Written by: Samantha Lopez & Kevin Washington 

“Why should anyone consider studying abroad?”

It is an opportunity to be exposed to and learn about a new world. You never really get to know a region’s culture or religion, their people’s habits, food, and language among other things until you experience it. An abroad opportunity gives you this and much more in your personal and professional growth. As a student, you are introduced to survival, to the adaptation to an unknown environment, and suddenly you come to a realization. You could have climbed the great wall of China, landed in Turkey for a layover, or been standing at the top of the Burj Khalifa, whatever the case may be, you realize that you managed to get there. Your hard work had paid off, and it’s up to you to turn your experience into a valuable one.

Fear of the unknown eventually becomes minimal, and all you hope for is to keep learning more and keep the adventure going. Studying abroad opened many interests for me after completing the trip, like I became more engaged with community work, I searched for more study abroad opportunities, and I assisted other students to apply for these same opportunities and get a taste of liberty.

If this is your first trip abroad, take a deep breath and relax. The difficult part has already been completed, so try and make the most fun out of it. Do your research before landing at your destination and learn about activities, centers, parks, events, and anything that will make your experience unique. Make every second count and build connections with other students. They are most likely feeling the same way you are, so be approachable and get the best out of your study aborad trip.

Students traveling the world:

DDCE Global has dedicated time and resources to support students, from all backgrounds, in their study abroad journey. We know many students at UT dream to travel the world and gain skills and experience in their fields of study but may lack the opportunity for several reasons here at UT. We focus on providing accessible programs to students who we see have a strong passion for exploring, getting out of their comfort, and being ready to be exposed to the unknown. Here we highlight 3 incredible students who studied abroad with us and tell us a fraction of what they have experienced.

Kevin Washington:

Kevin Washington is a senior at UT who studies International Relations & Global Studies. He began solo traveling at the age of 17 and now, at 22 he speaks 4 languages and has traveled to 8 countries in various regions of the world. On his latest journey, Kevin had the amazing opportunity to travel to Ghana, West Africa with the Heman Sweatt Center for Black Males. This initiative was led by Dr. Ryan Sutton and Dr. Devin Walker. When asked to describe his experience in one word, he chose the word “self-liberating.” Well, why did he feel this way? As he reflected on his adventure, Kevin said, “It was cool to be surrounded by just Black people, my people. It felt like I had come back to a home that I never experienced, that I never knew existed and for me, finding that was the treasure.”

Tiba Al Faraji:

Tiba Al Faraji is one of the most extraordinary students and greatest friends one could find as her kindness and optimistic personality set her apart from the crowd. Tiba traveled to the UAE with DDCE Global in 2022. Of her experience, she shares: “The most exciting thing about my trip to the UAE is that I got to do many things that I would have never done before. The Dubai and Abu Dhabi trip was eye-opening. Seeing how different the UAE is from what the media makes it out to be, was a startling experience.” We can only agree that we would have to experience this trip for ourselves to see what this trip can give us. Tiba is a senior in communications and leadership studies with a certificate in business and public policy.

Abigail Romeo:

Abigail Romeo is a walking star as her positivity spills outwards, encouraging others to take part in wild adventures. When asked about her most exciting moments in the UAE, she responded,” The most exciting thing about my trip to the UAE was the culture and the grand scale of everything. I visited an indoor rainforest, shopped in the biggest mall in the world, looked down from the tallest building ever created, and finally walked around the beautiful Qasr Al Watan.” She also shared with us her reflection after the trip, “I opened my mind and heart to the rich culture around me. There I learned about myself, and the moment I touched down in America, I thought, “When can I do this again?” Abigail is now a senior and Global Student Fellow. Post-graduation she hopes to work in a non-profit and pursue her master’s degree.

Repost from the Daily Texan: https://thedailytexan.com/2022/10/19/students-should-diversify-their-study-abroad-options/

Last summer, I spent a month on a Maymester in Cape Town, South Africa. The city played a major role in my cultural experience. Learning how to navigate a completely unfamiliar space made my time in the community a learning experience that was equally impactful as my time in any classroom.

However, many students tend to travel to the same five countries when studying abroad. Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, France and Ireland receive 44% of study abroad students each year.

“At UT, we consistently see a high participation rate in countries like Spain, and England, Scotland — and to some extent — Australia,” said Thomas Ward, director of education abroad for Texas Global.

Students should consider study abroad opportunities outside of Europe because, in some ways, their experiences might be more fulfilling than going to more common destinations.

“We are a Western country dominated by European and white knowledge systems,” said Devin Walker, director of Global Leadership and Social Impact. “I think these trips provide our students with a great opportunity to learn about the world from a perspective that hasn’t always been the most privileged one.”

