IHEC Blog Posts Will Resume After NAFSA Conference

As always before the NAFSA annual conference I’m trying to complete more work than I have hours in the day for so I will resume posting to IHEC Blog during the week of June 1st. Until then visit International Education News & Blogs to see what’s going on in the international education blogosphere and you may want to visit Twitter from time to time and search “study abroad” and see what some of the students are saying…sometimes funny and sometimes stunning. You can actually search Twitter for "study abroad" on International Education News & Blogs!

NAFSA Bookstore to Sell Outside Publications again at Conference

During the upcoming NAFSA conference in Los Angeles the NAFSA Bookstore will be selling international education related titles from other publishers at the NAFSA Bookstore. NAFSA began selling outside publications a few years ago while I was on their Subcommittee on Information Management (SIM) and I learned that this was a big success (for NAFSA and the outside publishers) so I’m pleased to hear that they are continuing trend.

There are some excellent offerings this year from both NAFSA and other publishers. You can learn about all of the various NAFSA publications here on their website. Here is the list of non-NAFSA publications that will be available for review and purchase at the NAFSA Bookstore in Los Angeles:

- Educating Global Citizens in Colleges and Universities - Challenges and Opportunities (Routledge)

- The Handbook of Practice and Research in Study Abroad - Higher Education and the Quest for Global Citizenship (Routledge)

- Higher Education and International Student Mobility in the Global Knowledge Economy (SUNY Press)

- The First Time Effect: The Impact of Study Abroad on College Student Intellectual Development (SUNY Press)

- Developing Intercultural Competence and Transformation (Stylus Publishing)

- Driving Change Through Diversity and Globalization-Transformative Leadership in the Academy (Stylus Publishing)

Additionally, NAFSA members are eligible for discounts on cross- cultural resources from the Intercultural Press which I imagine will have a booth in the exhibit hall again this year.

If you’re interested in proposing a publication or writing for NAFSA I encourage you to visit their “Get Published in NAFSA Publications” page here. I encourage all conference attendees to find some time in their busy schedules to stop by the NAFSA Bookstore as this is a excellent opportunity to pick-up some great literature.

Assessment Toolbox for International Educators presentation at NAFSA May 28th

Are you interested in or in need of assessing international programs on your campus or through your organization? If so, you may be interested in attending a session where I’m presenting as part of a panel at the upcoming NAFSA conference in Los Angeles on May 28th. My part of the presentation will focus on the Global Perspectives Inventory (GPI) by Braskamp, Braskamp & Carter Merrill. Here are the session details:

Session title: Assessment Toolbox for International Educators
Where and when: Los Angeles, California on May 28, 2009
Conference: NAFSA: Association of International Educators Annual Conference
Presenters:

David Comp
The University of Chicago - dcomp@uchicago.edu

Dr. Darla K. Deardorff
Duke University- d.deardorff@duke.edu

Dr. Elaine Meyer-Lee
Saint Mary’s College - meyerlee@saintmarys.edu

Dr. Victor Savicki
Western Oregon University- savickv@wou.edu

Dr. Lee Sternberger
James Madison University - sternblg@jmu.edu

Session handouts and presentation copies are available here.

Exchange Participants as Citizen Diplomats: Best Practices

My University of Chicago colleague Erika Mercer and I will be presenting on this topic at the upcoming NAFSA: Association of International Educators conference in Los Angeles on May 28th at 9:15am. Actually, Erika and I will be doing brief introductions to the topic and then moderating what we hope will be a lively discussion on this topic for the remainder of the session. We will be basing our discussion off the excellent document that Erika prepared for the session which you can download here.

Erika has previously posted to IHEC Blog as a guest blogger and you can access her post entitled “Unintended Consequences of Internationalization” here.

While I'm on the topic of Citizen Diplomats...if you haven't already taken 30 seconds to sign the Global Citizen Diplomacy Initiative petition to President Obama please visit here. The Global Citizen Diplomacy Initiative is a project of The U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy.

The Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act is included in the Foreign Relations Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011 (H.R. 2410)

On May 14th the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act was included in the Foreign Relations Authorization Act introduced by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman (D-CA). Last year, the bill passed the House with unanimous support and enjoyed strong bipartisan support in the Senate, including that of then-senators President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, where it was one step short of passage when the legislative clock expired last fall. The Simon Act has been endorsed by more than forty higher education and international exchange organizations and by the 9/11 Comission Chairs.

