Did you know that Delaware Valley University offers an extensive study abroad program as part of Experience 360 Program? While the program isn’t available to students right now due to the COVID-19 pandemic, administrators are hoping to have it back up and running by the 2021-2022 school year. Here at DelVal, we put a ton of emphasis on getting genuine hands-on experience – whether that be work experience in the field you’re studying or making memories with your peers in countries all around the world!
Which Study Abroad opportunities does DelVal offer?
We mostly offer faculty-led trips (meaning a group of students will be led by a few professors or other DelVal faculty members) but there are some other options. DelVal is partnered with multiple international study abroad programs that allow our students to go on trips with students from other participating schools. These programs include School for Field Studies, Operation Wallacea, and Arcadia University’s College of Global Studies, among many others. If you’re looking for a more long-term study abroad experience, we also offer semester exchange programs through Hartpury University and College in England, as well as Artevelde University College in Belgium. The best part is, you can receive up to three E360 credits for your trip and three more for every college course you take during your study abroad experience (with department chair approval, of course)! If the options available when you’re ready to study abroad aren’t your cup of tea, the Study Abroad Office as well as your Department Chair can help you find a trip that is suitable for you and your goals.
Are there any benefits to studying abroad?
An infinite amount! Dr. Jessica McCall, an English Department faculty member, has been on multiple study abroad trips with her students over the years and highly recommends the program to anyone that is interested.
“We tend to think the world revolves around us even as we claim to know better–traveling and being surrounded by a language and culture you don’t necessarily understand forces awareness of otherwise. I think that’s what E360 is all about. Experiential learning shouldn’t simply be about ‘doing’ things in the physical sense–it should be about having an experience that interacts with who you are, who you want to be, and makes you question and decide if any of that needs to change,” McCall said.
Not only is it an amazing experience in general but studying abroad opens the door to so many opportunities. You could learn a new language, learn about different cultures, and it can look really impressive to employers when put on a resume (wink, wink). There is no limit to the things you’ll discover and the new friends you’ll make when taking advantage of the study abroad program. It’s an amazing opportunity for anyone at DelVal, regardless of your major or field of work.
Advice for students who wish to study abroad
Since Dr. McCall has led so many study abroad trips, including ones to Ecuador, Thailand, Spain, and more, she is full of awesome advice to students that are hoping to study abroad sometime in the future.
“Pick a trip that looks fun, not one that lines up perfectly with your major. You never know what you’ll learn, but you can trust you’ll learn something. Attitude, community, and experiences are what matter on these trips more than anything. There’s so much to learn in the world and from it and we lessen ourselves when we narrow our focus too much,” she said.
It’s important to remember that even though certain trips may seem aimed toward specific majors, anyone is welcome to go. These experiences are for everyone!
If you have any questions about the Study Abroad program here at DelVal, you can email the Study Abroad Office at studyabroad@delval.edu, or visit www.delval.edu/study-abroad for more information. Safe travels!
Written by: Brynn Miller