UF No. 6 for students abroad

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Florida
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<p>Sharmini Pitter remembers dancing to Latin beats until dawn among tiki torches and digital screens on the Mexican beach two summers ago. </p>

<p>The geology senior was one of 1,805 students to study abroad during the 2004-05 school year. A recent report ranked UF at No. 6 - up five slots - in the number of students it sends out into the world to earn college credit. </p>

<p>The report, called the Open Doors report, is published by the Institute of International Education, a nonprofit educational and cultural exchange organization. </p>

<p>Pitter said that studying abroad "helps you understand more about yourself because you're out of your normal, everyday perspective." </p>

<p>"It allows you to look at the way life could be if you gave yourself more freedom to travel and meet new people," she said. </p>

<p>Pitter enjoyed Mexico so much that she studied in New Zealand for seven months the next year. </p>

<p>This past Fourth of July, she relaxed in a hot tub nestled between cars in a Kiwi hostel parking lot. Snow-capped mountains lined her view as she soaked away the six-hour hike across a glacier. </p>

<p>Dennis Jett, the dean of UF's International Center, said UF students are realizing that they will need to compete in a global marketplace when they graduate and that studying abroad gives them invaluable international experience. </p>

<p>"It enhances their resumes," he said. </p>

<p>Jett said another reason more UF students are studying abroad is because its faculty members have an international focus. </p>

<p>For example, UF professor Terry McCoy won UF's 2006 Senior Faculty International Educator of the Year Award for his work in Latin American business. Two other faculty members - Karen Kainer, who researches tropical forest management in Latin America, and Guido Mueller, who researches waves created in space - received the award as well. </p>

<p>In addition, UF moved up six slots to No. 12 in the Open Door rankings for the number of international students on campus. During the last school year, UF boasted 3,749 international students. </p>

<p>Jett said about 90 percent of the international students are graduate students, and most of them come to UF to study hard sciences. </p>

<p>"It reflects the strength of the institution in those areas and its reputation that it continues to grow," he said. </p>

<p><a href="http://www.alligator.org/pt2/061115international.php%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.alligator.org/pt2/061115international.php&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>exciting = )</p>

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<p>Students seek unique spots</p>

<p>Deciding what to pack can be a mystery. For just a few short months, Stephanie David will travel the countries of South America, and she knows she probably won't need her favorite red shoes or her closetful of clothing, because some days she will have to forfeit showers and clean clothes to experience another way of life. </p>

<p>David, a family, youth and community sciences junior, is just one of many students to study abroad in "nontraditional" countries, such as those in Latin America and Asia. </p>

<p>"I want to get back to the heart of what studying abroad is all about," David said. "Not that America is the same as Europe. I feel that South America is more challenging because it's so different." </p>

<p>More American students like David are studying abroad for academic credit. </p>

<p>There has been a 144 percent increase during the past decade, according to Open Doors 2006, an annual report on international education released Monday. </p>

<p>The most popular destinations for UF students include Italy, the United Kingdom, France and Spain. </p>

<p>While the favored destinations are European, the demand for nontraditional countries has increased in recent years. </p>

<p>Students studying in Latin America constitute 14 percent of students nationwide studying abroad, with Argentina seeing the largest increase - 53 percent, according to Open Doors. </p>

<p>Study abroad in Latin American countries is definitely a trend, said Angela Grindal, a UF study abroad adviser. </p>

<p>"Students go because there is a need for volunteers, for social justice studies and for medical studies in poor countries," she said. "Also, the cost is less expensive to go to Argentina than Western Europe." </p>

<p>Grindal said she estimates that about 50 percent of students studying in Latin America have already been to Western Europe. </p>

<p>Kirsten Eller, a UF study abroad adviser, said more people are also studying in Asia than in the past. </p>

<p>"People are realizing the business purpose." she said. "Chinese is spoken by a billion people." </p>

<p><a href="http://www.alligator.org/pt2/061116abroad.php%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.alligator.org/pt2/061116abroad.php&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>Here is a link to the International Center. It has all the info that you could possibly want.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.ufic.ufl.edu/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.ufic.ufl.edu/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>