The Simon Act aims to dramatically increase the number of U.S. undergraduates who study abroad in quality programs across the globe, focusing particular attention on ensuring access to study abroad across the college demographic and encouraging study abroad in the developing world. Less than 10% of U.S. undergraduates participate on educational programs abroad.

Here’s a statement from NAFSA: Association of International Educators Executive Director and CEO Marlene Johnson: “We applaud Chairman Berman for his strong support of the Simon bill and for including it in this important package. By ensuring that the critical experience of study abroad is an integral part of the 21st-century education of our college students, this unique and innovative program would revolutionize America’s capacity to understand, relate to, and lead responsibly in the world. We are encouraged by the support expressed for the Simon bill by President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton when they were in the Senate.”
Want to do more? NAFSA is leading a growing movement online to make sure this legislation gets passed. Here are some ways you can help:

Join NAFSA on Facebook at http://www.nafsa.org/jointhemovement to find out how you can support the Simon bill.

You can learn more about the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act here.

Research & Internationalization at NAFSA's Annual Conference

The following is from my colleague Bryan McAllister-Grande, Assistant Director in the Office of Global Affairs at Brandeis University and the Research & Scholarship Network Leader of NAFSA’s Teaching, Learning & Scholarship knowledge community:

As research and research application become increasingly important in our work, I'd like to highlight two specific opportunities to explore these areas during the LA conference.

**Graduate Student Research Roundtable (open to all)
Wednesday, May 27
3:45 - 5:00 pm
Westin Bonaventure Hotel
Avalon Room

Facilitators: Rebecca Hovey (World Learning), David Rudd (Arcadia University), Lou Berends (Illinois Institute of Technology), David Comp (University of Chicago), with guest Elaine Loveland (Managing Editor, "International Educator" Magazine)

This annual meeting is geared for all who are doing (or interested in) research in international education. We'll be breaking up into small groups for open discussion. Topics include: academic degrees and career paths; publishing in the field; research on student learning outcomes and mobility; "theses and dissertations: what knowledge is of most worth?"; and research on internationalization vs. globalization.

**NAFSA Research Seminar: Legitimizing Internationalization on our Campuses through Research
Thursday, May 28
8:00 - 10:00 am
Los Angeles Convention Center 404 A

Chair: Val Rust - University of California-Los Angeles
Panelists: Ji-Yeung Jang (University of Minnesota), Richard Sutton (Visiting Scholar, Kennesaw State University Siegel Institute for Leadership & Ethics), Larry Braskamp (Loyola University-Chicago), Bryan McAllister-Grande (Brandeis University)

Internationalization is an important goal of 21st-century institutions, yet for many faculty and university leaders it can seem disconnected from the core tasks of teaching, learning, and scholarship. This seminar features expert panelists discussing how research on aspects of internationalization -- including education abroad, international student recruitment , intercultural learning, and broader university strategies for internationalization -- can help position internationalization as a driving force of higher education. We'll also be opening up discussion for seminar participation.

More research-related and Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship (TLS) events and sessions can be found here.

For more information about the Research and Scholarship Network, please contact me at bgrande@brandeis.edu. See you in LA!

Secretary Clinton Highlights Value of Study Abroad & Educational Exchange at NYU Commencement

Yesterday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton addressed the 2009 graduates from New York University at Yankee Stadium. As I watched/listened to her address this morning I was very happy to hear her talk about the value of study abroad and educational exchanges.

I have copied and pasted her relevant remarks here:



“I know that one of your graduates spent months on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro searching for sustainable development models to bring to women and families and help them lift themselves out of poverty. Another of your classmates was studying in China last year when the devastating earthquake struck, and that has led to work ever since to deliver supplies and assistance to villagers in remote areas. International students have gone on to fight for human rights in Rwanda, build civil society in the nation of Georgia, run businesses, and lead governments.”