Walker and Leonard Moore, the leaders of my Cape Town trip, were intentional about incorporating these local perspectives into our education by dedicating a majority of classroom time to speakers who were leaders from the surrounding community. 

This made me feel like I was not simply “studying” “abroad” as two separate functions, but was actually learning from experts with a local perspective.

Studying abroad can help you confront potential misconceptions about new places and cultures that are less similar to our own in the U.S.

Before the Cape Town trip, my class was assigned to explore our biases and assumptions about Cape Town and Africa.

“Only then can we start to unlearn some of those things and create space to learn,” Walker said. “Because if we are not aware of the way we’ve been conditioned to think about these specific places and people, then we’ll carry those frameworks with us abroad, and won’t have as authentic of an experience.”

Mikayla Adeeko, psychology senior and a fellow student on the Cape Town trip, experienced negative biases before leaving for Cape Town. They had expected their experience to be different, given that the majority of their family is from Nigeria.

“If anything, (my family) only added to the fear because, as I was told, ‘We left for a reason,’” Adeeko said.

Adeeko found the most challenging part of their experience was the part that encouraged the most growth. Learning to immerse ourselves in the culture of a completely new environment where almost nothing is familiar is certainly a wake-up call.

However, by the end of the trip, Adeeko felt a sense of a shared humanity.

“I found so much in common with these people that I didn’t expect to, and it really speaks to how certain aspects of our humanity are so universal,” Adeeko said. “In the stories I encountered in Cape Town, whether they had a lot of beauty, or a lot of pain, or a lot of dirt, there were always the through lines of hope, resilience and love.”

Choosing a less common option abroad can challenge students, but those trips often become some of the most fulfilling college experiences. Students should explore countries outside of Europe when looking to study abroad during their time at UT.

Garderet is a Plan II and urban studies sophomore from Dallas, Texas.

This past Saturday, May 15^th, 2021 DDCE Global partnered with the WorldWalker Foundation and the Texas Rowing Center to do a community clean-up on the shores of Lady Bird Lake. The Texas Rowing Center allowed for volunteers to kayak along the river free of charge. After a lunch break, DDCE students and staff from the Fearless Leadership Institute as well as the Heman Sweatt Center walked along the banks of the river picking up trash and contributing to their local environment. While international travel is on a temporary hold, this event provided an opportunity for students and community members to “Think Global and Act Local.”

Black Students Must Experience Black Life Outside of the U.S.

In this article from Diverse magazine our very own Dr. Devin Walker highlights the importance of studying abroad for Black Students. Dr. Walker begins by reflecting on the experience of being a Black Student in the United States, how this experience is one that is shaped by neglect and distortion. Dr. Walker then speaks on how study abroad can be used as a tool to reflect on students’ feelings of liberation from the constraints of being Black in America, not to runaway from the problem, but to better understand it. As the director of Global Leadership and Social Impact at The University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Walker is a witness to these experiences his students have while abroad.

A moment I often relive, happened while dining at Mzansi’s restaurant in Langa, Cape Town. As we were listening to the sounds of a local band, the owner, Nomonde walked over to our table and told us, “You are home. This is your home.” As I glanced around the room, many were in tears. In this moment – they felt seen, they felt whole, they felt fully human. We all did. – Dr. Devin Walker

The Gilman Scholarship Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is an undergraduate program for U.S. citizens of limited financial means to enable them to study abroad, thereby internationalizing their outlook and better preparing them to thrive in the global economy. Over 3,600 scholarships of up to $5,000 will be awarded this academic year for U.S. citizen undergraduates to study or intern abroad.

The October 6th 2020 Deadline application is open for in-person and virtual programs that start between January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2021. Application information can be found here.

The Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) has a scholarship opportunity for promising students with financial need who wish to study abroad. Potential DDCE Study Abroad participants are encouraged to apply as the Maymester programs fulfill the scholarships requirements. Deadline for the Spring 2021 application cycle is September 16th, 2020.

Fund for Education Abroad

With all of our trips on hold indefinitely, we wanted to check in with our partners from around the world. I asked some international friends of the program to send us reports. Here is Prosper from Cape Town: capeprosperous.com

All of our global trips are currently canceled as we monitor the international community’s efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. But while our trips may be on hold, our global education goes on. Watch Dr. Walker’s video below for more perspective.

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….and the full video. How has your global experience prepared YOU for the current coronavirus pandemic?

A post shared by DDCE Global Leadership (@ddceglobal) on Mar 26, 2020 at 7:12pm PDT

Dr. Walker’s comments were prominently featured recently in this Daily Texan article entitled Men at UT need to realize the value in studying abroad, re-posted below.