Gaining a world view through international study
Anna Plumb with her host who provides literacy and human rights education for young women in Senegal.
Upon graduating from Macalester College in 2005, Anna Plumb spent nine months conducting research in Senegal as a Fulbright Scholar. She interviewed young, unmarried, Muslim women about their hopes for the future and their avenues toward being respected in society. “The women I talked to think about the world in a totally different way. I had to confront the fact that my way of thinking, my values and my goals, are not the ‘right’ ones. I now have a broader world view,” she said.
Minnesota’s private colleges and universities recognize the value of international study and encourage students to have this experience if they can. Our emphasis on the liberal arts ensures that students build awareness of global diversity, but it’s when they study abroad that it really sinks in. This first-hand experience relating to people in other countries and cultures is increasingly important in our changing global environment.
New study abroad report
According to the just-released Open Doors report published by the Institute of International Education, more than 4,600 students from our 17 schools studied abroad last year — that’s nearly three of every five Minnesota college students who go abroad. St. Olaf College ranked second among U.S. baccalaureate institutions in the number of students who studied abroad; the College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University, Gustavus Adolphus College and Concordia College-Moorhead were also in the top ten.
Minnesota’s private colleges also did well in percentage of students who participated. At St. Olaf, 88.4 percent of undergraduate students had a study abroad experience — and five of our other baccalaureate-level campuses ranked in the top 40 nationwide. Hamline University and the University of St. Thomas also fared well among master’s and doctorate degree-granting institutions.
Fulbright scholars go abroad after graduation
As Anna Plumb discovered, international study may extend beyond graduation. The prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program funds an additional academic year of study, research or teaching assistantship in another country. It is the largest U.S. exchange program, awarding 1,300 grants annually in more than 140 countries. This year 20 graduating seniors from Minnesota’s private colleges received Fulbright scholarships. St. Olaf College students garnered eight of the awards, Macalester received five and Saint Benedict/Saint John’s two. Carleton College, Concordia College, Gustavus, College of St. Scholastica and Hamline received one each. Among their destinations are China, India Thailand, Mexico, Russia, Iceland and Morocco.
Looking back on her experience, Plumb said that it fundamentally changed the way that she thought about Islam. “It was very difficult for me to come back to the United States and experience a narrow and ignorant media message about Muslims.” She now works with newly-arrived refugees at a resettlement agency in the Twin Cities. After living and working in a foreign culture, Plumb believes she is more patient with the struggles of her clients to adapt. “Even the simplest things must seem totally foreign to them,” she said.
Emily Griswold on the horse statue in the Village of Alzey, Germany, where she taught English.
Emily Griswold — another 2005-06 Fulbright scholar from Macalester, taught English in Germany. She said that the experience taught her how to keep her eye on the big picture. “It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed — I’m broke, I’m homesick, I’m bored, I’m not funny in this language, I have no idea what that joke was about. But when I took a step back and focused on what I could do, rather than all the stuff I couldn’t control, I made the biggest strides as a teacher and a student,” she said. Griswold said the experience made her fluent in a second language and a successful traveler, and helped her land her current job with a large non-governmental organization that promotes global health.
Developing a global perspective
“The identities and the futures of our students are intimately entangled with the rest of the world,” states Michael Monahan, director of the International Center at Macalester. “Now more than ever, to be a serious center of intellectual achievement means being global in scope and cosmopolitan in mind. Undergraduate study abroad experiences and post-graduate programs like Fulbright are critically important in this regard,” he said.
For students contemplating an international experience, Monahan advises that they should think first about what they want to learn. Then study abroad advisors and faculty members can help students find the best place in the world to pursue their interest. For more information, see links to campus study abroad offices, the Council for International Educational Exchange, NAFSA: Association of International Educators or Forum on Study Abroad.
Minnesota’s private colleges and universities encourage their students to participate in international education. Those who do return with a broader view of the world and are more prepared to become good citizens and exemplary leaders.