“I hope many of you will join our ranks in the Foreign Service and the Civil Service, but I know that not all will choose to become professional diplomats, and I also know that the State Department alone cannot tackle these great problems. So my message to you today is this: Be the special envoys of your ideals; use the communication tools at your disposal to advance the interests of our nation and humanity everywhere; be citizen ambassadors using your personal and professional lives to forge global partnerships, build on a common commitment to solving our planet’s common problems. By creating your own networks, you can extend the power of governments to meet the needs of this and future generations. You can help lay the groundwork for the kind of global cooperation that is essential if we wish, in our time, to end hunger and defeat disease, to combat climate change, and to give every child the chance to live up to his or her God-given potential. (Applause.)

This starts with opportunities for educational exchanges, the kind of dorm room and classroom diplomacy that NYU is leading on. I want to commend my friend, your president, the trustees of this great university, for understanding and believing in the importance of educational exchanges.

You know, study abroad is like spring training for this century. It helps you develop the fundamentals, the teamwork, and the determination to succeed. And we want more American students to have that opportunity. That’s why we are increasing funding for Gilman scholarships by more than 40 percent. More than 400 New Yorkers have used Gilman scholarships to spend a semester abroad, including nine students from NYU last year.

Now, of course, study abroad is a two-way street, and we should bring more qualified students from other countries to study here. NYU provides a prime example of what international students can bring to a campus and how they can benefit themselves and their countries. Over 700,000 international students came to the United States last year, and NYU had the second largest number of any school in the country. (Applause.)

Now, the benefits from such exchanges are so great that I am committed to streamline the visa process – (applause) – particularly for science and technology students so that even more qualified students will come to our campuses in the future. We’re also doing more to marry technology with global service. That’s why today I am pleased to announce that over the next year the State Department will be creating Virtual Student Foreign Service Internships to harness the energy of a rising generation of citizen diplomats. Working from college and university campuses, American students will partner with our embassies abroad to conduct digital diplomacy that reflects the realities of the networked world. And you can learn more about this initiative on the State Department’s website.”

You can read the text of Secretary Clinton’s address here.

President Obama’s commencement address at Arizona State University was also very good as well (despite him not being accomplished enough to be awarded an honorary degree) but it was Secretary Clinton’s address at NYU that shined yesterday (at least from my perspective).

Open Meeting on Public Diplomacy and Global Citizenship at Upcoming NAFSA Conference

Wednesday, May 27
10:00 - 11:00 am
TLS Lounge, LA Convention Center Concourse, 152/153

We're inviting you to attend an open meeting on public diplomacy and global citizenship at the upcoming NAFSA conference in Los Angeles. As international education becomes increasingly a national as well as institutional agenda, it's ever-important that international educators have a voice based in research as well as in practice.

Building upon conversations started by David Comp and others on this network, the get-together is informal; it's a chance to network, meet those interested, and hear about some of the efforts in this area. We'll also save some time for discussing ideas for some kind of NAFSA group/task force on these issues.

Although the meeting is an open house, please RSVP if you can to bgrande@brandeis.edu so we can get a rough sense of numbers.

Sincerely,

David Comp
Jed Willard
Erika Mercer
Bryan McAllister-Grande
Martha Bridgman

What does it take to get a Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant?

On May 1st the 2010-2011 Fulbright U.S. Student Program officially opened and I entered my 10th year as the Fulbright Program Adviser (FPA) for the U.S. Student Program at the University of Chicago. My first five years were in the Office of International Affairs where I advised both graduate and undergraduate students on this competition and the last four years I’ve been in the Dean of Students Office in The College and I have served as the FPA for undergraduate students/recent alumni.

As you can see in the following table, there has been a significant increase in the number of applications and Fulbright awards to graduating seniors and recent alumni at The University of Chicago.

We have a very globally minded student body here in The College and it’s no surprise that a little program promotion and making time to advise prospective applicants have produced positive results.

As for the answer to “what does it take to get a Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant?”….only students in and alumni from The College at the University of Chicago can schedule a meeting with me to learn the answer.

