In a bustling corner of Belmont University's campus, more than 1,000 students gathered at the annual Global Fair, an event from the Office of Study Abroad (OSA) that showcases the University's distinctive commitment to providing a world-class education. This number matches the approximate number of Belmont students who participate in Study Abroad programs annually.
This year, the Global Fair featured 61 undergraduate faculty-led programs, alongside eight semester-long program partners and six other campus department programs: Global Bruins, Belmont on Mission, Belmont USA, Global Honors, GPS and Health Services. The event was marked by conversations with students and study abroad partners, several of whom traveled here to represent their program in person from countries around the world.
Belmont's Global Fair showcased a wide range of opportunities, from semester-long programs in Spain and South Korea to to short-term experiences abroad in Greece and Ghana and domestic programs, like Belmont USA programs in New York City or the Bonnaroo festival experience in Tennessee, offered by the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business. The fair featured representatives from partner universities, more than 100 faculty members who lead study abroad courses and current students who shared their transformative experiences from their time overseas.
Nursing major Ava Gidwani, a sophomore, attended the fair with her roommate Hayley Pankow, a sophomore publishing major. Gidwani said, “As a nursing student, I was encouraged to learn that I can take BELL core courses and take my ILC on a Maymester.” Pankow shared, “The fair is so fun — there is so much going on. I didn’t realize how many different programs there would be and how many would be open to all students.” Of the 61 programs available to undergraduate students, 47 of them offer a BELL core class, and 12 offer Interdisciplinary Learning Communities (ILC) pairings.
Emma Cate Whitefield, Assistant Director of the Office of Study Abroad, noted new offerings, which offer even more diverse student opportunities for travel:
- Italy – The O'More College of Architecture & Design faculty are expanding their study abroad programs with four new offerings this year, capitalizing on the success of their Interior Design program introduced last year.
- New Zealand: Movies in Aotearoa – A fresh opportunity has been introduced for Motion Picture and Screenwriting students in New Zealand, broadening the horizons for those interested in the film industry.
- Japan: Japanese Language and Culture – The foreign language department is increasing its presence in Japan, providing students with more diverse language and cultural immersion experiences.
- China: Come See for Yourself! – The eagerly awaited return of the study abroad program in China is on the horizon, rekindling opportunities for students to explore this culturally rich nation.
- Indonesia: Bridging Culture & Care in Health Education – An exciting addition to the study abroad options is a nursing program in Indonesia, catering to those pursuing healthcare-related careers.
- France: City & Sun; Literature & Photography – This new program in France with BELL core offerings in humanities and art is set to captivate students seeking artistic and cultural inspiration abroad.
“These new programs and more, complement our amazing recurring programs,” Whitefield said. “Our office and students are lucky to have such intentional, adventurous and creative faculty to design and lead these programs. With so many programs all over the world, we want to help students find the program that best fits their goals and academic needs. We are launching a new series of workshops called 'How to Pick a Maymester.' All of these new sessions are on Bruin Link for more information.”
To learn more and apply for these learning opportunities, visit Belmont Abroad.
Scenes from the Global Fair
