Anne Seitzinger knows it is a cliché, but she can’t count how many times students have told her it was a life-changing event.

“You’re re-learning your culture as you learn this one,” said Seitzinger.

As director of the Study Abroad office, Seitzinger said it is her office’s mission to dispel the idea that studying abroad is not an option for most students.

“In most academic disciplines, knowledge of a foreign language is not a requirement for most programs,” Seitzinger said, explaining that if a student wanted to study in Russia, knowing Russian may not be a prerequisite.

Seitzinger acknowledged that students may face financial hurdles in whether or not deciding to study abroad. Seitzinger said that financial aid and loans can be applied to that cost.
“There are scholarships available for studying abroad. The majority of the students rely on financial aid and loans to do so. We have a business manager here who serves as a liaison between us and the financial aid office,” Seitzinger said.

If students can find the right program for the right cost, they will be able to travel to 75 countries, including Cyprus, Denmark, Turkey, and Tanzania.

Studying abroad can offer many benefits to students, Seitzinger, ranging from the tangible to valuable life lessons. Some programs can take care of electives or major-related classes. It can also provide a boost in finding a job post-graduation.

“This is something that is going to look good on your resume,” Seitzinger said, “It’s going to make you stand out amongst future employers.”

But it’s the personal benefits that Seitzinger said will stay with students long after they leave NIU. Most students find their trips to be perspective-changing.

“{What changed was] how it broadened their outlook on not only the country they’re visiting, but how they view the United States,” Seitzinger said.

The Study Abroad office will be holding their annual fair on Sept. 24 in the Duke Ellington Ballroom of the Holmes Student Center.

The office is located in Williston Hall. Students can find more information there, or by calling 815-753-0700, or going online to www.niu.edu/studyabroad.

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