Students gain opportunities to travel
Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) offers students the chance to study in various parts of the world with the Office of Global Engagement (OGE). Places such as Germany, Taiwan and Vienna were recently visited by students and faculty, giving them the opportunity to share in cultures that help students take their education a step further by letting them implement what they are learning here on campus into the world.
“We are here to globalize your degree. Which is so important because the skills and competencies that a student gains through an experience through one of the global programs are some of the top skills and competencies that employers are looking for,” Program Coordinator for the OGE Nicolette Dacke said.
The faculty-led program, Academic Exchange Program and the Direct Enroll Program are the three different opportunities that students can take to study abroad. Regardless of which plan students use they are all flexible for their educational needs and potential experiences that their future career path may require to obtain.
Not only will students achieve educational opportunities but also learn about the world’s cultures.
“Although things are planned in advance, there are sometimes situations you go through and it is exciting and scary at the same time as you are in a new environment…I feel like I learned a lot about the Taiwanese culture while we were there and even learned a bit of their language,” Annalisa Perales, a TAMUK master’s student who recently traveled with the program to Taiwan, said.
TAMUK had previously closed its program for the safety of the students during the pandemic, but TAMUK has now officially finished setting up their Faculty Led Program for every major provided on campus and are continuing to make changes to further provide students more opportunities to achieve a higher education.
As students come back from their visits, they have a chance to talk about their travels and provide information of the experiences and challenges they faced. Wherever they are traveling to, each student is given the chance to learn something new and have their own individual lessons and provide awareness for the different cultures they witnessed.
“The best way to learn is to travel, to experience, and then it also gives you a better appreciation… It’s a different approach to learning than just sitting in a classroom,” Alona Minchin, who recently traveled to Vienna with the OGE, said.
For more information visit https://www.tamuk.edu/globalprograms/index.html