The Study Abroad Club held an organizational meeting on Wednesday, September 29, to bring together students who are interested in travel and study abroad opportunities. The meeting was led by Dr. Geir Bergvin, director of the Center for Global Studies, who will serve as the advisor to the group.
“Slowly but surely we are getting more students interested and offering then more opportunities to study abroad,” said Bergvin.
The organizational mission of the group is to increase interest in the study abroad programs and to have the club members promote study abroad opportunities to others on campus.
Also present were Dr. Tom McFarland, associate professor of business administration and also a member of the Center for Global Studies Advisory Council, and Bonnie Weston, representing student affairs.
Bergvin, explained the program and the government structure of the Global Studies Program, as well as possible programming and event opportunities the students could be involved with in this academic year.
Officers were elected and include co-presidents Andrew Baker, a sophomore majoring in creative writing and planning a trip to Australia this year; and Luis Zamora, an international student majoring in management and economics. Zamora was born in Germany and later moved to Chile.
“This is my study abroad program, and I have realized it opens your mind immensely,” said Zamora. Baker said that while he is very excited about his own upcoming study abroad opportunity, his main goal is to promote study abroad in the overall Tusculum community.
Bergvin told the students, “You have an opportunity to build an organization from scratch and motivate other students to get involved by spreading the value and interest of study broad and encouraging others to get involved.”