April 20, 2011 - La Sierra University

April 20, 2011
 Consortium of SDA colleges and universities in North
America
 Grew out of the Year-Abroad Program begun by (then) La
Sierra College in 1961 – 50 years ago!
 ACA consortium became official in summer 1968;
headquarters moved to NAD in Silver Spring, Maryland
 Directors: Dr. John Hamilton, Dr. Fred Harder, Dr. Robert
Reynolds, Dr. Donald Lee, Dr. Tom Smith, Dr. Odette
Ferreira (current)
 La Sierra Studies Abroad currently housed under Office of
the Provost with Esther Saguar serving as Director
 Over 750 students from La Sierra have studied through the
ACA program since it began
12 Countries representing 10 Languages:
 Argentina: Universidad Adventista del Plata (Spanish: full year)
 Austria: Seminar Schloss Bogenhofen (German: full year & summer)
 Brazil: Centro Universitário Adventista de São Paulo
(Portuguese: full year & summer)
 France: Campus Adventiste du Salève (French: full year & summer)
 Greece: Athens Study Center (Intermediate Greek & Introductory
Hebrew: summer)
 Germany: Theologische Hochshule Friedensau (German: full year)
 Italy: Istituto Avventista Villa Aurora (Italian: full year & summer)
 Spain: Escuela Superior de Español (Spanish: full year & summer)
 Japan: Saniku Gakuin College (Japanese: summer)
 Mexico: Universidad de Montemorelos (Spanish: summer)
 Thailand: Asia-Pacific International University (Chinese: summer)
 Ukraine: Ukrainian College of Arts & Sciences (Russian: summer)
 34 students are studying abroad this academic year
 Plus 17 students last summer for a total of 51
 This group represents 21 different majors
 La Sierra is sending the most
students abroad this year of all
Adventist institutions
La Sierra
University
Office of Studies Abroad
Esther Saguar
Program Director
" The limit of [your] world is the limit of [your] languages.”
-L.W.
Content
 Promotion
 Process and Follow-Up
 Retention Programs
Promoting Studies Abroad
 In efforts to promote our Study
Abroad programs we take part in
most school club events. The
following are some events that
we have been involved in:
 Club Rush
 Meet The Majors
 University Experience Day: for
high school students visiting our
campus.
Other Promotion Techniques
 Considering technology and social networks have
become mainstream tools for communication, we also
employ such methods in our advertising. We post
frequent announcements via our Facebook page and our
OrgSync account.
 The office is currently located in room 318 in La Sierra
Hall, this allows us to reach a broad variety of students.
Studies Abroad Promotion
 We have also established booths
with informational pamphlets
and posters throughout our
entire campus to attract the
interest of students who perhaps
do not frequent the building in
which our office is located.
Additional Promotion
 Once during the school year we host visitors who are
representatives of campuses abroad. During the week
they are on our campus we have them visit various
classes to promote the program and to encourage
students to study abroad.
 We also have a large general meeting on campus during
the ACA National Director so that all students who
have are interested in going abroad have an opportunity
to get their doubts clarified.
Process: Personalized Advising
and Information
 We create a personalized
program according to the
student’s academic needs.
 Provide academic information in
conjunction with WLD
regarding specific countries and
provide advising to suit any
particular academic major or
minor need.
 Information on programs
available, costs, requirements,
courses, recommended programs,
and referrals to where to turn to
complete the application process.
Procedure to Follow
 Interest Form- to have student contact information in our
system for possible information updates via email or phone.
 Financial Aid appointment to speak with a Financial Aid
representative to plan financial coverage.
 Application- Processed to gain acceptance to the program.
 Visa-Needed for European countries
 Attend Orientation meeting in May for those who will be
traveling abroad.
 At anytime during this process questions or concerns can be
resolved in the Office of Studies Abroad.
Orientation Meeting
 We provide an orientation meeting for those students
planning on going abroad:
 encourage them to finish their application process
 Informing them about the visa requirements.
 give advice on how to make the most of their trip
 Advise them on several issues like things to keep in mind
while abroad
 Listen testimonials from students who have already
experienced the study abroad programs
 prevent culture shock
Retention Programs
 We also use Facebook account:
(http://www.facebook.com/studiesabroad.lsu) in which
current and former students abroad have uploaded
pictures and have us added as friends
 Prospective students can log on and see these pictures
and ask former students questions.
 Current students abroad can ask us questions and chat
with us in real time using Facebook’s features
Retention Programs
 We are starting up being part of OrgSync!
 This will help us centralize and digitalize interest forms
and streamline office-student communication of events,
and will allow us to inform our students, prospective,
current, and former ACA students about the office of
Studies Abroad!
Retention Programs
 We let students know we remember them and care for
them and want them to come back!
 We send out care packages every quarter, packed with
goodies based on the season.
 We send out birthday cards so that they can receive a
special birthday greeting from La Sierra University, both
physically and electronically! All messages are personalized
 We send out Christmas, New Year, Valentine’s Day and
Easter greeting cards to assure the students LSU is
thinking of them.
Students are always
appreciative of the care
packages we send
them!
Welcome Back Reunion
 Additionally, we organize a welcome back reunion for those
students who have studied abroad in the past year and are
reintegrating themselves to studying at La Sierra. We have them:
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Share experiences
Get caught up on LSU news
Invite them to join campus activities
Invite them to become ambassadors for Studies Abroad on
campus and encourage others to have that same experience
Been welcome by different LSU representatives; President,
Provost, Vice President of Student life, WLD.
Avoid reentry shock
Encourage them to become tutors for language courses.
Study Abroad Experience Results
 We have witnessed the positive outcomes of the Study Abroad
Program at La Sierra University in the World Languages
Department but most importantly in the students themselves.
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The number of declared Spanish majors has increased nearly sixfold.
Students manifest signs of maturity and cultural openness upon
their return from abroad.
Students demonstrate to have grown both personally and
academically.
Students show more flexibility, seem to adapt easily to changes
and become more extroverted and social.
 Most students agreed that the experience has changed them and
enriched them personally and academically.
Students who study through
ACA are recognized with
special graduation regalia that
represents the country in which
they studied.
Some Important Academic Aspects
 We consider all resources
necessary to ensure that
outcomes are achieved in a
linguistic and cultural level.
 Select classes that will
enable students to earn
credits for specific purposes.
 Advice that if some courses
are not counted towards the
language minor or major
they can be counted as
elective classes.
 Encourage the DELE exam,
due to the relevance of the
diploma of the University of
Salamanca.
A Few Persuasive Arguments
 A language is like a key that works
to open doors in the future.
 Learning a language in the home
country can be considered a once
in a life time experience for any
student. This possibility will
facilitate both cultural and
linguistic advancement, at the same
time that makes the student more
marketable.
Office of Studies Abroad
4500 Riverwalk Parkway
La Sierra Hall Rm. 318
Riverside, CA 92515
951-785-2958
studiesabroad@lasierra.edu
https://orgsync.com/chapter/25100
http://www.facebook.com/studiesabroad.lsu