UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Education Abroad Fair, hosted by Penn State Global, will take place over three days between Oct 12-14, with a combination of both virtual and in-person events. The purpose of the fair is to provide students with information about global engagement opportunities and to provide a platform for them to ask questions. The event is not limited to University Park students, although one of the events will be held at the HUB.
“We learned a lot over the pandemic about what we can accomplish by engaging virtually,” said Sara Paliga, education abroad adviser, who is organizing the fair this year. “We’re excited about being able to have our campus students and international partners take part in the event.”
The fair will begin on Oct. 12 with a virtual “Welcome Back” to students, which will go over the basics of study abroad. The session will be held via Zoom, and registration can be found on the Education Abroad Fair website.
Oct. 13 will be a fully in-person event, hosted from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Alumni Hall at the HUB, focused on internal Penn State programs and partners. Representatives from colleges, such as faculty who lead embedded or summer courses, will be in attendance to engage with students and answer questions.
The fair will conclude on Oct. 14 with a virtual open house on the Brazen platform, which will feature representatives from Penn State’s international partners, such as the Council on International Exchange (CIEE), Arcadia University, and International Education of Students Abroad (or IES Abroad), as well as universities like the University of Melbourne and Ibaraki University. Registration information for this event can be found on the Education Abroad Fair Website.
“We had to work to find a time that worked for everyone’s time zones,” Paliga said. “But we’re thrilled that we could get such a wide variety of partners to attend.”
The Education Abroad Fair is part of Penn State Global’s “Back to the World” initiative, which recognizes that this transitional time is different for everyone. Students will have opportunities to engage globally at their comfort level, and possibilities like virtual internships will be featured at the fair. The "Back to the World" initiative provides funding to help foster global engagement activities, such as a video and writing contest, a sustainability scholars program, and funding for all types of education abroad. For more information, visit the Back to the World website.
“We are thrilled to provide additional opportunities for students to learn about global learning experiences and provide extra funding support for study abroad during the next two academic years through our “Back to the World” campaign,” said Kate Manni, director of education abroad. “We know that these are uncertain times for students and their families, and we truly hope that through events like our Education Abroad Fair multi-day event and through enhanced scholarship opportunities, Penn State Global can support students who are hoping to study abroad at any point during their Penn State academic career.”
Applications for Summer 2022 and Fall/Academic Year 2022 opened on Oct. 1. Information can be found on the Education Abroad website.
“There’s plenty of time to start planning for next summer,” said Paliga. “We’re hoping the fair helps students understand a little more about the process.”
For information about registration, visit the Education Abroad Fair website. For other questions, contact Sara Paliga at spp5879@psu.edu.