[Op-Ed] Study Abroad for SCOM

“The best decision I ever made.” That’s how SCOM senior Sydney Felker describes her Study Abroad experience. Felker studied in London last spring, taking SCOM courses and completing an internship while enjoying the culture and beauty of England. Study abroad is an incredible opportunity that should be taken advantage of, especially by SCOM students. Study abroad promotes educational, professional and personal growth for students that participate.

The London Semester Abroad program was created with students from the College of Arts and Letters in mind. According to Rusty Greene, former faculty advisor for the London Study Abroad program, “London is the media capital of the world,” so it only makes sense to offer an abundance of SCOM courses. Five of the nine regularly offered courses are listed or cross-listed as SCOM courses. These courses allow SCOM students to continue with their major studies while giving them a new perspective – the perspective of living and learning in London. Students who study abroad in London also have the opportunity to complete a British Media and Communication minor. In order to complete the minor, students take five courses in London (or four courses and an internship) and one Intercultural Communications course at JMU either before or after the trip. Greene says that the minor “gives students an extra depth in an area and a definable knowledge [in that area] that can be recognized.”

Senior Katie Ratcliffe also studied SCOM in London during the Spring 2012 semester. She took advantage of an internship program that allowed her to exercise public relations skills that she was developing in the classroom back at JMU. She says, “I interned abroad with a restaurant group called D&D London [as] an intern for event planning and marketing. I did a lot of research for marketing techniques for one restaurant in particular, the Royal Exchange. I also helped with planning actual events that happened in the Royal Exchange such as weddings, business dinners and function and other such events.” Internships such as this give students hands-on experience in their field and, when completed abroad, allow students to have an even greater cultural experience.

The London Study Abroad program is open to all majors, but there are programs just for SCOM majors as well. Every year, Frank Kalupa leads a trip called the International Communication Tour. Last year, five students travelled to eight cities in five countries and met with over 40 communication professionals. They visited London, England; Dubai and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; New Delhi, Agra and Mumbai, India; Istanbul, Turkey; and Paris, France last year. Kalupa says that the trip usually includes a stop in Egypt as well, but that they decided not to due to safety concerns.

Kalupa says that “the big goal is for the students to develop a broader perspective on the world that they’re going to live and work in [and to learn] best practices in a variety of settings.” They meet with public relations professionals, government officials and news media experts in an intimate setting so that the students can learn from people already in the field.

SCOM offers other study abroad programs on occasion. Last summer, SCOM students were invited to participate in a seminar called “Conflict Resolution in Ireland” and a SMAD program called “Web Documentary Production” held in Urbino, Italy. Each of these programs allowed SCOM students to further their studies in a unique way and with an international perspective.

Study abroad is an important part of a student’s academic career because it gives them perspective. Kalupa explains that “the world has become more global, and you need a global perspective even if you stay in Harrisonburg after graduating.” Greene expressed a similar sentiment, saying “study abroad allows students an opportunity to expand their sense of identity and their place within the world.”

According to the Office of International Affairs, which facilitates all JMU Study Abroad programs, 43 SCOM students have studied abroad in the past calendar year, out of a total of 1,019 students which take part in these programs. This is a fairly small number, given the array of opportunities that SCOM students have to choose from. It would be more beneficial to SCOM students if they took advantage of these programs.

Ratcliffe says, “Study abroad has shaped the rest of my academic career because now I have better a work ethic and spend most of my free time being so much more adventurous than I was before. I do so many different things that I never thought to before I studied abroad.”

“Studying abroad has not only shaped the rest of my academic career, but my future as well. I am newly inspired to push myself during my final two years at JMU, and I cannot wait to pursue a career after graduation that will allow me to live or work abroad,” Felker says, “It was truly a life changing experience.”