International study, students and strategies part of University of Cincinnati's growing emphasis

by Deborah Rieselman

Tears streamed down the cheeks of a terrified Brittney Smith as she prepared to head to the Middle East for four months in 2006. The University of Cincinnati sophomore's fear of traveling alone was compounded by the fact that she had never been in an airport before, didn't know how to change planes and had no foreign currency to use once she landed. "Culture shock" was setting in before she left the ground.

No one was forcing her to study abroad, of course. In fact, her parents had tried to dissuade her during the six months she spent deciding whether or not to fill out an application for the American University in Dubai. "But something inside of me needed to see more than the 10-block area I grew up in," she states matter-of-factly.

By the time she reached the airport, however, her fervor had faded. The only thing that kept her from throwing in a tear-drenched towel was the fact that she had paid $1,800 for a plane ticket. "I couldn't turn back," she says. "I was too proud."

What Smith was beginning to experience is a hallmark of education abroad. It teaches students more about themselves than the country they are visiting, says Kurt Olausen, director of UC International Programs.

He knows that firsthand. As a Dickinson College student studying abroad in the '80s, he had "a complete breakdown" one Thanksgiving in a residential director's kitchen in Germany, he recalls. "I was overwhelmed."

Students studying and working overseas grow up quickly, he says. They cultivate greater self-confidence and flexibility, a heightened sense of independence and a willingness to take risks. "You see things in a completely different way," Olausen adds, "and you develop the ability to deal with differences."

Fortunately for Smith, her mother helped ease her transition. Faced with a daughter's meltdown over being simultaneously resolute and regretful, Mom quickly scoured the airport lobby until she located another student headed to the same destination. The families introduced themselves, and soon Eric, a complete stranger, had promised to look after the red-nosed Brittney.

Once they reached Dubai, however, Smith was on her own; a giant wall separated the men's and women's residences. Then when she entered her dormitory room, she found it lacking several things -- sheets on the bed, a pillow and a roommate. "I felt so lonely that I just lay down and cried," she says.

Another adjustment came when her roommate arrived -- an Iranian who was a little uncomfortable about living with an American. "It was tense at first," Smith admits, "but when we found some of the same music on our iPods, things began to soften between us."

Because Smith had been studying Arabic at UC, she found it easier to meet other students. She also joined the African student association because of her African-American heritage, but was surprised when some Africans did not accept her because they saw her American identity as greater than her race, she explains. Eventually, she befriended a group of African men by playing basketball with them (the only woman to do so), and she met other Americans.

Studying in the United Arab Emirates on a campus that typically has about 100 nationalities represented in the student body taught her one thing in particular: "We are all very different, but mostly we're the same."

An international-affairs major, Smith spent January to May studying Arabic, Middle Eastern history and other courses. Like many study-abroad students, she gave a final presentation in the local language -- Arabic, in her case.

"We're seeing a change in the student body, and many students arrive at UC having international experiences," Olausen notes. "Admissions is now casting its net wider."

UC began focusing on international student recruitment about four years ago, says John Weller, director of International Admissions. "One of the main benefits is that it helps create a global education for our domestic students.

"Only about 5 percent of our domestic students participate in study abroad, so this is a chance to give some global exposure to the other 95 percent and prepare them for a global knowledge-based economy. It also creates UC as an international destination and helps us build our brand internationally and nationally, which can help improve rankings."

The truth is a larger international population on campus creates more international encounters and activities, which generates greater global interest. Furthermore, hearing classmates rave about their overseas experiences cultivates a greater attraction for studying overseas.

"Once students go abroad to study, it sparks an interest in learning new things, and they get the bug," Olausen says. "They want to go again and stay longer to get more immersed."