Adam Brooks craved a change of scenery after taking 18 to 19 credits a semester for two years and being heavily involved in the marching band. 

‘After reaching my stressing point, studying abroad in Australia was my way of escaping life in the United States and relaxing for four months,’ the senior chemistry major said. 

During the past four months Brooks spent at the University of Queensland in Australia, he skydived, bungee jumped and traveled to other parts of Australia and other countries, such as Japan and New Zealand.

Brooks is part of Syracuse University Abroad’s 2010-11 enrollment, which is projected to be the highest enrollment in the last five years. Current numbers indicate this academic year’s enrollment will increase 3 percent from the enrollment of the 2009-10 academic year, said Amy Sloane-Garris, SU Abroad executive director of marketing and recruitment.

The news of SU’s increase comes after enrollment in study abroad programs nationwide decreased .08 percent for 2008-09, marking the first drop in 25 years, according to the Institute of International Education.

‘The serious economic challenges that American families and U.S. campuses were facing in 2008 certainly affected participation rates in study abroad that year,’ said Peggy Blumenthal, the executive vice president and chief operating officer for the institute.

But SU Abroad officials and students said studying abroad is too engrained into SU to be affected by the economy.

Eighty-two percent of SU’s incoming freshman class in fall 2010 said they expected to study abroad as part of their SU experience, said Suzanne Shane, SU Abroad’s associate director. International education has been part of the SU experience since 1959, Shane said. 

‘SU was one of the first universities in the country to embrace a study abroad model for students of all majors — not just language, art history and culture majors,’ she said.  

Five years ago, many more students were opting to go abroad in the spring than the fall, Shane said. SU Abroad began offering more scholarship options for the fall semester, which caused the numbers to even out again, she said. 

A majority of students currently go abroad to London and Florence and enroll in short-term programs, Sloane-Garris said. But the number of students studying in nontraditional destinations has increased. SU Abroad’s World Partner programs offer programs in 35 countries, including Egypt, Ghana and the Czech Republic. 

Lauren Califano, a junior anthropology major, said she could not imagine letting the opportunity to go abroad pass her by. 

‘I think people understanding other cultures and embracing people around the world as neighbors is what the world needs more of,’ Califano said.

Although she met many people at SU with diverse backgrounds, going abroad in Austria was a learning experience like nothing else, she said. She tried foods, traveled and visited long-lost family she found in Slovakia. 

Studying abroad is part of the culture at SU, Califano said. ‘My friends in other schools aren’t as eager to go abroad as my friends here at Syracuse,’ she said. ‘Only one of my friends from home went abroad or plans to, whereas almost all my close friends here at SU have gone abroad, are abroad or have already been accepted to go abroad next semester.’ 

Rachel Ahart, a freshman history major, has spent her first semester in college abroad in Florence as part of Discovery Florence: The First-Semester Liberal Arts Program. She does not regret her decision to not be on campus because she has enjoyed learning about new cultures and exploring the country’s history, she said.

Hannah Gorton, who is currently studying in Florence, is not surprised many students go abroad, she said.

‘The university is attempting to offer the best education for us that they can, and a great way to learn is to go study in another country,’ said Gorton, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. ‘They place an emphasis on diversity on campus, so it’s only natural that they push students to go learn the world and experience new cultures.’ 

Going abroad to Florence was one of the best decisions she has ever made, she said. ‘I will be telling these stories to my grandchildren someday.’ 

cabidwel@syr.edu

Published on December 1, 2010 at 12:00 pm

Contact Colleen: cbidwill@syr.edu