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JAYHAWKS ABROAD
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STUDYING A LESS COMMONLY TAUGHT LANGUAGE ABROAD
By Ben Ale-Ebrahim
This summer I spent two months abroad studying Persian language in Dushanbe, Tajikistan with the American Councils for International Education. As a KU student, I was able to take advantage of several on-campus opportunities available for anyone interested in Less Commonly Taught Languages, which include Persian, Arabic, Swahili, Chinese, and Russian, among many others. One of the best resources for learning these languages are KU's various area studies centers, including the Center for Global and International Studies, the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies and the Kansas African Studies Center. If you haven't considered learning a language like Uyghur or Amharic before, and you are interested in a non-traditional study abroad experience, contact one of these centers and take advantage of the great language learning
opportunities on campus before you even leave Lawrence. If you are currently enrolled in one of these language classes, think about studying abroad – this is a great way to put your language skills to use and get that all-important immersion experience. Even though I was only in Tajikistan for two months, I was able to learn two semesters' worth of Persian simply because I was using the language all day, every day, not just in my classroom. Finally, there are several scholarship opportunities available to study these languages – including FLAS, Boren, and CLS – that KU students have been awarded in the past that help fund these life-changing experiences. If you want to learn more about studying abroad in a lesscommonly taught language, stop by the Study Abroad Info Center and we can find the right program for you.
SCUBA DIVE IN BONAIRE
By Jackie Langdon
This winter break, students can get out of the cold and study Marine Biology in Bonaire. Students will have the opportunity to scuba dive in one of the most bio-diverse coral reefs in the world and receive academic credit. KU professor and excursion leader, Dr. James Thorp, said he considers this opportunity a must on any person's bucket list.
"It is a phenomenal experience. Students who have gone on these trips in the past come back terribly excited about what they have seen and their general experience," said Thorp.
The island of Bonaire is a special municipality of the Netherlands and is located off the northern coast of South America in the Caribbean Sea. It is a semi-desert island which is noted for its rich coral and real communities and is highly favored by scuba divers.
Study Abroad Program Coordinator Mari Keyser said this program is one of the only KU programs
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OFFICER DIVERSITY:
offered in the Caribbean and is a good opportunity for students to learn more about aquatic life. Students will have the opportunity to dive twice a day on marine field trips. In addition, students will attend short lectures and other land excursions to get credit for BIOL 418/701.
"Students obtain more knowledge from diving on a coral reef than they ever could in a classroom setting on campus," said Thorp.
This study abroad opportunity is available to students of all majors who have a 2.5 GPA. Participants need to be good swimmers and scuba certified before the trip begins in January. Applications for the program are due October 1 and can be completed online at https://ku.studioabroad.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ViewProgram&Program_ID=10127.
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KU CAMPUS HAS MOST
HISTORICALLY DIVERSE
POLICE FORCE
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POWER OF THE PAST EVENT PROVIDES UNIQUE LOOK INTO HISTORY
CATWALK II & KING MIDGET
RESEARCHING RETENTION
STUDY FINDS THAT LEARNING A LANGUAGE ISN'T IN ONE EAR AND OUT THE OTHER
HYBRID CLASSES:
ALLOWING STUDENTS A FLEXIBLE WAY TO ATTEND CLASS
AARON GROENE/KANSAN
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