World Travelers

Clink, clink, clink. A trowel digs into the red, dry earth as Shaina Browning wipes sweat from her brow. It’s been a long day, kneeling and digging in the Israeli soil. A task both challenging and rewarding for this double major in anthropology and history.

“The blood, sweat and tears that go into these operations is something we only see staged glimpses of in documentaries or read in articles,” Browning, CAS ‘19, recalls. “Until you are on the ground with a shovel in your hand do you really understand the weight of being able to unearth the vast history that surrounds us. You feel a sense of responsibility to respect the history beneath your feet.”

Browning travelled to Israel in 2018 and 2019 with a study abroad course led by OU faculty Michael Pytlik, Ph.D. The class takes students to conduct excavations near Jerusalem, Israel, as well as excursions to historical and cultural sites.

The Israel Archeological Field School and Tour course is just one of a handful of faculty-led study abroad programs found in Oakland University’s College of Arts and Sciences. The gamut of programs range from immersing into British culture and literature in Oxford, to studying geological formations in Ontario, to exploring the art and architecture of Italy.

A study abroad course offers students immeasurable opportunities for personal growth as well as an important credential to include on a resume or graduate school application,” explains Donna Voronovich, special lecturer for Summer in Volterra, Italy. “Study abroad is one of the smartest investments a student can make in their future. With a variety of scholarships and other financial assistance available, these opportunities are within reach for every student.”

“It is one thing to read about all these topics but to immerse yourself in them truly gives what you are learning about a whole new meaning,” says student John Hart, environment science major. Hart initially had reservations about studying abroad due to the amount of time spent away from his core coursework. However, after stumbling across a study abroad course taught by one of his favorite professors, Scott Tiegs, Ph.D., Hart was hooked. He spent two weeks with Dr. Tiegs and classmates exploring Costa Rica’s rich ecology.

“The tropics harbor some of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet and for ecologists and students of ecology these are fascinating and beautiful places to visit.,” says Dr. Tiegs, who has been running his course in Tropical Field Ecology twice a year for a decade.

“As environmental science majors, we learned about the different biomes of the world and the great biodiversity of tropical regions in our classes,” says Jasmine Mancuso, CAS ‘18. “To be able to experience those things firsthand in a country that hosts a wealth of ecosystem types and species was truly an unmissable opportunity.”

Studying abroad does not necessarily mean travelling thousands of miles away, however. “Michigan and Ontario are unique in their geologic history,” says Fabia U. Battistuzzi, Ph.D., associate professor for Co-Evolution of Life and Earth. Dr. Battistuzzi runs a study abroad course that journeys just hours away to examine geologic formations that exists in only four other places in the world.

Across the Atlantic, the British Studies at Oxford course comes with a unique disclaimer for students: “Participants often feel homesick for Oxford when they return to the states,” warns program director Susan Lynne Beckwith, Ph.D. This course allows students to experience the best of England, while they live and study at the world-renowned University of Oxford. “The program is structured so the participants are not ‘tourists’ on a quick visit, but experience England as residents do,” Dr. Beckwith says.

Whether studying near or far, these faculty-led study abroad courses are a means to expand a students’ worldview beyond the classroom. It’s a life-changing experience that fits any major, any curriculum, or any financial situation. It’s an opportunity attainable to anyone willing to reach for it.