{"id":7601,"date":"2022-03-16T12:37:20","date_gmt":"2022-03-16T17:37:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin-new\/?post_type=campus_story&p=7601"},"modified":"2022-03-16T12:37:20","modified_gmt":"2022-03-16T17:37:20","slug":"uw-eau-claire-ramping-up-study-abroad-programs-during-spring-semester","status":"publish","type":"campus_story","link":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/story\/uw-eau-claire-ramping-up-study-abroad-programs-during-spring-semester\/","title":{"rendered":"UW-Eau Claire ramping up study abroad programs during spring semester"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"Photo
Ricky Schiff is among the 90 Blugolds who are studying abroad in a dozen countries this semester. Schiff\u2019s program in Winchester, England, was canceled three times because of COVID-19, so he\u2019s making the most of his experience this spring. (Submitted photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The old saying about if at first you don\u2019t succeed try, try again certainly rings true for Preston Krautkramer and Ricky Schiff, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire students who are finally studying abroad this spring after COVID-19 canceled their international programs multiple times.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was motivated to continue trying to study abroad because I recognize that it will allow me to be immersed in a different culture, travel throughout Europe, take unique classes and meet people from all around the world,\u201d says Krautkramer, a senior from Marathon who will graduate in May. \u201cI couldn\u2019t think of a better opportunity to gain a stronger understanding and appreciation of other cultures than studying abroad, which motivated me to keep trying.\u201d<\/p>\n

Krautkramer first planned to study abroad in Ireland in fall 2020, but the university deemed it wasn\u2019t safe for students to go abroad that semester. The same thing happened in spring and fall 2021, so he was thrilled \u2014 and relieved \u2014 to finally board a plane for Ireland in January.<\/p>\n

Schiff had a similar experience \u2014 his program in Winchester, England, was canceled three times. While it was tempting to think it just \u201cwasn\u2019t meant to be,\u201d the broadfield social studies education major knew he\u2019d be student teaching or teaching in the fall, so this was his last chance to study in England.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was really interested in going to Europe because so many historical events have taken place across the continent and I can see many different sites for fairly cheap,\u201d says Schiff, a senior from Lakeside. \u201cI know the places I travel to and the experiences I have here will make me a better teacher.\u201d<\/p>\n

There still are some limitations and uncertainty around international travel, but study abroad programs at UW-Eau Claire are ramping up again and students are eager to explore and learn in other parts of the globe, says Colleen Marchwick, director of the Center for International Education.<\/p>\n

\u201cStudy Abroad Day is Feb. 28 and there is much to celebrate this year as we are safely getting students back out into the world to meet new people and explore new places and cultures,\u201d Marchwick says.<\/p>\n

International programs re-opening<\/h3>\n

Krautkramer and Schiff are among the 90 UW-Eau Claire students who are studying abroad this semester in Chile, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, England and Scotland. Many of those students had to transfer forward their plans after earlier programs were canceled.<\/p>\n

Marchwick says COVID-19 made it more challenging to plan for spring programs, but staff and students worked through issues as they came up. For example, UW-Eau Claire canceled programs in Australia and Japan due to border closures, and concerns about visa processing times altered some program dates. Also, more testing is required to fly and to enter various countries, further complicating logistics.<\/p>\n

Still, the students did an amazing job of adjusting as needed to ensure they could safely and successfully move forward with their study abroad semesters this spring, Marchwick says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are an impressive group of students who showed a lot of maturity, adaptability and resilience in the face of ongoing uncertainty,\u201d says Marchwick, noting that there are 62 seniors studying abroad this semester, an unusually high number since most students go abroad their sophomore or junior year.<\/p>\n

While it\u2019s encouraging that nearly 100 Blugolds currently are studying in a dozen countries, Marchwick says that\u2019s about half the number of students who studied abroad pre-pandemic. She\u2019s hopeful that numbers will increase in the fall as the world continues to reopen, she says, noting that CIE currently is accepting applications for study abroad programs for Winterim and spring 2023.<\/p>\n

Enjoying the experience<\/h3>\n

After nearly two years of closed borders and very limited travel opportunities, the students who are abroad this semester say they are making the most of it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have experienced so much already,\u201d says Lucy Weld, a junior from Minneapolis who is studying at Linnaeus University in V\u00e4xj\u00f6, Sweden. \u201cI live in a dorm-like apartment building with other international students from places like Columbia, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, China, Ukraine and Armenia, as well as other students from all over the U.S. We\u2019re all very close and have been doing everything together. It\u2019s been so much fun getting to know people and learning about their cultures and lives back home.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is the first time Weld, a business administration major who also is earning a fine arts administration certificate, has been outside the U.S. So, she\u2019s thrilled to be living and studying with people from so many different countries.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy favorite part is getting to know everyone; people are so unique and interesting,\u201d Weld says. \u201cThe city is almost the same size as Eau Claire, is surrounded by a lake, has lots of beautiful architecture, and fun pubs and restaurants.\u201d<\/p>\n

