Study Abroad

Study Abroad in Iceland (2)What is Study Abroad?

Study abroad is the term given to a program that allows a student to attend classes, intern, or participate in service to the community while living in a foreign country, or participating in the virtual platform. Our programs maintain the ethic of “open access to education” that is at the center of everything we do at MWCC.  Every study abroad program at MWCC is open to all members of the community in good academic and disciplinary standing, and at least 18 years of age.

Students who study abroad have the opportunity to experience a new culture, enhance their language skills, and gain a broader understanding of our world, all while satisfying requirements for graduation, in any major. Study abroad is an excellent chance to expand career opportunities and grow a professional network.

Study Abroad Opportunities

HUMANITIES PROJECT AND SCHOLARSHIPS TO STUDY ABROAD 2022/23

  • Where? Study Abroad in Iceland
  • When? May 18-23, 2023
  • What? Volcanoes, Glaciers, Geothermal Hot Springs, Sagas, Folktales, Myths, Thor, Loki, and Odin – All in ONE class!
  • The Course: HUM 283 Beyond Vikings and Volcanoes: Iceland and the Challenge of Co-existence
  • Credit: Three-credit Class Offered Spring 2022 and Fall and Spring 2023
  • Travel: One-week Travel Opportunity May 22 – 29, 2023
  • How? Scholarships Available!
    • Pay yourself, using any financial aid you may have, or apply for a FULL-PAID scholarship by clicking the link below. There, you will be prompted to answer some quick questions and submit a short essay that asks the following: Write a 250 – 500 word essay explaining why you want to participate in this travel opportunity and what you hope to gain from it.
    • The application Deadline is October 15, 2022. Click here to apply!
  • To qualify for a scholarship, MWCC students must meet the following criteria:
    • Maintain an overall GPA of 2.75
    • Have completed 12 college credits or more by the time of the trip.
    • Earned a C+ or better in the course, HUM 283, listed above.
  • More Information? Contact: 

More MWCC Study Abroad Opportunities

STUDY ABROAD AT THE LONDON MET

  • Ever wanted to live in London? Or travel there? What about going to college there? Now you can. Start at MWCC. Finish at The London Met through our transfer agreement.
    • Professional Writing Majors
    • Business Majors

Why Study Abroad as an MWCC Student?

Study abroad at Mount Wachusett Community College affords our students many opportunities to satisfy requirements for graduation and develop skills needed to be successful in the modern workforce. Students can participate in short or long term programs, and in many cases use financial aid.

Did you know less than 10% of American college students study abroad? Study abroad can help you:

  • Satisfy requirements for graduation
  • Fulfill career development objectives when you improve your intercultural competence skills
  • Advance your network on a global scale as you make contacts in another country
  • Gain independence, self-confidence, and self-reliance
  • Develop and refine your brand with an international component
  • Increase your sensitivity to cultural differences
  • Explore a new language
  • Make lifelong friends

Want to Learn More About Study Abroad?

We would like to thank the MWCC students who narrated these videos for their time and efforts to provide the MWCC community with these digital solutions. You will want to begin with the “Introduction to Study Abroad”  video which will answer many of your questions related to who, what, why, and where. Then you can watch the “Study Abroad Process” video, followed by “Costs and Funding your Study Abroad Program.” At any time you can watch the video on “Study Abroad Scholarships,” but keep in mind there are many scholarships available that we haven’t mentioned. At any time, you are welcome to contact us and we can answer your questions in person. We hope you enjoy the videos and look forward to assisting you further.

Is It Safe to Study abroad?

Study abroad at MWCC provides the community with the opportunity to practice the shared value of responsible risk-taking. That means we develop our programs with the health & safety of the community in mind. We are constantly evaluating our processes and procedures to provide a strong foundation for student success, whether it is on our local campus or in a foreign country, utilizing industry best management practices.

To mitigate the risk inherent with international travel, what does MWCC do? We choose to offer programs in countries that are deemed “safe” for travel by the US Department of State. We collaborate with international education organizations that are leaders in the field, offering professional services and a customer service ethic. We ensure that all participants have adequate insurance while participating in any study abroad program. Lastly, we communicate clearly and transparently with our students so they have the information necessary to make informed decisions about the academic, professional and personal choices they make when they participate in a study abroad program.

Is Study Abroad Available with COVID-19 Still an Issue?

Yes! We are excited to be able to offer many virtual global engagement opportunities to the community in order to continue to build critical professional development skills. This includes internships and service-learning, so let us know how we can continue to connect you to the world.

