Summer abroad programs offer rare opportunities
While students are just getting back into the swing of the spring semester, it’s not too early to start making plans for the summer, especially if a summer abroad program is something that’s on the radar.
The Tulane University Office of Study Abroad offers summer programs in Denmark, Ireland, France and Italy, and for the first time this year a program focusing on social innovation, design thinking and education will take students to University College in Dublin.
“One of the reasons we decided to go to Ireland and do a summer program is because many of our students getting certified in education have a lot of course work to do, and it’s difficult for them to finish everything,” says Carol Whelan director of the Tulane Teacher Certification Program. “With this intensive program, they’ll get to immerse themselves in this field of study and I really think they’ll see the benefits.”
Whelan says the guiding theme of the four-week program is “creating pathways to a better world,” and the goal is to enhance the understanding of the field of education and social innovation. As such, students will work with Ireland Ashoka Fellows and will get hands-on experience in Ashoka Changemakers schools in Dublin.
“When we got in touch with the Ashoka leaders in Dublin, we learned that there are at least six Changemaker schools there,” Whelan says. “They’ll see ways that the Irish system is working and they’ll observe methods that they can bring back with them into classrooms here. We’re also planning meetings with the Minister of Education in Dublin, so they’ll hear from the top about the Irish systems and they’ll be able to make comparisons about what they see here in the U.S.”
The program runs from June 4 through July 3. The deadline to apply for all summer programs is March 1. More information about other summer abroad programs is available online. A Summer Study Abroad Fair will be held on Monday, Feb. 15, from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. in the Qatar Ballroom of the Lavin-Bernick Center on the Tulane uptown campus.
