Have you noticed a decline in the number of students wishing to go abroad since Sept. 11?
Not at all; in fact, there appears to be an increased interest in international education. Our annual Study Abroad Fair last October featuring programs from all of the SUNY schools drew more than 500 attendees—200 more than the fair in 2000. Sept. 11 has made students more aware of the need for intercultural understanding and exchange. Only one UB student decided to postpone her participation in a study abroad program from the Fall to the Spring semester as a result of Sept. 11 (she is currently abroad) and our participation rates for the Spring semester are consistent with those of previous years.

What services does your office provide?
Study Abroad Programs advises UB students on all types of overseas academic programs. We assist students at every stage of the process: program selection, the application process, the admissions paperwork, advice on travel arrangements, passports and visas, communication while students are abroad about safety issues and events of relevance here at UB, and assistance in re-entry to the U.S. and to UB upon their return home. We facilitate the processing of past participants' grades and credits into their UB degree programs, and provide guidance on locating scholarships to fund overseas experiences. We hope that the campus community will look to our office as a resource for advice and guidance when pursuing any overseas academic program.

In how many countries do we have programs? What country/program is the most popular? On average, how many UB students are abroad during a semester?
UB currently sponsors programs in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Malaysia, Mexico, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain and Thailand. Students wishing to study abroad in locations not offered by UB may take advantage of the more than 300 programs offered by other SUNY institutions. Students remain registered at UB while abroad, which enables them to take advantage of any tuition assistance or other financial aid for which they are eligible. In terms of sheer numbers, our largest study abroad programs are those in Salamanca, Spain, and Havana, Cuba, each of which sends 25-40 students each summer. UB sends a total of 250-300 students abroad each year. Approximately 45 percent study abroad during the summer, and another 40 percent study abroad for one semester. The remainder study abroad for a full academic year or during the January intersession.

What are the various types of programs that are offered?
Our offerings run the gamut from academic-year and one-semester options to short-term programs, including three- to 10-week summer programs, and two-week January intersession programs. Most of our programs are offered at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and some offerings also include non-credit options for community members and individuals not interested in receiving academic credit for their participation.

Tell me about the new programs slated to begin this summer.
Every year I work with faculty members from departments across UB who wish to develop new study abroad programs. This year, we have some exciting additions to our program offerings, including Vienna Arts & Culture Program in Vienna, Austria; Engineering Program in Troyes, France; Greek Culture Program in Patras and Sparta, Greece, and South Africa: Political & Contemporary Culture in Capetown, South Africa. In addition to summer program offerings, I would like to highlight two exchange programs: the School of Medicine exchange program with the Capital University of Medical Sciences in Beijing, China, allows UB medical students to complete a clinical rotation at Chinese hospitals. The new College of Arts and Sciences exchange agreement with the Faculty of Arts & Science at the University of Toronto facilitates year-long undergraduate student exchanges.

Did you study abroad as a student?
I did indeed, and it was a life-changing experience. Not only did I learn a great deal about myself, but I also selected the field of international education for my career! I often tell people that I was a "typical American undergraduate student" because I chose to study abroad in London, England, for one semester. My undergraduate program did not require me to take a foreign language, so I was reluctant to study in a country whose native language was not English. I now consider it my life's goal to encourage every prospective study abroad participant who has this fear to be brave and adventurous! It is entirely feasible to study in a country prior to being proficient in the native language. Many study abroad programs are designed for non-native speakers to enable them to acquire proficiency in a foreign language, and many also offer a variety of courses in English as well.

What question do you wish I had asked, and how would you have answered it?
I wish you had asked me how UB faculty members could become involved in study abroad programs. Faculty involvement is vital to the success of study abroad programs at UB, and there are many ways that our faculty can (and do!) contribute by:

• Recommending study abroad to their students, since faculty encouragement is one of the most successful ways to promote study abroad
• Contacting me whenever they are taking UB students abroad, whether for credit or not, so I can assist them in complying with UB and SUNY safety and liability regulations
• Discussing their field from an international perspective in the classroom, including their own international initiatives, projects and conference attendance
• Assisting prospective study abroad participants with overseas course selection and approval, and integration of overseas academics into UB degree programs
• Proposing a new study abroad program for UB students
• Supporting existing and initiating new exchange agreements.