From Vietnam and Mexico to France and Argentina, 195 Cal State Fullerton students and 14 faculty members are expanding their educational horizons this winter.
The growing number of students participating in Intersession study-abroad and study-away activities is just one example of the University’s efforts to promote learning experiences beyond the classroom.
Keothanh Huu and Elizabeth Garcia, two seniors majoring in human services, are taking an “Advanced College Writing” class in Paris.
“I get to read stories from famous authors and see the places they mention in their writing,” said Huu. “I’ve been to the Palace of Versailles, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Louvre, a boat ride down the Seine and much more. Paris is a beautiful city.”
Aspiring to become a counselor, Huu said she is gaining a better understanding of how different cultures approach such issues as family care and education.
“It is eye-opening to see how the French are so accommodating to children and mothers. In France, they encourage raising your own kids, and parents even receive aid to become stay-at-home moms,” she said. “It gives me motivation to do great things with my degree.”
Tanisha R. Hicks, a junior communications major, said the “International Public Relations” program in Ensenada, Mexico, has helped broaden her world view.
“I have grown to appreciate the people, the culture and everything that Ensenada has to offer,” she said. “Thank you to Dean Kazoleas and the CSUF Study Abroad Office for creating such a wonderful program that was both affordable and safe.”
The 2017 Intersession programs include:
Asia
- “Vietnamese Life and Culture” with Laichen Sun, professor of history — Hanoi, Vietnam
- “Child and Adolescent Studies Practicum” with Katherine Bono, chair and associate professor of child and adolescent studies — Thailand
- “Independent Graduate Research” with Pawan Tomkoria, lecturer in management — Bangkok, Thailand; Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Europe
- “Advanced College Writing” with Lana Dalley, professor of English, comparative literature and linguistics — Paris, France
- “Spanish Life and Culture” with Juan Carlos Gallego, professor of modern languages and literatures — Madrid, Spain
- “Exceptional Individuals” with Melinda Pierson, chair and professor of special education — Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Germany
- “Independent Study” with Robert Mead, associate professor of economics — Berlin, Germany; Brussels, Belgium; London, United Kingdom; various cities in France
North America
- “Mexican Muralism and the Art of Frida Kahlo” with Rose Adams, lecturer in art — Guanajuato and Mexico City, Mexico
- “Chicanos and (Im)migrants” with Julián Jefferies, assistant professor of literacy and reading education — Guadalajara, Mexico
- “International Public Relations” with Dean Kazoleas, professor of communications — Ensenada, Mexico
- “Engineering Economics and Professionalism” with Binod Tiwari, professor of civil and environmental engineering — Ensenada, Mexico
- “Crime and Justice at the U.S.-Mexico Border” with Robert Castro, professor of criminal justice — U.S./Mexico border
- “Geology-Biology Collaborative Field Investigations in Death Valley and the Mojave Desert” with Darren Sandquist, professor of biological science and director of the California Desert Studies Consortium — Death Valley/Mojave Desert
South America
- “Research Experience in Clinical Microbiology” with María Soledad Ramírez, assistant professor of biological science — Buenos Aires, Argentina
CSUF offers international learning opportunities throughout the year. To learn more, visit the Study Abroad website or attend the Feb. 9 Study Abroad Fair from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Quad.