**Update**

After one comment and a couple of e-mail messages about wanting an answer to the question "What does it take to get a Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant?" I thought I would add the following which I copied and pasted in my reply to Anonymous in my comments section:

Part of the success of students in the College is simply due to an increase in the number of applications. The other part of their success is that most applicants start their application in spring and don't wait until July or August as that is too late in the game. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program application is rather simple compared to lengthy papers that students write for classes. The difference with the Fulbright application is that it's not submitted for a grade but rather for a significant amount of money in what is often times a very competitive provess (depending on the country of course). I do think that the letter(s) of affiliation (for the full grant) is a key component to pushing an application to the final round and then onto the recipient list. Securing a letter of affiliation takes time and this is why applicants should start thinking of their applicantions now and not in summer.

International Options for Graduates

My colleague, Derek Forsythe, over at the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy alerted me to a great new resource on their website entitled “Options for Graduates.” The Center has located and linked to a variety of international internships, fellowships and job opportunities that should be appealing to recent graduates. You can access the Center’s “Options for Graduates” webpage here.

This is the first, of what I hope will be many, IHEC Blog posts on resources to finding international opportunities.

UPDATE/CORRECTION: This is the second IHEC Blog post on international work. My previous post on Working World can be found here.

My Peanuts and I Fly Southwest

In honor of Mother’s Day, which is just around the corner, I wanted to quickly post about an interesting campaign that Southwest Airlines is launching. Southwest Airlines is celebrating the launch of their “My Peanut and I Fly Southwest” campaign and introducing their mommy blogger Jessica Turner. You can read Jessica's Southwest blog post here and her personal blog here.

Oh yea, Southwest flies internationally to Ontario, Canada!

Zogby’s Call for Increased International Educational Exchange

John Zogby, President and CEO of Zogby International, wrote a really nice piece for Forbes entitled “Send More U.S. Students Abroad: More International Exchange is What Young Americans Need and Want” and I thought IHEC Blog readers might want to read it as well.

What I like about Zogby’s argument for increased educational exchanges (both to and from the United States) is that he uses data from the Institute of International Education (probably both Open Doors and Atlas of Global Mobility), NAFSA: Association of International Educators and Zogby International research. It's worth a read.

You can read Zogby’s article here.

Denmark as a Destination for Elite International Students

The Copenhagen Post Online published an interesting article on April 24th about Denmark offering top foreign students free tuition if they commit to working in Denmark for a couple of years after completing their studies. The Copenhagen Post reported that in 2007 there were 4,714 international students pursuing a higher education at Danish universities and that was 80% lower than the previous year.

Science Minister Helge Sander identified the growing number of English language university courses as an “attractive option to foreign students.” Sander is further quoted as saying “When I started as minister almost eight years ago there were only about 60 of our educational courses in English and today it’s three times as many. And of course that’s important for foreign students.”

You can access this Copenhagen Post article here.

The growth of English language courses throughout European higher education is an interesting phenomenon and one I wrote about a little over a month ago in my post “Increase in English Instruction Decreases the Quality of Dutch Higher Education” which you can read here. As I come across related news and developments I’ll be sure to post to IHEC Blog and/or to Twitter.

Data Collection and Students with Disabilities Who Study Abroad

For a second year, the Institute of International Education is collecing data on students with disabilities for their annual Open Doors survey. While all data collection efforts in the field are important I think this is perhaps one of the most important questions to be answered on the survey and I encourage all colleagues in the field to contribute to this effort.

The following basic disability statistics for study abroad were obtained from the Open Doors 2008 website here.

OPEN DOORS 2008 BASIC DISABILITY STATISTICS FOR STUDY ABROAD

Note: This is the first year that IIE has collected data on students with disabilities studying abroad. Due to the low response rate, this data should not be interpreted as a national-level finding.

116 institutions provided disability data for their study abroad students in 2006/07. Out of the approximately 39,400 total study abroad students at these institutions, 42.7% had no disability, 2.6% had disability and 54.7% had unknown disability status.

Types of disability reported were:

Learning Disability - 50.5%

Mental Disability - 25.4%

Physical Disability - 8.0%

Sensory Disability - 5.8%

Other Disability - 10.2%

Purdue University, San Diego State University and Linfield College reported the highest total numbers of students with disabilities studying abroad.

An additional summary of the Open Doors data collection efforts on students with disabilities who studied abroad in 2006-2007 is available on the Mobility International USA (MIUSA) website here.

IHEC Blog readers may also be interested in a recent article entitled “Tracking Student with Disabilities Who Study Abroad” by Michele Scheib March/April 2009 issue of NAFSA’s International Educator which you can access here.

