locations were Oceana (Australia and the Pacific Islands) and Africa.

The university is offering close to 60 faculty-led study abroad programs in more than 30 countries during the 2009-10 academic year.

While participation on short-term study abroad offerings is strong, OIED hopes to increase the number of students studying abroad for a semester or year.

“Even though our numbers for students studying abroad long term are small, they follow the national trend where the data indicate that students are studying abroad for short-term.  However, we have several initiatives in place now to boost these numbers,” Lutabingwa said.

Those measures include working closely with academic advisors to encourage students to study abroad early in their academic career.  “Early advising is critical, because it helps students plan ahead for a study abroad experience,” Lutabingwa said.

OIED also has developed a new 10-day study abroad program to Costa Rica for freshmen before they start their classes at Appalachian with the hopes that once the students participate in the Costa Rica program, they will consider a future long-term studying abroad experience.  Also, OIED has developed the Marvin Williamsen Study Abroad Scholarship Program to provide financial support to students. The program is named for the former head OIED.

The Institute of International Education (IIE) is the leading not-for-profit educational and cultural exchange organization in the United States. IIE has conducted an annual statistical survey of the international students in the United States since 1919, and with support from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs since the early 1970s.

The census is based on a survey of approximately 3,000 accredited U.S. institutions. Open Doors also reports on surveys on international scholars at U.S. universities; international students enrolled in pre-academic Intensive English Programs; and on U.S. students studying abroad (since 1985). For more information, visit www.opendoors.iienetwork.org.

For more information on Appalachian’s Office of International Education and Development, visit www.international.appstate.edu.

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