Area Student Spends 'Maymester' Abroad

At the end of the spring semester, most students long for a period of relaxation, adventure and, quite frankly, a break from hours spent at the library.

But rather than immediately tackling a new job or lounging by the pool, Carly Russell, of Rochester Hills, along with 300 other students at Belmont (TN) University opted to study abroad during the University’s “Maymester” session.

The list of trips includes diverse sites like Germany, Hawaii, Spain, Brazil, Israel, Greece, Rome, China, Argentina, Costa Rica and many more. Majoring in Communications, Russell, a sophomore, was able to take courses for academic credit during the session in London and Paris.

The “Belmont in London and Paris” program invited students to embark on an interdisciplinary program to discover the two major cosmopolitan capitals of Europe, through the lenses of food, film, gardens and math.

Led by Dr. Mimi Barnard, Dr. Judy Bullington, Dr. Kim Daus, Will Akers and Dr. Michelle Guinn, excursions included walking tours of both cities, cooking lessons, museum visits and day trips to Oxford, Chatsworth (Jane Austen’s “Pemberley”) and Blenheim Palace in England and Versailles, and Chantilly and Giverny in France. Motion pictures major Grayson Propst created a documentary that details more about how the travel experience impacted the participants.

“As part of our institutional mission, Belmont is committed to providing students with ways to engage and transform the world. Study abroad provides a pathway to make this a reality,” Director of Study Abroad Shelley Jewell said in a news release.

“Our students have embraced these opportunities and are given the necessary support and encouragement from our faculty and staff in order to participate,” Jewell said. “Having more than 60 faculty involved in this process has allowed for Belmont to offer a breadth of programs that span academic majors and the globe to give students the opportunity to explore the world in an academically meaningful way.”`

Jewell also emphasized the impact studying abroad can have in inspiring students to increase intellectual maturity, improve self-confidence and increase adaptability, noting that it teaches students to appreciate diversity and recognize and dismiss cultural stereotypes.

“We live in an increasingly interconnected world that demands students have awareness not only of our nation but of other cultures around the world in order to be successful,” she said. “Study abroad is a truly transformative experience that pushes students outside of their comfort zones. It is our job as higher education professionals to prepare students for our global marketplace and study abroad is a crucial piece of this preparation.”