See previous IHEC Blog posts on students with disabilities studying abroad here.

The Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET)

In case IHEC Blog readers are not up on the numerous youth exchange activities in our field I thought I would briefly highlight the work of The Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET). I first became aware of the work of CSIET when I was contracted by the Forum on Education Abroad to create their Standards Toolbox (which is a companion to their Standards of Good Practice for Education Abroad) as they have produced some great resources related to standards of good practice for the field. I find that CSIET produces excellent resources that can be very informative for colleagues working in higher education.

It’s been some time since I’ve been on the CSIET website and it now has a new and better look and feel. I found two new items on the CSIET website that I thought IHEC Blog readers might find of interest.

First, those of you who like data (and who doesn’t?) might find their Youth Exchange Statistics to be of interest. You can access the data here.

Second, CSIET has launched a joint public service campaign entitled "Host Exchange Students" with the United States Department of State. You can link to this new initiative here.

Educational travel for youth (pre-collegiate level) is becoming more of an interest for me as I was 16 and 18 when I was an exchange student in Rosenheim, Germany so I plan to post more in this area of the field. It was these experiences during my teenage years that lead me on my career path in international education.

International Education Podcasts

My research efforts over the past several months has lead me to discover a variety of interesting international education podcasts and I think many IHEC Blog readers might also find interest/value in so I thought I would share:

CIHE Podcast Initiative of The Boston College Center for International Higher Education

The Center for International Higher Education (CIHE) has been making podcasts available for some time now and there are sixteen different podcasts currently available on their website here. Here is a listing of the various podcasts that I obtained from the CIHE Podcast Initiative website:

- Dewayne Matthews, U.S. Higher Education Attainment in a Global Context
- Jamil Salmi, The Challenge of Establishing World-Class Universities
- Hala Taweel, The Academic Profession in Palestine
- Kai-ming Cheng, Humanities and Social Science Education in Hong Kong and East Asia
- Jorge Balán, World Class and Research Universities in Asia and Latin America
- Jane Knight, IAU Global Survey Report on Internationalization of Higher Education
- Briget Terry Long & D. Bruce Johnstone, Special Video Supplement: Cost, Access, and Equity in Higher Education: American and International Perspectives
- Peggy Blumenthal, Assessing U.S. Study Abroad Capacity for Growth and Diversification
- Philip G. Altbach, U.S. Government Interest in Internationalization and the International Branch Campus Phenomenon
- Brian Whalen, Spotlight on the U.S. Study Abroad Enterprise and Standards for Good Practice
- Michael (Mick) Vande Berg, Quality, Accountability, and Research in U.S. Study Abroad
- David Crosier, Trends V and the Bologna Process in European Higher Education
- Hans de Wit, International Student Circulation in a Global Context
- Alan Contreras, Diploma Mills and Degree Fraud
- D. Bruce Johnstone, Higher Education Finance, Access, and Equity
- Patti McGill Peterson, Perspectives on the International Mobility of Scholars

You can access the CIHE Podcast Initiative website here.

Hedda – the European association of research centres, institutes and groups with expertise in higher education research

Hedda has just launched The International Higher Education Podcast on their blog. The following is a description from the Hedda Blog post about their new The International Higher Education Podcast project:

“The podcast will begin with Part 1 in a series of interviews focusing on the recently published book, Borderless Knowledge? Understanding the "New" Internationalisation of Research and Higher Education in Norway. The first interview in this series features Dr. Peter Maassen. Dr. Maassen is Professor of Higher Education at the University of Oslo and a Senior Research Fellow at NIFU STEP. He is also Director of Hedda, a consortium of European centers for research in Higher Education.

Our podcast then concludes with an interview featuring Dr. Shinichi Yamamoto. Dr. Yamamoto is Professor of Higher Education and Director of the Research Institute for Higher Education at Hiroshima University in Japan. For this interview Dr. Yamamoto gives us his perspective on Higher Education in Japan.”

You can access the Hedda The International Higher Education Podcast here.

