Optimizing Diverse Realities of Study Abroad Experiences
Study abroad is frequently imagined as a transformative endeavor during a student’s university experience. Students often begin their studies with a tentative roadmap of courses guided by their future career goals, and, if the stars align, they will study abroad in their third or fourth year. Studying abroad is often encouraged in foreign language programs, but is traditionally framed as a parallel experience to their at-home semester. While of course the linguistic, cultural, intellectual and personal benefits of this experience have always been recognized to be invaluable, the long-lasting impact of the study abroad path is often not fully optimized.