Scheduled on the week of Valentine’s Day each year, “I Heart Travel Week,” from Kent State’s Office of Global Education (OGE) has become a university tradition. The week celebrates Kent State students who have studied abroad or are currently studying abroad and offers informative events for students who are interested in international study.
About 1,500 Kent State students study abroad each year.
More than 20 events and activities scheduled for the week include the Education Abroad Expo; information sessions about studying in Florence, Spain and Ghana; an Education Abroad “Love is Blind” trivia game; several study abroad-focused financial aid events; a week-long immersive exhibit in the DI Hub’s Blank_Lab; a pizza party; an Instagram photo contest; and even an exploration of how Star Wars’ “The Mandalorian” can teach lessons of intercultural competency. You can view the full event schedule here.
It’s a whole-university event
"I Heart Travel Week" events are hosted by different colleges on campus, along with the OGE to help raise awareness of all the international study opportunities offered by Kent State.
Amber Cruxton is director of Kent State’s Education Abroad program. She said, “There is a lot of variety in the different events that are being offered. So, really, even if a student just has a general interest in travel or learning about other cultures, there’s activities for them. But for students who are interested in studying abroad, there is really a lot to offer for them to learn about all of the different opportunities that Kent State has and the ways that it can impact their personal, professional and academic goals.”
‘Really, the impacts of study abroad are something that will follow them through the rest of their lives.’
Cruxton continued, “Then for students who have already gone abroad, it’s important for us that their study abroad experience does not end when they return to campus. Really, the impacts of study abroad are something that will follow them through the rest of their lives. So, we have been intentional in developing programming for students who have returned home from studying abroad so they can make the most of their experience."
Informative, immersive and fun experiences
One of the week’s biggest events, The Education Abroad Expo will be on Tuesday, Feb. 14 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. in the second floor lobby of the DI HUB. There, students interested in international study can meet with representatives from OGE and from Kent State’s colleges and schools. There will also be giveaways and prizes.
The Immersive Exhibit will run continuously in the DI Hub’s Blank_Lab all week. It’s a wraparound experience that allows students to walk in and get a feeling for what they might experience while traveling abroad. “Not only the sights,” said Cruxton, “but the emotion it may evoke for a student to be able to participate in one of our education abroad programs. They will be able to not only see the sights and watch other students having that experience, but they can listen to students and other people from Kent State talk about the importance of study abroad and what it might mean for a Kent State student.”
Desiree Dube is an education abroad advisor. She described one of the week’s other big events, the “Education Abroad Trivia Night: Love is Blind Edition.”
“Students will be matched with countries, without knowing which countries they’re going to match, based on shared interests,” Dube said. “Then, these teams will answer questions about love-themed trivia from around the world.” Pizza will be provided and there will be prizes for the winning team.
OGE’s partners on campus from different departments, colleges and schools will also have events throughout the week.
“During ‘I Heart Travel Week,’ there are events related to scholarships and financial aid,” said Dube. “Two financial aid sessions and then two sessions on the Gilman Scholarship, which is through the U.S. State Department for students who receive a Pell Grant. They can receive up to $5,000. So, we have an information session for that where they can actually work on their application essays.”
Who can study abroad?
Kent State is a leader in offering education abroad programs and they are designed to be accessible to all. “Anybody at Kent State, no matter their major or the class year that they are,” said Cruxton. “So, anyone from a freshman to a graduating senior, all the way to people who are in graduate school for their master's or Ph.D.”
She said, “This is an opportunity that is available to Kent State students that not many other students around the nation are able to access. And we have a really large portfolio of programs that have been carefully curated to fit the needs of Kent State students.
“There are opportunities that are one week long all the way to an academic year. You can speak a foreign language, or you don’t have to,” Cruxton said. “So, it really is open to everyone and we’re willing to work with every student to find an opportunity for them.”
Financial aid puts travel within reach
As long as a student is participating in a Kent State-sponsored study abroad program, they can access financial aid that can be utilized for that program. Kent State also offers a variety of study abroad program options, at different price points, that may make them more accessible and affordable to students.
“Actually, we have a team in the financial aid office who is dedicated to working specifically with students participating in our study abroad programs,” said Cruxton. “And they can work with students individually to look at their current aid package, help them maximize their financial aid for study abroad and also help them seek out other funding options for their study abroad experience, such as scholarships and grants.”
“Many of our programs actually have built-in scholarships that they would only be able to get if they participated in a study abroad program, so they should really take advantage of that,” she said.
“So, again, it’s really worth it for students to at least come talk to us to learn about all this before they write it off and say, ‘it’s too expensive’ or ‘there’s no way I could go away for a week’ or whatever it might be.”
A program for everyone, and every length of stay
Because everyone’s needs and level of comfort are different, OGE offers a number of shorter study abroad options. “Students really do have that option,” Cruxton said. “If they, for whatever reason, may not be able to be gone for an entire year or an entire semester, whether it be that they have a job or they have a family – or they’re just not comfortable leaving home for that long, we do have short-term programs. But then we also have those that are available to be gone for a year – or longer.”
She explained that there are programs that offer more support for traveling students who may have never been outside Northeast Ohio and programs meant for more experienced travelers or those looking for a challenge.
‘No matter what your major is or where your interest lies, how long you want to be abroad, etc., study abroad is something that is available to Kent State students and others within the Kent State community,” said Cruxton. “Even if they just want to explore, they could certainly meet with someone in our office just to learn about the different opportunities. And maybe if going abroad is not something that is of interest to them, we encourage them to be engaged with the international community that is here on campus.’
Study abroad – by the numbers
About 1,500 Kent State students study abroad each year. In a recent graduating class, about one in four students had participated in one or more of those programs during their time at Kent State.
Education Abroad offers more than 200 programs in 60 countries worldwide. Top destinations include Kent State’s flagship international campuses in Florence, Paris and Geneva.
“I Heart Travel Week” is the third in a series of OGE-sponsored education abroad events happening at Kent State each year. The first is the week-long Education Abroad Showcase in the fall semester, followed by International Education Week in November.
