May Term 2010

Study Abroad Course Offerings (PDF)

Study Abroad

International Study and Service

Mary Baldwin College is committed to providing international experience as a vital part of a personally transforming liberal arts education. Mary Baldwin encourages all students, regardless of their academic major or language ability, to travel, study, or volunteer overseas. College is the ideal time for students to gain the cross-cultural competence they need to become active, engaged citizens in our increasingly interdependent world.

Any student can go on the short-term trips organized and led by full-time Mary Baldwin faculty during May. Or students can study or volunteer abroad for a summer, semester, or year, either at one of Mary Baldwin’s partner colleges or through other institutions.

To find out more about study and service abroad opportunities at Mary Baldwin College, visit the Spencer Center for Civic and Global Engagement at Wenger Hall, or contact the director of international programs at 540-887-7113 or globalengagement@mbc.edu.

May Term Abroad

MBC students in Costa Rica Each year, Mary Baldwin offers at least 10 opportunities to travel, study, or do community service for three weeks during May Term in locations like Paris, Costa Rica, South Africa, Russia, Peru, and Japan. Each trip is different, depending on the location and topic. Often students travel by public transportation and stay in homes or small hotels; sometimes they tour several sites or countries, and sometimes they stay in one place. Always they are taught and accompanied by one ore more full time members of the Mary Baldwin faculty with expertise in the subject and location. May Term is an exciting chance to get outside the classroom and learn by experiencing the world first-hand!

May Term Abroad courses are offered in many disciplines. Language programs improve students’ speaking and listening skills and provide cultural context for the language. Cultural programs take students to locations such as Italy, South Africa, London and Vienna to learn about art, music, theatre, history, business, or politics.

2010 May Term offerings (PDF)

Summer or Semester Abroad

Longer-term programs — for a summer, semester, or year — provide a deeper cultural immersion experience for participants. Often students live with a host family during longer stays, experiencing meals, holidays, language, and family traditions just as local residents do. Mary Baldwin College has a longstanding partnership with several colleges in Japan; participates in a summer program at Oxford University in England; and partners with the University Virginia to offer summer, semester, or year-length programs in Peru at Católica University. Some new opportunities for semester study abroad are with Sungshin Women's University in Seoul, Korea, Lady Doak College in Madurai, India, and in Ireland as part of the Irish-American Scholars Program/Business Education Initiative. Students can choose to study anywhere in the world through other colleges and independent providers. Need help choosing? Visit the study abroad library at the Spencer Center for Civic and Global Engagement! Current Mary Baldwin students have studied and volunteered for a summer or semester in China, Czech Republic, India, Italy, Japan, and Oman.

The first step is to fill out the Mary Baldwin College Study Abroad Application (PDF). Then be sure to visit the registrar with your course selections to guarantee credit transfer to MBC.

Service Abroad

Robyn Stegman Students at Mary Baldwin College can earn academic credit by volunteering overseas, either during May Term or for a summer, semester, or year, under the supervision of an MBC faculty member. Community service (particularly in a community unlike one’s own) is an excellent way to gain international experience, improve language skills, and develop cross-cultural competence. Serving others helps students become more engaged global citizens, and they begin to see how their actions can make a real difference in the world. Service learning (for credit) links the student’s community service to an academic discipline and requires thoughtful and structured reflection of the experience.

Beginning in the spring of 2009, Mary Baldwin will offer May Term service trips abroad. Students might do environmental clean-up, repair damaged homes, teach English, work with children, or staff a health clinic, depending on the interest and expertise of the faculty member leading the trip. Mary Baldwin Students can organize summers, semesters, or years of service through outside providers such as Cross Cultural Solutions or the School for International Training. Current MBC students have volunteered in India and Oman. To organize a service abroad experience, visit the Spencer Center for Civic and Global Engagement, or contact the director of international programs: 540-887-7113 or globalengagement@mbc.edu.

Internships Abroad

Students can earn internship credit by working with private- or public-sector organizations overseas. MBC students have had internships in France, the Netherlands, Peru, Costa Rica, Japan, and many other countries. With the assistance of faculty members in the relevant disciplines and the director of career services, students can intern in the country of their choice. Mary Baldwin students can also participate in international internship programs organized by other colleges and universities. To set up an international internship, contact Julie Chappell, director of career services: jchappel@mbc.edu.

Financial Aid

Many students assume that international travel and study will cost a bundle, but that’s not always true: some programs cost the same or even less than studying in the United States, many offer financial aid, and there are dozens of competitive study abroad scholarships available. Also, students at Mary Baldwin College can often apply their financial aid to study abroad programs.

Students can use federal aid and loans for foreign study. Students whose majors require study abroad are eligible to receive institutional aid for up to two academic semesters of foreign study. Please note that limited college financial aid is available for certain programs

Financial Aid Applications for study abroad must be filed by November 15 for spring semester and May Term. Applications for fall semester and intended full-year study must be filed by April 15. Deadlines are firm to ensure that loan money is available when needed.

To qualify for financial aid, follow these simple steps:

Student tuition accounts must be in good standing with the Business Office.
Complete the Aid Application (PDF)
File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Complete the MBC Study Abroad Application (MSWord)
Meet with a financial aid counselor to determine your financial aid eligibility for study abroad.
Give your study abroad provider’s address, and your address while you will be studying abroad, to the Office of Financial Aid and to the MBC Business Office.

Contact a financial aid counselor or Robin Dietrich, director of Financial Aid, for more details: rdietric@mbc.edu.

Complete listing of Study Abroad Scholarships for Mary Baldwin College students