Official encourages more students to try to study abroad

Completing their education in Spain, France or almost any European country is the dream of progressive students everywhere.

That includes students in Porterville.

Eric Madrigal, of La Fuente Mexican Restaurant in Porterville, studied abroad in 2001. The ambitious Monache High Graduate spent a semester at the Université of Cheikh Anta Diop in Senegal. It was the best, he said.

"I think studying abroad is the best thing a student could possibly experience, especially come from a small town like Porterville," Madrigal said. "Not only do you learn about other cultures, you learn about yourself and have the opportunity to experience growth and maturity. I would encourage anybody who can to take advantage of any opportunity to study abroad."

That is the sentiment of officials at Thunderbird Graduate School, ranked one of the top ranked international business graduate schools in the nation by US News and World Report and the Wall Street Journal.

The school published a report that shows studying abroad increases a student's chance of getting into graduate school.

That is because upward of 1.8 million Americans will be enrolled in graduate schools next year, according to the U.S. Department of Education, which indicates the competition will be great for graduate school slots.

Roy A. Herberger, Jr., is president of Thunderbird Graduate School. It is his job to encourage students to study abroad where possible.

"There are many reasons why we encourage students to gain experience by studying abroad, but the most important seems to be the cross cultural learning," he said in a press release. "A student who has lived in another culture learns an adaptive skill that translates to being a more effective manager."

Preparation for graduate school starts in undergraduate years, but only 5 percent of undergraduate students actually study abroad.

By studying abroad, students can enhance their resumes by demonstrating the experiences learned and knowledge of studying and or working in a diverse environment, officials said.

Guidance counselors in Porterville area high schools have long encouraged high school students to think ahead and prepare early for possible educational experiences abroad.

To learn more about studying abroad and what is involved in doing so, go to www.GoWithCEA.com