The Office of Study Abroad hosts I Love Study Abroad Week

■ The week of programming included educational events to learn about the myriad of options around the world.

By AMANDA CHEN JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

With 200 study abroad programs available spanning 50 countries and all seven continents, the Office of Study Abroad set out to promote the diversity of its choices during I Love Study Abroad Week from Jan. 30 to Feb. 3.

On Monday, Jan. 30, they held their Celebrating Languages event in the Shiffman Humanities Center, advertising various study abroad programs for students taking Arabic, Korean, Chinese, Hebrew, Japanese, German, and Italian language classes. Free pastries, hot beverages, and study abroad mugs were provided. Assistant Director of Study Abroad Ashley Trebisacci and Study Abroad Ambassadors Aileen Cahill ’23, Yahni Lapa ’23, and Rynn Parrack ’23 were there to answer questions.

There are Brandeis eligibility requirements for studying abroad, as well as each individual program’s requirements. One of them is learning a foreign language, and for each semester students are abroad in non-English speaking countries, they must take a course for credit in the country’s language, according to the Office of Study Abroad website. The University requires students to complete levels 10 & 20 or the equivalent proficiency in French, Hebrew, Italian, and Spanish before traveling to countries where that language is spoken. However, programs can require higher levels of language proficiency than Brandeis. Foreign language

Transitions

requirements do not include Arabic, Chinese, German, Japanese, and Russian, but students are still encouraged to study them. The exceptions are summer study abroad programs, where there are no Brandeis eligibility requirements.

On Tuesday, Jan. 31, there were two events:

I Am Study Abroad and Study Abroad is for Everyone. For I Am Study Abroad, the department set up poster boards in the Sherman Dining Hall detailing students’ experiences in Denmark, Chile, and Ecuador. In a Jan. 31 interview with the Justice, Study Abroad Ambassador Weini Xue ’25 talked about her experience with the Brandeis in Copenhagen program. Xue participated in summer 2022 and learned skills like time management and how to be independent. She acquired a global perspective, made new friends, and got ahead in her classes by fulfilling requirements with study abroad. She described her summer schedule as flexible, and in her free time visited the National Aquarium of Denmark and the Little Mermaid statue. After studying abroad, Xue is more open to living outside of the U.S.

Parrack participated in the Cultural Identity, Social Justice, and Community Development in Valparaiso program in Chile during spring 2022. They completed a sociology internship with the Center for Ethics and Social Reflection and studied the Mapuche people and their portrayal in Chilean media. Some of their favorite memories were visiting Chungará Lake, looking at bohemian artwork, and eating their host mom’s gluten-free empanadas. They wanted to visit Chile “because of its difficult past and rapidly changing social scene,” according to their posterboard. Similar to Xue, Parrack feels en- thusiastic about the idea of living outside of the U.S. and enjoys learning new languages and being able to converse with natives.

In a Jan. 31 interview with the Justice, Parrack discussed their search for accessibility services due to dietary restrictions and mobility issues. Parrack’s personal experiences are one of the reasons why they are working with Trebisacci and the Office of Study Abroad to improve the website to make it easier for people to contact a person about accessibility issues for study abroad programs, as well as making the website itself more accessible.

The Study Abroad is for Everyone event occurred later that day, again providing general information, refreshments, and mugs.

On Wednesday, Feb. 1, the STEM Majors Can Study Abroad event held in Gerstenzang Science Library aimed to debunk the myth that STEM majors do not have time for study abroad. Study Abroad Ambassador Natalie Chin ’23 majors in Biochemistry and discussed how she was able to fit study abroad into her schedule.

Later that day, the Paint and Scoop event consisted of free gelato and a paint night sponsored by the study abroad program Brandeis in Siena. The event is “designed to also give students a glimpse into something they’ll be doing while on the Brandeis in Siena program-painting and being with other students all interested in studying art in Siena,” according to Director of Study Abroad Alisha Cardwell in an email correspondence with the Justice. Pilar Duvivier ’24, an alum of Brandeis in Siena, led a painting lesson.

Brandeis in Copenhagen Cafe took place on Thursday, Feb. 2, where students could learn more about the program. In the evening, there was the “Study Abroad Extravaganza” in Skyline Commons that guided students through the application process and featured a variety of program providers, including Brandeis-led programs with Arcadia Abroad, the School for Field Studies, the Institute for Study Abroad, China Educational Tours, DIS, Council On International Educational Exchange, the University of Minnesota, IES, Boston University, and the School for International Training. The event had an airport theme, featuring a food court and different “terminals” with special purposes, such as researching programs by talking to program representatives and returnees, opening a study abroad application, and learning how to finance studying abroad with the Office of Student Financial Services. Students can apply to Brandeis’ study abroad scholarships, national scholarships, and program-specific scholarships.

The Office of Study Abroad held their last event, “Hidden Gem Programs,” on Friday, Feb. 3. The event highlighted study abroad programs apt for Anthropology and International and Global Studies majors. They recommended the University of Minnesota’s programs, IES/ Cape Town, SIT Study Abroad, Victoria University of Wellington, and American University’s program in Cairo for Anthropology students. American University’s program in Cairo was also suggested to IGS students in addition to the Chinese University of Hong Kong, University of Haifa, Maastricht University, and IES/Granada.

The deadline for studying abroad in summer 2023 and the 2023-2024 academic year is March 1, 2023.

■ As midyear students adjust to campus life, they discuss their hardships, successes, and the ways they’ve felt supported.

By MATTHEW NORRIS JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

With the start of the spring semester, more than 100 new midyear students began their college journies. Midyears are accepted into Brandeis during the regular admissions process, but are enrolled starting in the spring semester. The midyears of the class of 2026 moved in on Sunday, Jan. 15, for two full days of orientation before classes began on Tuesday, Jan. 17.

Isabella Chan ’26 said, in a Jan. 30th interview with the Justice, that “it’s easy to get from one place to another and everyone is really accommodating.” She explained that her classes have been manageable so far and even if she struggled, she knows there are resources to help her, like the writing center for University Writing Seminars or her professors’ office hours. Professors have made it clear where students can go for extra assistance, thus making the transition easier. She also makes a recommendation for students to get the strawberry banana smoothie from Einstein Bros in the Shapiro Campus Center, which she is already hooked on after 3 weeks.

Nick D’Ortona ’26 said that he has struggled with how students who came to campus in the fall have already made connections. “Luckily, me and some other midyears have formed a group … so that has made it a lot easier.”

D’Ortona took advantage of Orientation events like the Blanket Bonanza on Jan. 16, a movie night exclusively for midyears, where they were encouraged to wear pajamas and bring blankets to watch “Encanto.” The Department of Orientation and First Year Experience provided stress toys, snacks, and face masks for students to enjoy. This was considered the last event of the midyear orientation, but more events for all students are scheduled later in the semester.

Reflecting on their Orientation Leaders, D’Ortona said that they answered any questions he had. “Honestly, I think they really nailed it,” he said.

The Orientation Leaders worked tirelessly to prepare for the midyears’ arrival, even choreo- graphing a couple of dances for “Deis, Deis, Baby,” an event on the first night of orientation. Midyears made stuffed animals, enjoyed snacks and hot chocolate, took pictures with their new friends, and more.