Helping Students Go Abroad

Students arrive at Babson with a variety of perspectives about studying abroad. Some students applied to Babson with a focused plan of spending a semester in San Francisco, a semester on BRIC, doing an Elective Abroad in Paris, and a service immersion program in Tanzania. Other students may be more hesitant to pursue opportunities abroad, with concerns about finances, fulfilling all their course requirements, keeping their athletics commitments, or missing out on internship or leadership opportunities.

As a faculty or staff member at Babson College, it is important to be aware of the benefits from education abroad experiences at Babson:

• Students gain the ability to think more critically about the social and economic value, and impact of business in various cultures
• Students embark on self-discovery and are more apt to problem solve in uncertain and changing environments
• Students expand their awareness of, and empathy for, cultures, backgrounds, and experiences different from their own

You may find yourself in conversations with students about study abroad opportunities at Babson. When these conversations happen, we encourage you to make students aware of the benefits of an experience abroad. Here are some talking points:

• Study abroad is a valuable opportunity that they can participate in as part of their academic studies.
• All study abroad programs offered through the Glavin Office of International Education are credit-bearing experiences.
• The Glavin Office offers a wide range of education abroad experiences ranging from one week to a full academic year abroad. While some experiences have GPA requirements, others do not.
• There are scholarships and other funding sources available, including the use of existing financial aid.

When a student indicates an interest in studying abroad, there are many things you can do to support and direct them. Here are a few initial suggestions:

• Encouragement is always helpful. Students benefit from hearing from faculty and staff that study abroad is possible and worth pursuing. Consider sharing your experience of studying abroad or of taking students abroad.
• Ask the student what they know about study abroad opportunities at Babson. Direct them to the Glavin Office to continue the conversation and learn more about what is possible. The earlier students begin to explore their options, the easier the process will be to develop a plan that meets their academic and personal goals.
• Direct students to the Education Abroad website to get started. This website has information about programs, information sessions, finances, and who to contact about their specific area or program of interest.
• The Glavin Office of International Education is located on the second floor of Hollister Hall (next to Academic Services). Office hours are Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.