In order to fulfill the vision of Woodrow Wilson 1879, a large number of Princeton students are now taking the opportunity to truly serve their nation – while studying overseas.
Following a pattern of growing interest in international programs, the number of students studying abroad continues to increase. A combination of factors – including increased flexibility within academic departments, increased student interest and active support of study abroad programs within the administration – has resulted in a rise of University students studying abroad.
This year, 117 students will receive credit for work done in other countries, Assistant Dean of the College Nancy Kanach said. In the early '90s, the number of students studying abroad for a year or semester hovered around 45. That number then steadily increased to about 60 until last year, when 93 students participated in foreign study programs.
"We are trying to encourage students to take advantage of the opportunity to study abroad," Kanach said. "Across universities, it has become an important element in undergraduate education."
The study-abroad process
Kanach partially attributes this rise to increased communication among the academic departments, the students and herself. Kanach said she meets with students interested in studying abroad to identify a place for study. The student then reviews courses at an institution while the department looks at whether the courses will fulfill University requirements.
"I make sure the students are on target with departmental courses and have a full course load so we can give credit for a full semester at Princeton," Kanach said. "There is an effort to integrate University requirements into an education abroad."
Widespread email and fax technology have also contributed to the increase in foreign study, Kanach said. For example, though a set of courses is approved before students leave, they can request changes by emailing Kanach and their department, Kanach said.
Students often see junior independent work as an impediment to studying abroad, since foreign study is usually undertaken during the spring semester of junior year. "I don't feel like Princeton encourages study abroad," Rebecca Coughlin '99 said via email from Panama, adding that "independent work makes it very difficult."
Kanach responded to this belief, explaining that "a number of faculty will tell you doing independent work through email and fax is marvelous. You can take advantage of the resources you don't have here. In some ways, independent work abroad is a real opportunity."
Alison Bartlett '99 said she is studying at South Africa's University of Cape Town this spring to work on her JP about the country's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, an amnesty organization that deals with crimes from the apartheid era. "There's no better way to get good resources and interviews," she said.
She added that she wants to experience the country's changing politics firsthand. "It's an amazing time to be going because of the end of apartheid and the setting up of the new government," Bartlett said. "It's an opportunity I can't pass up to see something completely different."
For the second spring semester in a row, the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs is coordinating a program at South Africa's University of Cape Town. Seven of the approximately 20 students studying at UCT are Wilson school majors, participating in a task force focusing on education. Jeffrey Herbst, acting associate dean of the Wilson school, called the program a "success," saying that "we are looking to expand the program in the years to come."
Field work
The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology also has organized a study abroad program for this semester. Sixteen students currently are studying and researching in Panama.
"It was an opportunity I couldn't possibly pass up – the chance to study biology in the field in the tropics where tons is happening, with prominent people in the field," Coughlin said.
Certain departments, such as Comparative Literature, are "very open" to their students studying abroad, Kanach said. "The students are trying to master a second language, and a semester abroad can help the students in fulfilling the requirements."
Kanach said many students interested in studying abroad are students of foreign languages, and have a regional focus in their studies.
Cultural immersion
"I'm very interested in German and European culture," said Hans Leaman '00, who plans to study in Berlin next spring. "I'm going so I can reach a level of competence in German. I want the experience to relate to people and to study at a university in a place like Berlin."
Kanach agreed with this sentiment. "This is the one time in life to be able to live in a totally foreign environment, to live in a normal fashion and not as a tourist, and make it a part of a real life and your education."
Some students also noted the change in the attitude of the University to study abroad.
"The politics department has been very helpful and has been trying to make it easier (to study abroad)," Bartlett said. "From what I've heard, it hasn't always been easy. Princeton can be traditional, and is now realizing that it is lacking in worldly experiences that other schools advocate more."
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