By Charlie Wailes | Reporter
The Center for Global Engagement hosted its biannual Study Abroad Fair Tuesday, giving many students who are interested in spending a semester overseas their first look at the many international programs Baylor offers.
The fair was held during Dr Pepper Hour in the Barfield Drawing Room in the Bill Daniel Student Center. Holly Joyner, program director of Global Scholars at Baylor, is the lead for the Study Abroad Fair and said she works with the Center for Global Engagement on the event.
“The Center for Global Engagement oversees the event as a way to spotlight opportunities for Baylor students to study, intern or do research internationally,” Joyner said.
Dr. Bo White, director of study abroad, said the Center for Global Engagement wants to offer students a chance to grow and learn as individuals.
“I hope students see that there are many opportunities to include international education into their degree plan,” White said. “Baylor University has bilateral agreements with nearly 10 of the top 100 international research universities in the world, and this list is expanding. We hope students connect with faculty and staff and those who have gone before them to consider their next steps. The world needs a Baylor, and Baylor needs to put its footprint on the world.”
Joyner said Baylor is preparing over 40 study abroad programs for winter and summer 2023. She said Baylor has almost 100 study abroad programs total and is continuing to add more.
“With the energy of returning to travel, we’ve tried to regain some momentum,” Joyner said. “Baylor is currently working on offering new business programs in Singapore, South Korea, Spain and Morocco. We are also working on offering a World War II course in Europe that follows the path of D-Day. We have programs heading to the Galapagos Islands as well.”
Joyner also said the momentum from Baylor’s achievement of R1 research status allows for expansion of study abroad programs.
“We have expanded opportunities to build upon the momentum of becoming an R1 university and hope to continue to offer academic opportunities that offer unique cultural experiences in collaboration with some of the top universities in the world,” Joyner said. “Currently, St. Andrews and Oxford are the top two universities in the United Kingdom, and we have students at both of them.”
Dallas sophomore Hailey Dirks said she wants to find a program that is being offered in the spring semester, and she said she hopes to broaden her experiences beyond Waco and Texas.
“I just want to have some cultural experiences,” Dirks said. “Waco isn’t that big of a culture difference from Dallas. Studying abroad also gives me the ability to get some class credits as well.”
Dirks said she already has an idea of a dream location where she would want to study.
“I’m a Spanish minor, so I’d have to say if I could study abroad anywhere in the world, I’d choose Spain or anywhere in Latin America,” Dirks said. “Just being able to practice Spanish would be great.”
One of the many programs being offered is Baylor Business in Sydney, which is taught by Dr. John Carlson and his wife Dr. Dawn Carlson, who both work at Baylor. John is an associate professor of information systems, and Dawn is a professor of management.
In their first year running the program, John will be teaching mobile app development, while Dawn will be teaching communications.
“I hope students get the learning objectives and the courses they select,” John said. “I want them to take advantage of the moment. The fact that you’re in Sydney — there’s so much great stuff to do here, and there’s a lot of great cultures as well.”
For students unable to attend the Study Abroad Fair, there is still a way to look up programs and find where you want to go. For more information on Baylor Business in Sydney, email John at John_Carlson@baylor.edu or Dawn at Dawn_Carlson@baylor.edu. For information regarding other study abroad programs, visit bearsabroad.baylor.edu.
