By Draven Copeland, Managing Editor
Pellissippi State Community College’s longest-running foreign exchange program is happening again this month, as some of our very own Panthers will be heading out to Cherbourg, France on May 13 and set to return May 27. Run by the TBR Global Studies program that was originally housed at Pellissippi State, the program connects students from both our campus and the University of Caen Normandie, allowing students from our campus to meet French students here in Tennessee, and vice versa!
The Student Perspective
While the students from Caen, France we exchanged with have already left our campus – they were here from April 10-20 – they had an amazing time in Tennessee, having traveled over 4,000 miles from Caen to visit our Hardin Valley campus and connect with our culture. Along with living with the families of our faculty, the students played bowling, went to Top Golf, played baseball with our school team, and connected with the students who will be heading out to France this coming week. According to Student Success Coordinator, Selena Kimber, “they had an amazing time and did not want to leave,” further stating the students had expressed that the opportunity was a “great cultural experience.”
Although these students were here primarily to experience American culture and visit our campus, many of our own students had the unique opportunity to meet them and hang out with them on campus. In an interview with Merveille Ingabireyimana, one of our own students who will be leaving on the upcoming trip, she expressed that befriending French students Mina and Romane was a highlight of her semester, stating, “the entire week we were constantly talking with each other… we hung out, had a lot of meals together, and we follow each other on Instagram… we’re besties now.”
When asked what she hopes to gain from her upcoming trip, Ingabireyimana states, “I hope that I’m able to learn more leadership qualities and gain confidence within myself… I’m glad that I’m able to see myself grow.”
Along with visiting museums, cafés, and other cultural landmarks throughout Cherbourg, the students will also have a few days in Paris to walk around and experience the famous city.
Words to the Students Considering Studying Abroad
The biggest setbacks to taking opportunities like this exchange program or other study abroad programs are our own worries. At the end of my interviews with Ingabireyimana and Coordinator Kimber, I asked each of them what they would say to students who are considering the opportunity, but letting their worries keep them from getting involved.
Ingabireyimana says, “Just go ahead and apply for it! You don’t have to be completely invested in it because they give you a lot of opportunities to take back your application. And don’t even stress about the financial part of it; that’s mainly what I was stressed about and they were able to give me a full coverage scholarship. [If you’re interested in looking at the different opportunities,] the TBR website is connected to the myPellissippi page, they’ve got a bunch of different countries that you can visit and the courses they offer are very extensive.”
Kimber had a similar message, stating, “Any students that are considering studying abroad should definitely make sure that they go to the Global Studies website [or] stop by the Global Studies fair tables and get more information. The application opens for the Spring programs in September and the staff at the Global Studies office are always so welcoming and helpful. If you have any questions, just start getting as much information as you can early; it would be a great experience and a great way to travel affordably, because of the scholarships that are available.”
For students who may be dissuaded from the opportunity because of the initially high cost for a trip, Kimber further stated that “Oftentimes, the [price students are] seeing on the Global Studies website is not really the cost, because there are so many scholarships that students can apply for and receive to help offset that cost.”
Conclusion
As Pellissippi State has consistently ranked among the top five community colleges for study abroad in the nation according to the Institute of International Education’s annual Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange, there is no better time than the present to take advantage of the many opportunities for study abroad and exchange programs that our college is known for. The ability to experience other cultures and meet people from across the world is something you can’t get to this extent from any other community college in Tennessee, with Roane State the only college competing in the study abroad department. With international programs ranging from Iceland to Japan, the chance to travel at such a low cost – as well as covering credits for classes in the process – is not one to be missed!