Schiff also is enjoying being part of a \u201ctight-knit\u201d group of international students who are \u201cincredibly kind and helpful people.\u201d He says he loves learning about their lives and cultures, while also sharing with them American culture and his own life experiences.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s especially interesting to talk with people from other parts of the world about American politics and history, and to be in classes that teach U.S. politics from new perspectives, says Schiff, a future teacher and a member of the Air National Guard.<\/p>\n

\u201cThree of my classes have to do with the American political system and it\u2019s interesting getting a foreign viewpoint,\u201d Schiff says. \u201cEvery day, I journal everything I\u2019ve learned and the conversations I\u2019ve had with international students. I write how I can relate what I learned from the day to my future classroom.\u201d<\/p>\n

Krautkramer chose the University of Limerick in Ireland because he\u2019s \u201calways been fascinated by the culture and landscape of the country.\u201d The program also offers opportunities to explore other countries in Europe, and his classes will transfer to UW-Eau Claire, so he still can graduate on time.<\/p>\n

Weeks into the program, he already knows that it was worth the wait to have this experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a strong global program, so I am meeting students from all around the world,\u201d says Krautkramer, who has majors in operations\/supply chain management and business finance and a minor in information systems. \u201cI\u2019m exploring the city of Limerick and attending local events. I\u2019m visiting the medieval castles and cathedrals in the city and learning about their history. The University of Limerick hosts over 100 study abroad and Erasmus students, so I\u2019m meeting students from different countries.\u201d<\/p>\n

Study abroad always a goal<\/h3>\n

Krautkramer already was considering studying abroad when he came to college, but he became even more interested after learning about the many international programs UW-Eau Claire offers.<\/p>\n

\u201cListening to the stories of my mom and older brother, who both studied abroad in college, fascinated me and motivated me to study abroad myself,\u201d Krautkramer says. \u201cI most hope to gain a stronger understanding of other cultures, but also grow personal skills like adaptability and independence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Coming into college, Weld was \u201cdefinitely interested\u201d in studying abroad but wasn\u2019t sure she\u2019d do it. Finally, saying she \u201cdid not want to miss this opportunity of a lifetime,\u201d she decided to study in Sweden, a program that was affordable and didn\u2019t require a second language.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always knew I wanted to travel and explore the world,\u201d Weld says. \u201cI\u2019d never traveled outside of the U.S., and I knew this would be a great opportunity to do it. I always hear people say it was the best experience of their life, so I want that experience, too. The biggest thing is that I want to meet new people and make new friends from different countries with upbringings that are different from mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Studying abroad wasn\u2019t on Schiff\u2019s radar until his military supervisors and others said their biggest regret about their own time in college was not studying abroad. He didn\u2019t want to make that same mistake.<\/p>\n

Blugolds are \u201clucky to have a study abroad program that offers so many different options and resources to prepare you for the experience,\u201d Krautkramer says. Weld agrees, saying that \u201cit sounds so scary to drop everything and leave for a semester, but I\u2019ve rarely heard anyone say they regret it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Initially, Weld worried she couldn\u2019t afford to study abroad. After learning that costs vary depending on the programs and countries, she found one that fit her budget and other criteria.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know money is a big factor for a lot of students, which is totally understandable, but it\u2019s definitely doable,\u201d Weld says. \u201cI\u2019m not one to come from a lot of money at all, but I think this is 100% worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Valuable learning experiences<\/h3>\n

While he\u2019s not certain what he will do immediately following his May graduation, Krautkramer knows his experiences abroad will help him be more successful wherever his life and career take him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the biggest takeaway from my experiences studying abroad will be adaptability,\u201d Krautkramer says. \u201cI\u2019ve had to adapt my academic plan many times to try to make the studying abroad work. Now that we are here, not only do we have to be adaptable to changing COVID conditions and restrictions, but we also have to adapt to a different education system and numerous cultural differences.\u201d<\/p>\n

In Sweden, Weld is taking interesting classes, learning the Swedish language and becoming more aware of the people and world around her, all things she says will help her be successful in the future.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing exposed to so many different cultures and experiences will make me become more aware of other people\u2019s differences, and to think more critically about my own culture and values,\u201d Weld says. \u201cIt also will push me to get out of my comfort zone, make me more spontaneous and motivate me to explore even more parts of the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Schiff, who will student teach in the fall, graduate in December and then look for a teaching position, is confident his semester abroad will make him a stronger teacher.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis experience is helping me gain a better perspective of the world we live in, to appreciate the little things I have in the United States, to know that most people are kind and good, and to think about politics and history from different angles,\u201d Schiff says.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n

\n
\n
Written by\u00a0Judy Berthiaume<\/a><\/h6>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For the Media<\/strong><\/p>\n