Annual Study Abroad Fair lets students explore wide range of global options

Students learn about study abroad options at the annual fair in Alliot this week.

Saint Michael’s College hosted its 31st annual Study Abroad Fair this Thursday, January 26, in the lobby of the Alliot Student Center. Students had the ability to peruse an array of tables and speak with representatives from around 20 different organizations.

Out of the wide selection of viable programs, Director of Study Abroad, Peggy Imai highlighted School for Field Studies (SFS), Arcadia Study Abroad, and School for International Training (SIT) as three of the most popular organizations in attendance.

School for Field Studies (SFS)

With the mission of educating the next generation of environmental leaders, SFS sends students to the most biodiverse and iconic ecosystems in the world. Locations include countries across several continents such as Cambodia, Chile, Australia, Tanzania, and Bhutan.

In one of many success stories, SFS sent students to Bhutan, a Buddhist kingdom on the eastern edge of the Himalayan Mountains with the population of Vermont and the first carbon negative country in the world. Students conducted research on the environmental issues of Bhutan during their time abroad, then presented it to the Bhutanese senate. Through this experience, the students had the opportunity to watch their research have a lasting impact on one of the most distinctive countries in the world.

SIT’s seven critical global issues

Arcadia Study Abroad

Arcadia is a university just outside of Philadelphia that has been sending students abroad for about 75 years. They run programs throughout the world, primarily in English speaking locations, but also now in Italy, Spain, and locations in Central and South America as well. Arcadia offers programs for nearly any major and a variety of program lengths including semester-long, summer-long, full year, and internship opportunities.

Arcadia helped Will Meehan ‘22 go abroad during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. A double major in business and economics, Meehan studied abroad in Scotland. Despite the restrictions, Arcadia allowed Meehan to visit safely and return home with great stories. He especially enjoyed learning about the Celtic history of Scotland.

School for International Training (SIT)

 SIT offers more than 80 programs in more than 40 countries. While it is a Vermont-based company, they have “program centers” in every country where they send students, with faculty there to support them during their time abroad. Instead of organizing their programs by major, SIT uses seven “critical global issues” to orient their students. SIT believes everyone should care about these seven issues, regardless of one’s field of study. Unique from other programs, SIT also offers graduate study abroad opportunities.

Recently, a student in Rhode Island utilized SIT to visit Morocco. She was particularly interested in human rights and hoping to work in a social justice or social work position post-graduation. She loved her time in Morocco so much that she applied to the Airbnb/President Obama international study scholarship and was one of only 20 recipients from across the country. With this money, she will be able to study abroad for a second time, fully funded.

Saint Michael’s College offers more than100 study abroad programs, with over a third of all students taking advantage of these opportunities.

For more information, contact Peggy Imai, pimai@smcvt.edu, or schedule an appointment on the Study Abroad web page.