Mackenzie Kintigh; Arts & Culture Editor; kintigmf@plu.edu
From the moment I started my college career four years ago, I’ve known that I would want to study away. I would eventually take my first long distance journey to London, England for a communication class my sophomore year. Studying away, in my experience, is a fun and interactive method of education through traveling to different parts of the world.
The Wang Center is an excellent resource for those who hope to study away sometime during their time at Pacific Lutheran University. They help those who plan to travel with recommendations and tips to make traveling easier. They also provide a lot of financial aid and scholarships depending on whether the trip is long or short term.
However, the way the center funds these study away trips will change in Fall 2019. The Wang Center offers three different study away program options for those interested in long term: Featured, Gateway and PLU approved programs. Normally, students could use all of their financial aid offered by the university for their travels.
I know when students hear ‘financial policy change for study away’ and think of this as a big thing. We’re not trying to downgrade that.
-Megan Grover, Assistant Director and Short-Term Study Away Program Manager
The change in financial aid would only affect the PLU approved programs, which are third- party programs that students can participate in if there are none they like from the other two options. Under this change, students would only be able to use a partial amount of their regular financial aid.
Some may think of the new change as a negative, especially if they can only go on PLU approved semester trips. From the perspective of someone who has had the opportunity to travel, I see this change as a positive. It gives students a chance to find the right study away trip.
The approved programs are a way for students to find new experiences while gaining credit for their PLU career. It is also a chance for the Wang Center to explore and find other trips for future students to pick.
“I know when students hear ‘financial policy change for study away’ and think of this as a big thing. We’re not trying to downgrade that,” Megan Grover, Assistant Director and Short-Term Study Away Program Manager, said. “It is a big change but I don’t think it’s going to have a negative effect. We’re excited to grow and add more program offerings to our feature[d] category.”
Although the university would only be able to cover half of the cost to study away, the Wang Center wants to see students bloom and have a smooth transition after they return from studying away. PLU approved programs give students the ability to choose where they want to study instead of feeling like they need to go on a featured or gateway study away trip.
If I were able to study away for a longer term and the only option was to do the PLU approved program, then I would take the opportunity. It should not be a discouraging factor for those hoping to study away. It’s a way in which PLU students can find wonderful study away opportunities while the Wang Center grows their semester programs.
