Emma Brunst
E-Portfolio 2019 #1
For the first E-Portfolio of the 2019-2020 school year, I was able to fulfill my campus requirement while learning very useful information for myself to be able to travel abroad. Not only did I learn information about it, but also where to start and how to make it a possibility. Education is a universal language that can unite all different types of people. On September 12th, from 2-6 in the Union, the Office of International Affairs, organized an Education Abroad Expo for students to learn more information about traveling abroad through Ohio State. Once I walked into the Archie Griffin Ballroom in the Union, a student handed us a map of the room to figure out where exactly to go which was very helpful because I was by myself. They had specific tables for different majors or interests. Some examples of the tables were Public Health, Nursing, Peace Corps, as well as Semester at Sea, STEP, and many others. As an engineering student, I was very interested in the engineering opportunities that were offered. I have been very interested in studying abroad since last semester, so I was somewhat familiar with the possible trips before going to the expo, but I still wanted to learn more information. I went to the engineering table and talked to a representative from the department. I just asked some introductory questions and we talked about engineering for a while as well. One very important piece of information I learned was that these trips can be funded through STEP which is something else that I am in on campus. They offered more in-depth and extensive information for the specific program at an information session later in the semester. There are 4 offered for engineering-Castles and Cathedrals in Wales, Engineering service-learning in Ghana, Engineering of Ancient Greece, and Humanitarian Engineering in Ghana. These programs are all sponsored by Ohio state to travel with a staff member or graduate student as well as the group of students. I plan on attending the info session for Engineering of Ancient Greece, where students travel to Athens and other Grecian Islands to learn about the engineering and archeological sites in Greece and how these wonders were created. I have been very interested in doing this and now that this can be funded through STEP, it makes it very possible for me!
This relates to the topic international affairs because students are having the opportunity to travel abroad and experience different cultures, food, and people in the process. I know a fair amount of my peers that would love to travel abroad, either for education or career purposes or just to experience a new way of living. I would love to be able to explore the world with some on my fellow classmates, while learning and making new memories in a new part of the world. I have traveled abroad before with my family, but I think that studying abroad would be extremely different than anything I have experienced before.