The Gazette reported recently that undergraduate student participation in study abroad programs at William & Mary ranks first in the nation among public colleges and universities.
During the past 15 years, William & Mary has ranked first 10 times among undergraduate study abroad participation. In the 2021-22 academic year, there were 710 William & Mary undergraduate students who had studied abroad for academic credit at some point during their undergraduate career.
I asked Teresa Longo, associate provost for international affairs and executive director of the Reves Center for International Studies, “Why is the study abroad experience important to William & Mary students?”
“Global education is at the heart of liberal arts education at William & Mary,” Longo said. “We want to make sure that before our students leave W&M, they broaden and deepen the way they see themselves in the world.”
The core mission of the Reves Center is to advance international engagement at William & Mary, providing support for international students, scholars and programs.
By all indication, William & Mary makes a great effort to prepare students for the real world.
“We know employers value studying abroad,” Longo said in an interview. “Students who study abroad learn to be flexible, independent, confident and comfortable with ambiguity. They learn to listen more and to see the work world through a global lens. They bring classroom theories into the practice of scholarly and professional life.”
I asked Longo what role the Reves Center plays in placing students into a study abroad program.
“The Global Education Office at Reves makes study abroad possible,” Longo said. “Reves staff support the students at every stage, from the time they start thinking about studying abroad to their final reflections. Two thousand students engage Reves Center staff every year; we award $600,000 in scholarships.”
Another facet of the Reves Center’s work is attending to the needs of international students.
According to the mission statement of the Office of International Students, Scholars and Programs, it guides them through every step, from initial visa to graduation, and in some cases, temporary post-graduation employment.
Each year, students from 55 different countries study at William & Mary.
My columns have often featured William & Mary students who have returned to the campus after participating in study abroad programs. Without exception, they reflected positively on their experiences.
They appreciated the financial help offered by the Reves Center to students who otherwise couldn’t afford participating, the guidance on various programs and the workshops preceding their departure.
One of those who took the opportunity to study abroad was Tessa Bechert, a junior studying business, specifically marketing. She went to Prague, Czech Republic, along with 30 other W&M students. They were in Prague for six weeks studying at Charles University. Founded in 1348, Charles University is one of the oldest universities in the world.
“We lived in university housing, placing us about 10 minutes’ walk from the famous Prague Castle,” Bechert recalled. “We took a class on Central European modernism, on contemporary Central European politics and an art history class or a history class about the Habsburg empire.”
She added, “These classes informed me of so much of the cultural history of Prague and the surrounding regions, helping me gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the city I was living in.”
Significantly, Longo recalled that when she was 19 years old, she went on a study abroad program to Morelia, Mexico.
“It was the foundational experience that shaped my education and my career,” she said.
Frank Shatz is a Williamsburg resident. He is the author of “Reports from a Distant Place,” the compilation of his selected columns. The book is available at the Bruton Parish Shop and Amazon.com.