VCU news

By Nicol Tinsley
Global Education Office

Virginia Commonwealth University will celebrate Study Abroad Day on Monday, Feb. 26, a day designed to highlight the benefits of international education and its lasting impact on students, campuses and the global community.

Study Abroad Day builds on the annual International Education Week in November, and for VCU’s Global Education Office, the day is an opportunity to expand awareness of – and access to – one of the most meaningful experiences a student can have in college.

“In this competitive landscape, employers value skills like intercultural agility, curiosity, flexibility, confidence and self-awareness – qualities cultivated through study abroad,” said Stephanie Tignor, VCU’s director of global learning. “The GEO is dedicated to dismantling barriers, both real and perceived, to make study abroad accessible to every student. We look forward to connecting with students and helping them see how easily study abroad can be integrated into their journey and how beneficial it can be for their academic, personal and career development.”

To recognize the day, the GEO will hold several events for students to learn about the opportunities to intern and study abroad while attending VCU.

• “Caffeine and Cultures: Study Abroad Spotlight” will be held Monday from 12:15 to 4:15 p.m. on the Compass, and study abroad advisors and global learning specialists will be available to speak to students and answer questions about study abroad and intern opportunities, destinations and faculty-led study abroad and third-party programs. Two $500 vouchers to assist with study abroad costs will be raffled during the event. Hot chocolate and tea will be available, and the Rams in Recovery’s Coffee Bike and Recovery Roast cart will serve free coffee from 12:15 to 2:15 p.m. along with information about the program.
• The GEO will provide special drop-in hours for students, staff and faculty on Monday to obtain free passport-style photos at the GEO office, 912 W. Grace St. (fourth floor), from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.Passport-style photos are regularly offered on the first Tuesday and third Wednesday of each month and can be scheduled in advance.
• On Tuesday from 5 to 6 p.m., the “Black & Abroad: Global Citizenship” panel discussion will be held in the SGA Senate Chambers at University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave. The event, co-sponsored with the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs and in celebration of Black History Month, brings together Black international students, faculty and staff to discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with global citizenship and traveling internationally through the lens of Black identity. The panel will be moderated by Krista Scott, Ph.D., associate dean in the College of Humanities and Sciences, and it will be followed by a social hour of food and activities in the OMSA office from 6 to 7 p.m. Students may register for the event on Rams Connect.