During a pre-departure orientation at Rosen College on May 20, students heard from Rafael Ortega, 鈥�14, who participated in the program last year. Since graduation, Ortega entered the prestigious and selective Marriott Voyage Global Leadership Development Program and is now working at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center.

Due to the success of this program, Rosen College and the Office of Experiential Learning have established a second partnership with the , Japan鈥檚 first luxury urban resort. Three hospitality students will work in paid positions at this globally-renowned hotel, located in the middle of a city featuring 17 world heritage sites. Students will depart in late June, and work and live in Kyoto until the end of 2015.

鈥淛apan, as a developed country, is one of the few countries in the world where our students are able to go for paid learning experiences due to its friendly immigration and labor laws for students/interns,鈥� said J.T. Ghim, experiential learning coordinator for 麻豆原创鈥檚 Rosen College. 鈥淧artnerships like these will provide our students invaluable opportunities to interact with guests, employees and managers from different parts of the world while working for top-rated companies and learning about their unique management style and service culture.鈥�

Visit Rosen College’s website to learn more about or contact Mr. J.T. Ghim.

Giron and eight other 麻豆原创 students will travel to Europe this summer as part of the university鈥檚 Sophomore Experience Abroad.

The unique study abroad trip engages students and helps build skills they鈥檒l need during a year of transition, self-discovery and decision-making.

The trip was created as part of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Academic Advising Enhancement Program. Last year, seven students traveled to Germany and Austria.

鈥淭he program is designed without classrooms,鈥� said Christopher Cook, the academic advising coordinator who created and leads the program. 鈥淭he students spend their day-to-day activities engaged with the people, culture and history around them.鈥�

Participating 麻豆原创 students meet prior to their trip to discuss expectations for themselves as well as the program. They also learn about ways study abroad can benefit academic and career opportunities.

In 2010, researchers concluded after a decade of documenting academic outcomes from the University System of Georgia that students who study abroad have improved academic performance upon returning to their home campus, along with higher graduation rates. They also found that study abroad helps the academic progress of at-risk students.

This year鈥檚 Sophomore Experience Abroad itinerary includes a visit to the Czech Republic and stops at places such as the Munich Opera and the BMW Museum. Traveling students also will collaborate with German students to experience cultural exchange through partnerships with the German-American Institute in T眉bingen and Amerika Haus in Munich.

鈥淐hris designed the trip and our assignments to incorporate important skills like intercultural communication, confidence and interaction with others,鈥� said Giron, an accounting major. 鈥淔or example, we鈥檙e giving a presentation to German students and will have to use public speaking skills to articulate what our education system is like to people who are not familiar with it.鈥�

Giron will also have the opportunity to connect her experience abroad with her academics; she just finished reading Night, Elie Wiezel鈥檚 firsthand account of surviving the Holocaust, for one of her classes, and will be visiting the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial as part of the trip.

Because the program is a three-credit hour course, the schedule is also developed around students鈥� assignments, which include maintaining a journal and blog, leading guided tours and making several presentations.

The program has already garnered attention, winning 麻豆原创鈥檚 Judy Boyte Academic Advising Innovation Award, which recognizes innovation in advising. It was named among the top five most innovative new study abroad programs by GoAbroad.com, an international education and experiential travel resource website.

The number of applicants for this year鈥檚 program indicates interest as well鈥攊t received the second-largest number applications of all 麻豆原创 study abroad programs this year.

Interested participants in the Sophomore Experience Abroad can be from any major and must have between 30 and 60 credit hours and be in good academic standing to qualify. Financial aid opportunities are available. Cook reviews the applications and interviews potential participants, looking for students who have limited experience traveling outside of the United States.

The program is made possible through the cooperation of several offices on campus, including the Office of International Studies, the Office of Interdisciplinary Studies, Student Development and Enrollment Services, the Sophomore Second Year Center and the advising community.

To learn more about the Sophomore Experience Abroad or read student blog posts about the trip, visit .