I read an interesting
article in my local
paper over the weekend — Beginning in Fall 2006, Goucher College, a
small liberal arts school located just north of Baltimore, will
require all students to study
abroad for at least three weeks. I think this is a fabulous idea, but I assume it will raise eyebrows and be cause
of some debate. There are only a few institutions in the country that make study abroad a mandatory part of curriculum
for the entire student body.
Goucher will offset expenses for each student with a $1,200 travel voucher. This expense will add over $400,000 to the
college’s budget, but they see it as well worth the cost. Students can choose to do an entire semester or year abroad
program, or participate in a shorter immersion experience. I bet this will increase the number of
blogs listed on the International
Studies page!
Traveling like this within the framework of educational credit can be particularly rewarding and a valuable
foundation for a student’s future. Kudos to Goucher for a smart decision that will make their student body that much
more worldly, marketable and better able to serve the needs of our global community.