By Paige Magee
Studying abroad is just one of the many opportunities offered at NCC that can provide great benefits to students who choose to participate in the program.
Jesus Velasco, international student advisor, explained that one of the main benefits to studying abroad is “more employment visibility. It is a lot more probable for you to obtain a job.”
“Second thing, is finding who you are as a student and what you want to do and how you want to apply that to your career path,” he said.
Sydney Patcha, a junior who spent last term at the University of Essex in England, said that one of the biggest ways she benefited from studying abroad was an increase in self-assurance.
“You develop confidence in the fact that you are able to handle things on your own and do so successfully which translates to other experiences in your life,” she said.
Information was an important aspect of Yisel Vasquez’s journey to NCC. Vasquez, a junior, explained that traveling abroad opens your horizons.
“Traveling abroad provides you with way too much new information that allows you to take your projects and goals to a point that you would never thought of,” she said.
When asked if she would want to travel abroad again if given the opportunity, Patcha exclaimed, “Yes! If someone said you could leave to study abroad tomorrow, I would. I love being on my own and taking the opportunity to travel and see something that is different and new than home; it is rewarding seeing a different point of view.”
Similarly, Vasquez also exclaimed, “Yes! Of course! No doubt I would study abroad again … It would never be enough. I am pretty sure that every time I do it, it would give me so many different experiences that would help me to accomplish more goals not only professionally, but also personally.”
Velasco stated, “Our students here have a very good opportunity and it is made really affordable because there are a lot of scholarships available through our office and we can provide you with other resources.”
Last fall term, 103 NCC students traveled abroad to a total of 14 countries, spanning across 26 programs. There are between 25 to 30 possible countries that students can travel abroad to and each continent participates in NCC’s travel abroad program, explained John Shindler, the director of international programs.
Velasco added that North Central provides many opportunities for students to travel abroad. “North Central really invests in students studying abroad. It is an overall institution concentration. It is what our administration values, and we’re support as a department,” he said.
Students interested in the study abroad program should visit the office of international programs, located next to the bookstore, in the Abe House.
