The Original “follow-on” project I had planned was not accepted by my previous professor; she preferred to keep the study abroad staff representative to present in her classroom (understandable, he was/ is professional and persuasive!) So I had to adjust it. I contacted the Study Abroad program director at my home collage (Mesa Community Collage). She outlined a number of events that I could participate in by manning booths etc.
• “Café Abroad”– a study abroad fair on campus with food, music, mini activities, from various nationalities/ cultures and our booth.
• Student clubs fair — a two day event where all the” clubs” had a table lining the walkways of our campus for several hours each day talking to passersby and recruiting.
• Student newspaper interview– The interview with the Mesa Legend was a spontaneous outcropping of my presence at and assistance with the afore mentioned activities.
• Written testimonial– for the program website designed to encourage students to push past a wistful curiosity to making the commitment to study abroad.
I felt like I helped give good tips and encouragement to many students who would have felt (like I had) that it was an impossible dream due to the funding. I also had the chance to talk about the benefits and paradigm shifting aspects of the experience to students personally and in an interview with the school newspaper in which I participated along with our program director, Yvonne Schmidt (and, yes, I did mention the Fund for Education Abroad scholarship).