Study Abroad Is (Fingers Crossed) Back For MGA Students

Author: News Bureau
Posted: Tuesday, August 17, 2021 12:00 AM
Categories: School of Education and Behavioral Sciences | Faculty/Staff | School of Business | School of Health and Natural Sciences | School of Aviation | Pressroom | Students | School of Arts and Letters | School of Computing

Macon, GA

MGA's Dr. Laura Thomason, far right, with some University System of Georgia students at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland, during a 2018 study abroad trip.

Middle Georgia State University (MGA) is among the many U.S. colleges and universities making plans to revive at least some study abroad opportunities for students during the 2021-2022 academic year.

Things could change, of course, depending on the trajectory of the COVID pandemic. But for now, MGA students who want to revisit study abroad plans should begin preparations.

To help students get started, here's a Q&A with Dr. Laura Thomason, MGA’s provost fellow for International Programs:  

So the COVID-19 pandemic really messed up study abroad plans for many students over the past year or so. What’s the current status? Is study abroad back?

Yes! We are currently planning for summer 2022 programs to travel. Of course, we’ll be keeping a close eye on conditions at our program destinations, not only to protect students’ health and safety (always our first priority) but also to ensure the fullest possible experience. Fortunately, our destinations are bouncing back with highly effective and efficient protection measures that should really help keep travelers safe and excursion sites accessible.

What study abroad programs have been the most popular for MGA students in recent years?

The USG* Goes Global programs - nine destinations spanning Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean - have long been a mainstay of MGA’s study abroad offerings, particularly the programs in Scotland, Ireland, and Paris. More recently, the School of Health & Natural Sciences’ program titled “Exploring Evidence-Based Practice in Ireland” has become popular with nursing and health services administration majors. We hope to pilot at least one, and possibly as many as six, new study abroad programs geared to specific majors within the next two years.

Why do you encourage MGA students to consider studying abroad?

Study abroad brings so many benefits - academic, professional, and personal. It’s an opportunity to earn course credit, most obviously, but also to add a distinctive qualification to your résumé and to learn a lot about yourself and your own adaptability. It’s also one of the few opportunities a person may have in their life to take an interesting trip, potentially have it paid for by financial aid and scholarships, and get academic credit all at the same time.

What should current MGA students do next if they are interested in studying abroad sometime within the next year? 

Contact me to talk about your options! And when spring/summer registration opens in October, make sure your advisor also knows you’re interested in study abroad. If you don’t already have a passport, it’s not too early to start the application process: COVID has made processing times longer than they used to be.

Contact Thomason at 478.471.5765 or laura.thomason@mga.edu

_{*University System of Georgia}