Absolutely! Here is a short list of the most common scholarships:

  1. Gilman Scholarship If you qualify for a Pell Grant, you qualify for a Gilman Scholarship.
    1. Gilman-McCain Scholarship Award for child dependents of active-duty military personnel.
  2. Fund for Education Abroad Aims to fund students that are typically underrepresented in study abroad, including community college students.
  3. Critical Language Scholarship Is an intensive overseas language and cultural immersion program for American students enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities.
  4. Scholarship information for CCIS
  5. Scholarship information for API
  6. Scholarship information for ASA
  7. Scholarship information for CIS Abroad

In addition to the MWCC faculty-led courses, MWCC belongs to these international education organizations that provide students with assistance in-country:

  1. College Consortium for International Studies (CCIS)
  2. Academic Programs International (API) 
  3. Academic Studies Abroad (ASA)
  4. Center For International Studies (CIS Abroad) 
  5. Massachusetts Council for International Education (MaCIE) Students can apply to any study abroad program in one of the participating Massachusetts public higher education institutions.

Foreign Language Skill Building 

A PARENT GUIDE TO STUDY ABROAD

Dear Parents,

We are writing to introduce ourselves as the staff of the Office of International Education at Mount Wachusett Community College. The purpose of this letter is to help lessen any fears you may have about your students being abroad in the coming academic year. Dean Occhipinti and I are parents as well, and we appreciate that your child may not have been this far from home before. We understand some of the emotions you are experiencing and are here to speak with you if needed. In our office, we have years of combined experience assisting students with studying abroad.

The world has experienced some terrible events in our lifetimes, both in the US and abroad. We want to assure you that any incidents that have impacted study abroad students have been followed up with the development and implementation of procedures to help keep the students safe. After any incident, we evaluate our procedures and the insurance needs we have in place to effectively manage those risks. It is our intention to provide a level of care for our students that we would provide for our own children.

In our office, we monitor worldwide events on a daily basis and are part of a large unified group of professionals that who are working to make sure students are safe. During a crisis, it is not only important for our office to perform with a high level of expectations, it is also up to our students to perform as well. We provide each student with a comprehensive pre-departure orientation where we discuss measures with the students that will help to keep them safe. While many of the students listen to our advice, there are always students who make decisions that go against their best interest and the consequences of these decisions can have a negative impact on the students’ life. We ask you to speak with your student about the importance of making good decisions while abroad so that the message comes from all sides.

We both want nothing more than our students to have a safe, memorable experience while abroad. Please feel free to call our office at 978-630-9428 at any point during your students’ program abroad if you have any questions or concerns and we would be happy to speak to you.

All our best,

Dean Laurie Occhipinti, PhD Dean of Liberal Arts, Humanities, Education, and Communications

Queridos padres,

                Estamos escribiendo para presentarnos como el personal de la Oficina de Educación Internacional en Mount Wachusett Community College. El propósito de esta carta es ayudar a disminuir cualquier temor que pueda tener acerca de que sus estudiantes estén en el extranjero en el próximo año académico. Dean Occhipinti y yo también somos padres, y apreciamos que su hijo no haya estado tan lejos de casa antes. Entendemos algunas de las emociones que está experimentando y estamos aquí para hablar con usted si es necesario. En nuestra oficina, tenemos años de experiencia combinada ayudando a los estudiantes a estudiar en el extranjero.

               El mundo ha experimentado algunos eventos terribles en nuestras vidas, tanto en los Estados Unidos como en el extranjero. Queremos asegurarle que cualquier incidente que haya afectado a los estudiantes de estudios en el extranjero se haya seguido con el desarrollo y la implementación de procedimientos para ayudar a mantenerlos seguros. Después de cualquier incidente, evaluamos nuestros procedimientos y las necesidades de seguro que tenemos para administrar esos riesgos de manera efectiva. Es nuestra intención proporcionar un nivel de atención a nuestros estudiantes que brindemos a nuestros propios hijos.            

               En nuestra oficina, monitoreamos los eventos mundiales a diario y formamos parte de un gran grupo unificado de profesionales que trabajan para garantizar la seguridad de los estudiantes. Durante una crisis, no solo es importante que nuestra oficina se desempeñe con un alto nivel de expectativas, sino que también depende de nuestros estudiantes el desempeño. Brindamos a cada estudiante una orientación integral previa a la partida, donde discutimos las medidas con los estudiantes que ayudarán a mantenerlos seguros. Si bien muchos de los estudiantes escuchan nuestros consejos, siempre hay estudiantes que toman decisiones que van en contra de su mejor interés y las consecuencias de estas decisiones pueden tener un impacto negativo en la vida de los estudiantes. Le pedimos que hable con su estudiante sobre la importancia de tomar buenas decisiones en el extranjero para que el mensaje llegue de todos lados.

              Ambos queremos que nuestros estudiantes tengan una experiencia segura y memorable en el extranjero. No dude en llamar a nuestra oficina al 978-630-9428 en cualquier momento durante el programa de sus estudiantes en el extranjero si tiene alguna pregunta o inquietud y estaremos encantados de hablar con usted.           

Todo lo mejor,

Dean Laurie Occhipinti, PhD Decana de Artes Liberales, Humanidades, Educación y Comunicaciones

 

Study Abroad Inquiry

    Thanks for your interest in studying abroad!!