Nicole de la Fuente

April 11, 2016

MC4500
Study Abroad

Whenever you have a challenge for yourself, you have the

chance to grow, the Academic Programs Abroad Director said.
From 2014- 2015 it is estimated that over 600 LSU students
traveled abroad according to Harald Leder. The APA director also
explained how students are more successful once they return back to
LSU.
In a study conducted across the 35-institution University System
of Georgia, it was shown that students who study abroad have
improved academic performance upon returning to their home
campus, higher graduation rates and improved knowledge of cultural
practices.
The study compared graduation rates and GPAs for 19,109 study
abroad students from across the state system with a control group of
17,903 students.
Across the state system included community colleges, research
universities and institutions. The control group was selected to match
the institution, semester of study and class standing to the students
who studied abroad.

The mission of Academic Programs Abroad at LSU is to promote

and facilitate academically sound, and culturally enriching, domestic
and international exchanges and other study away experiences that
provide LSU students with a competitive edge and necessary skills to
participate and thrive in the complex and ever-changing global
society.
Leder was an international student growing up so when LSU
offered him a position on staff and then administration he couldnt turn
down the offer.
The APA director also attributes study abroad students
successful academic career to their motivation.
Typically students that study abroad are more motivated and
seek out a study abroad program, something they dont have to do and
takes a lot of effort and GPA requirements, Leder explained.
LSU student Libby Bourgeois studied abroad in Prague for a
semester.
Bourgeois favorite part was traveling around the Czech Republic
and interacting with people from different areas. She also said being
thrown into an Eastern European country helped her learn more about
herself and what challenges she could handle.
Even though, the Accounting major said she was stressed and
behind her business classmates in studies after she returned from her
semester abroad.

Being slightly behind allowed me to focus harder on getting

back on track, Bourgeois described. I immediately applied for several
internships through Careers2Geaux and was soon in the offices of
some of the biggest accounting firms.
Bourgeois plans on getting her Masters in Accounting after
graduation and attributes some success in interviews to studying
abroad. She was surprised at how much employers wanted to talk
about her study abroad experiences.
It has made me more open to different approaches to situations
and more adaptable to the challenges I will face, Bourgeois explained.
Leder said that 75 percent of American businesses like when a
student has studied abroad because it provides them with the
information that this student is more mature.
He attributes the maturity to having to operate outside comfort
zones, growing personally and being focused.
The Dean of Students at LSU said she wants a larger frame of
reference for how students see the world. Study abroad students have
this broader frame and she thinks this is a positive quality.
Mari Fuentes-Martin also said she used to be the international
student adviser and benefited from that position greatly because of her
daily interactions with other cultures.

I admire students that study abroad in a country that is not

English speaking because its more transformative and it goes deeper,
Martin described.
She also said employers look for the qualities that study abroad
students have like critical thinking and diversity in opinions.
When you have a larger frame of reference you can look at
different angles, explained Martin And can bring different aspects of
the topic into consideration when making a decision, this is critically
important.
Laura Neff graduated from LSU in 2014 and is in the Audiology
School at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans.
Neff, 23, went to Cape Town, South Africa for five weeks with the
program Global LEAD. LEAD stands for Leadership, Education,
Adventure and Diplomacy. Neffs favorite part was the service and
aspect side of LEAD.
Since LEADs program focused primarily on leadership
development and service, Neff was forced to reflect on her strengths
as a leader and how she could be more productive after returning back
to campus.
I wouldnt attribute getting into graduate school solely to
studying abroad but I think it had an indirect effect by helping me
focus on my speech pathology path, Neff explained.

Overall, studying abroad helped Neff set and achieve long-term

goals for herself, much like Bourgeois.
LSUs APA has almost 400 study abroad programs, ranging in
length and destination. APA also has scholarships for students wishing
to go abroad that need financial aid.
Not only does studying abroad help academic growth, but it also
increases self confidence and a better understand of cultural and
values and biases, according to More Is Better: The Impact of Study
Abroad Program Duration.
Students that study abroad also have the opportunity to make
lifelong friends and connections, invest in a future career, study topics
not taught on LSUs campus, learn and master a new language and
explore possible venue for graduate school, according to APAs Web
page.
The dean said she lives vicariously through her children and
highly encourages them to study abroad.
My only regret 25 years after college is not studying abroad.

Harald Leder admires his Russian artwork from a previous study abroad
trip. Leder is the Academic Programs Abroad Director. He estimates that
over 600 LSU students traveled overseas in the last year.

LSU Health Sciences Center student Laura Neff studies for her
upcoming Audiology test. Neff graduated from LSU in 2014 and
attributes some academic success to studying abroad. She said it also
helped her set and achieve her long-term goal of attending Audiology
school.