PARENT PERSPECTIVE Jeanice Spencer on the experience of her daughter, Katherine, while studying abroad: My daughter elected to study in Barcelona, Spain, for a full semester where she lived in an apartment with five other students. The apartment was located in an extremely safe neighborhood in downtown Barcelona, conveniently located near the university where she was studying, many restaurants, a library, museums, a medical clinic, public transportation and everything else downtown Barcelona has to offer. Our daughter gave high marks to her professors and the curriculum. She was also impressed with the support system within the local university and through the UofM’s program. If she ever needed guidance or had specific questions, there was always a quick and thorough response.
In addition to being pleased with the educational side of the program, my daughter received additional benefits from expanding socially and culturally. The program had regularly scheduled trips for the students to local museums, churches, businesses and other interesting places. With regional travel being so affordable, my daughter was also able to visit multiple cities on her very modest budget. She spent a few days in Munich, Berlin, Madrid, Rome, Lucca and Ibiza. These trips expanded her appreciation for other cultures to a level that is not possible by studying solely in the United States. Overall, the UofM’s study abroad program was an excellent experience and an inexpensive way for my daughter to experience different cultures while staying on track with her academic goals.
UofM student Katherine Spencer (center) with her family at the Colosseum in Rome.
10 AROUND THE WORLD | UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS
