Iowa State’s participation in study abroad programs mirrors expanding national trends, and experience in other countries may give students an advantage when looking for work after graduation, ISU officials said.

According to a study released by the Institute of International Education in mid-November, American students studying abroad increased 9.6 percent during the 2003-2004 school year.

Trevor Nelson, program manager for the ISU Study Abroad Center, said in the 2004-2005 school year, 1,184 students participated in study abroad programs. He compared this to the 1994-1995 school year when only 280 students studied abroad.

“I think we have grown more than the average because Iowa State supports study abroad so much,” Nelson said.

Of those 1,184 students, almost 20 percent traveled to Italy, 13 percent went to the United Kingdom and 10 percent went to Spain. Nationally, however, the most popular location was the United Kingdom, he said. Canada is in the top five destinations in ISU study abroad. Nelson said that it’s more popular here than it is nationwide.

“We tend to overlook Canada, which is unfortunate. We think it’s like the United States, but colder,” Nelson said.

Some of the most popular programs are the College of Design’s Rome program during regular semesters and the Regents’ Semester programs in Wales, Australia and Ireland.

International biology field trips, which go regularly during the summer to Australia and Costa Rica, also take ISU students outside U.S. borders, Nelson said. The international field trips in biology even has a program that has gone to Antarctica during regular semesters, he said.

Nelson said there are many reasons for studying abroad. Other than the obvious cultural learning experience, he said students can also gain valuable experience using a foreign language conversationally, have the chance to see the subject of study, like architecture and historic sites, and learn from experts who don’t reside in the United States.

Nelson said students also have the advantage of seeing the United States through a very different perspective.

“When you return to the U.S., you are able to view things more objectively, because you have seen how things are in other countries,” Nelson said.

Matthew Fender, sophomore in Spanish, said he is planning to study abroad next semester in Caceres, Spain.

“Studying abroad is the best way to learn of a culture and a language,” Fender said.

It’s a unique experience that he’s looking forward to, he said, and it’s a great way to travel for an extended period of time. He said that this is something that he could only do through study abroad, because he can take enough time to learn of the culture and also continue taking classes to complete his credits.

Fender said he decided on going to Caceres because it was the only program to Spain that was available to him.

“I really wanted to go to Spain because I’m studying Spanish,” he said.

With a continually more global market, Nelson said businesses will be looking for qualities students develop while studying abroad such as being able to understand other cultures, being comfortable doing business overseas and also being able to deal and interact with people from other countries.

Denise Rock, the associate director of human resources in the publishing division at the Meredith Corporation in Des Moines, said although they would never expect prospective employees to have a study abroad experience, it could be an advantage.

“Should there be an entry level opening, if the experience relates to their profession, then it would be an enhancement,” Rock said.

She said the most important thing to consider is what the individual gained through the experience.

This isn’t necessarily on a professional level, Rock said, but on a personal level, as well.

“I think the personal experience is as much of a plus as the professional,” Rock said. “Unfortunately, there’s no way to measure that.”

Those interested in learning more about study abroad opportunities can go to www.iastate.edu/~study-abroad.