At the bottom of the main Atrium staircase, there's a cluster of tables draped with oriental flags, where students dressed in native clothing will offer information about the places they've visited through study abroad programs.
Students will have the opportunity to learn about the programs and even apply for a passport at the Study Abroad Fair today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Atrium.
Kelly Kirkwood, assistant director of Study Abroad, said the purpose of the fair is to give students a taste of the opportunities available to them. Faculty members leading study abroad programs, as well as students who have previously been a part of a program, will be present to talk with students.
"One thing I hope is that students have the opportunity to speak with other Ball State students who have studied abroad and hear from them firsthand how study abroad has impacted their academic experience here at Ball State," Kirkwood said.
Ball State has six different types of programs: faculty-led, Ball State centers, consortia, bilateral and multilateral exchanges, international internships and non-Ball State programs. The booths at the fair will help students understand the specific types of programs in more detail, and also represent both short and long term options.
Last year, 654 Ball State students participated in 95 programs in 43 countries. The most popular type of program was faculty-led and the most popular country visited was the United Kingdom, Kirkwood said.
During the summer of 2012, journalism and telecommunications students will have the opportunity to go to London and cover the Olympics.
Journalism professor Ryan Sparrow will be the faculty member leading the program. Students have the option of attending a study abroad program at the University of Worcester, staying for three extra weeks to cover the Olympics or both. So far, 30 students signed up to either attend both portions or just the Olympics portion, Sparrow said.
While in London, students will not have access to any of the events, but their main objective is to cover the "overall spectacle of the events," Sparrow said. The students will also attempt to send their stories to papers back in the United States.
"They will be learning about freelancing, learning about covering large events, story development," Sparrow said.
The students will learn how to make a story out of nothing and how to then sell the stories, he said.
Also present at the fair will be a passport booth, where students and faculty members can get their photo taken and submit their materials for a passport. One material required is a notarized birth certificate. Kirkwood said that it would be difficult for a student to obtain a passport at the last minute, but a passport can also be applied for any time through Muncie's main post office.
Information on financial aid will also be available at the fair. Kirkwood said most of the time a student's financial aid package can apply to a study abroad program. There are also scholarships within the study abroad department.
Because there are approximately 300 study abroad programs available, not every one will be represented at the fair but students can go to the Rinker Center, located in the Student Center, in order to find out which program is best for them.
Kirkwood said that a good first step in finding the right program is to attend a Study Abroad 101 session. Dates and times are available on the Rinker Center's website.
"It's kind of a customized process," Kirkwood said. "The student needs to know what they are hoping for. It's not as simple as saying, ‘You're this major, you're this year, so this is where you go.' There are so many choices to make that it's good for the student to have an idea of what they're hoping to experience."
Besides having something to put on a resume and gaining a respect and understanding of other cultures, Kirkwood hopes that students better themselves through studying abroad.
"I hope that [students] learn a little about themselves during the process," Kirkwood said. "Not just who they are, but also gain some confidence in their abilities to handle cross-cultural communication, to handle different, unfamiliar settings... Of course study abroad is fun, but ultimately the purpose is for students to see their academic discipline with a new set of eyes."
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