Centre's international program just what task force ordered

RELEASED: Dec. 11, 2003

DANVILLE, KY—The U.S. government was recently urged to increase foreign language study and study abroad opportunities for college students.

The Strategic Task Force on Education Abroad said Americans are disconnected from the rest of the world at a time when anti-American sentiments run high following the September 11 terrorist attacks and war in Iraq.

Centre College students, 75 percent of whom study abroad at some point during their four years at the college, say that studying overseas is crucial in gaining a better understanding of the world.

Kim Bauser, a junior from Kettering, Ohio, a double-major in French and religion, studied in Strasbourg, France, last year. "Living in another country is invaluable in being able to understand life outside the U.S," she said. "One can't help but be changed by the experience—to better understand a new culture and to better appreciate some aspects of your own."

Ryan Reynolds, a sophomore from Sumter, S.C., agreed. Reynolds is finishing up a semester in Reading, England. "It's a golden opportunity to relate to the rest of the world," he said. "Everyone has different ideals, customs and beliefs. It's truly an enlightening experience. I want to travel to another part of the world, possibly Israel and the Middle East. My only regret is that I can't stay longer."

Long known for its extensive international study opportunities, Centre is tied at No. 10 in U.S. News and World Report for "most students studying abroad." In addition to semester-long programs in England, France, and Mexico, Centre offers exchange programs in Japan and Northern Ireland, as well as a wide variety of short-term programs to such locations as Italy, Vietnam, Morocco and Istanbul.

To learn more about Centre's international programs, visit http://web.centre.edu/studyabroad/.

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