Smart Study Abroad

Smart Study Abroad is an excellent blog on study abroad with a primary focus on U.S. students studying abroad and one that I recommend all IHEC Blog readers visit frequently Smart Study Abroad was started in January 2009 by Brian Steffen who is an Professor of Communication Studies and Department Chair at Simpson College. Brian has done a great job of writing interesting and timely pieces on the field of study abroad. I visit Smart Study Abroad daily (as that is how often Brian tends to post) and really like how he integrates various YouTube videos relating to study abroad into his blog posts. If you haven’t already checked out Smart Study Abroad I recommend you do so! Brian has already posted podcasts on his blog and here are brief descriptions:

Sharon Wilkinson, Associate Professor of World Languages and Culture at Simpson College, discusses setting up a semester program in French Polynesia. You can access her podcast here.

Lorna Stern Laniak and Amy Greeley from the Center for Education Abroad at Arcadia University discuss study abroad at Arcadia University. You can access their podcast here.

Making the Most of Your Study Abroad Experience

Studying abroad is a great way to broaden your personal horizons and your career prospects. But it will require some planning and preparation on your part. Here are a few things you can do to make the most of your study abroad experience.

Select the Right Program

Choosing the right study abroad program is extremely important. Your choice can have a significant impact on your education and your travel experience. Particular things to consider when choosing a study abroad program include where you will be studying, the cost of the program, the amount of emphasis on total immersion, the number of students participating in the program, and the program's reputation. You will also want to think about your ultimate goals. Knowing what you want out of a study abroad program will make it easier to find a program that fits your needs.

Research Your Destination

Although you undoubtedly researched the country you will be studying in prior to making the decision to study abroad, it is a good idea to review what you have learned. Some of the things you will want to familiarize yourself with include the country's geography, history, culture, economy, and government. You should also learn as much as you can about the current political situation. Much of this information can be obtained from the U.S. Department of State, which publishes Country Specific Information for every country of the world. Country Specific Information can be obtained online and by special request.

Know the Laws

The culture isn't the only thing you should familiarize yourself with when studying in another country. You should also have a passing knowledge of basic laws and customs. While traveling abroad, you will be subject to your host country's laws and regulations. If you aren't familiar with the rules, you could end up in serious trouble. You can learn about a county's laws by contacting the appropriate embassy. Information on criminal penalties in each country can be obtained though the Country Specific Information published by the U.S. Department of State.

Learn the Language

It is not absolutely necessary to speak the country's language fluently, but you should know a little bit before you go. At minimum, try to learn a few key phrases prior to your trip. Being able to converse in the local language will help you adjust to your new surroundings and may even save you from an embarrassing accident if you're having trouble finding a restroom. Knowing a few phrases will also make it easier to pick up on the language once you get there.

Travel

Studying abroad will probably put you near a lot of different places you may not have the opportunity to visit under normal circumstances. You can take advantage of the situation by travelling to and exploring new places. Many study abroad programs offer planned field trips that relate to your area of study. Sign up whenever you can. If your program doesn't provide guided trips as part of the curriculum, you can make your own list of museums and landmarks to visit in your spare time.

Immerse Yourself in the Culture

Experiencing a new culture is one of the main reasons people choose to study abroad. What most people don't realize is that speaking a country's language and eating its food isn't the best way to learn about a country's culture. You must immerse yourself to get the full experience. Culture is more than food and language. It is people, perceptions, values, actions, and beliefs. If you can find a way to experience these things personally, then you will have truly immersed yourself in the culture.

Break Out of Your Academic Routine

School can become very monotonous--regardless of the country you study in. Although it is good to have routines, you should try to avoid falling into the week after week monotony that you left behind. Remember that you are in a new country under a new academic system. It is okay to experiment with schedules and routines.

Take Courses Not Offered On Your Campus

While studying aboard, you may get the opportunity to take courses that are not offered on your usual campus. If the opportunity is presented to you, do try to take it. These courses may provide you with the type of experience you need to gain a new perspective or career skill.

Keep a Journal

Studying abroad can be a whirlwind experience. After a few months, your memories may begin to fade. Keeping a journal will help to remind you about the interesting events and sites that you might have otherwise forgotten. The journal will be especially helpful if you ever write about your experience or the country you studied in. Journals can also be used to record career-related experiences that can be shared with future employers.

Guest post from Karen Schweitzer who writes for the college database on OnlineColleges.net.