Although summer could be seen as a time to slow down after the semester and find a break in the action, many students instead take advantage of the time away from the university to pursue a study abroad program. Summer is another opportunity to connect with an increasingly global environment, learn more about other cultures, and build new relationships while earning academic course credit. During summer 2019, 85 College of ACES students were able to participate in summer programs across four continents.  

One student who took her education abroad was Paige Kaminski, a junior in animal sciences. Paige participated in the Study and Research at National Taiwan University program in Taipei, Taiwan. Paige spent the summer learning more about Taiwanese culture and how such a small region can be self-sustaining with regard to biodiversity and agriculture. “Not only did I travel around Taiwan and learn so much about their biodiversity and culture, I made a lot of new friends from Singapore, Japan, the Philippines, and Indonesia that I still keep in touch with,” Paige says.

Ying Yang, a junior in food science and human nutrition, studied abroad in France through the Culinary Sciences and Health Benefits at UniLaSalle program. This was a chance for Ying to learn more about cultural differences and gain a new perspective on her future line of work. “One of the most memorable experiences for me was the one-month internship where I stayed in an abbey,” Ying says. “After this summer, I’m more positive and confident in solving problems and I am more creative after seeing the beauty of another country.”  Ying took an active role in the experience, working in the abbey with their cheese factory and learning more about their candy-making process.

Summer abroad experiences are enriching both culturally and academically and as more options are added each year, this allows students even more opportunities to take on unique and distinctive internships, research, and study tours abroad.

Article submitted by Gregory French, ACES Advisor and Graduate Student Intern

Photo submitted by Paige Kaminski, used with permission