Grand Valley State University ranked 10th for universities of its size for study abroad participation during the 2012-2013 academic school year. Though there was a decrease from the previous academic year, the 721 participants still qualified GVSU for the top 10, where it has consistently ranked.

There are two primary reasons why GVSU is able to achieve high participation rates, said Mark Schaub, the chief international officer at the Padnos International Center.

Firstly, students have options. GVSU has an open study abroad policy, Schaub said, which gives students thousands of options of where to study abroad.

“Not every college has that,” he said.

If GVSU doesn’t offer a desired program or location, numerous third party programs and organizations do.

“Many students go on programs that aren’t GVSU programs,” Schaub said. “Ours are just the tip of the iceberg.”

Secondly, students have support from GVSU in the form of the Padnos International Center, as well as faculty-led programs.

“We have about 25 faculty-led programs this year,” Schaub said. “We depend on faculty that are supporting these activities for students.”

Once interested in studying abroad, GVSU offers numerous resources that streamline the process and work with students on any issues they may have.

“We have study abroad fairs, and we have first step meetings every week,” Schaub said. “Our office is a testament to the university’s support.”

On top of being in the top 10, GVSU is also the No. 3 university in Michigan for study abroad participation. However, No. 1 won’t come any time soon.

According to Schaub, GVSU simply cannot compete with Michigan State University and the University of Michigan because they are so much larger. Another obstacle is that participation numbers have stagnated.

“We have more or less plateaued,” Schaub said.

He said this is partially due to finances saying only a certain number of students can come up with the funds. However, there is support in place for these students, such as scholarships, and some programs are more affordable than others.

“It is cheaper to go for a semester, because of student aid,” said GVSU student Sean Sloop, who traveled to Taiwan last year with a faculty-led program. “The cost is really dependent on the location, so students who are less flexible might pay a little more.”

Sloop said he urges those interested to come in as soon as possible, as the benefits outweigh the costs, which can be mitigated with the right planning.

“With the right planning, it won’t set you back,” he said. “It’s harder for a senior who has less class flexibility.”

Sloop also said his experience was a meaningful one that taught him valuable things about himself.

“Realizing your potential to function in another country, that was fun to figure out,” he said.

According to Schaub, the benefits of studying abroad are numerous.

“It’s a high impact learning experience; you’re immersed in another culture,” he said. “It adds another perspective to how you can be successful and provides challenges.”

Schaub also said it is valuable for employment purposes.

“All jobs now have a global mindset,” he said. “If you are only capable of doing your job in a provincial way, you won’t do as well.”

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