Freshman Seminars Abroad are a joint initiative between the Learning Abroad Center and the Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost.
Program Leaders teach the seminar on campus during spring semester and then lead students abroad during spring break.
Freshman Seminars Abroad require at least 45 hours of classroom instruction and excursions.
They include:
Program locations are chosen in consultation with the Learning Abroad Center. Factors taken into consideration are availability of partners that can provide strong on-site support, appeal to first-year students, relevance to program topic, distance, safety, and cost.
For spring break, locations in Europe and Latin America are preferred due to travel time. For winter break, travel to Asia, Africa, and Oceania is possible.
The Learning Abroad Center facilitates pre-departure and re-entry programming and all on-site arrangements, including:
Leaders are actively involved in the planning and recruitment for their Freshman Seminar Abroad. Once on site, leaders participate in all course-related activities in addition to teaching their course.
Because program leaders interact with diverse student groups, it is important for instructors to think about how their own background, identities and privileges influence how they interact with and educate students. In addition, program leaders should consider how they plan to encourage program participants to think about their own positionality and identities while learning abroad.
Program leaders are to attend the University-required Health & Safety Leader Training facilitated by GPS Alliance's International Health, Safety, & Compliance office. Additionally, leaders will be invited and encouraged to attend the LAC's Excellence in Leading Learning Abroad Series.
These seminars are designed for one leader to travel with a group of students and all seminars work with organizations that provide assistance to the leader once the group arrives in the host country.
Freshman Seminars Abroad have small budgets that are strongly affected by the addition of a co-leader. Two leaders or the addition of an assistant will add cost in the following areas: airfare, housing, salary, fringe benefits, food, entrance fees, ground transportation, and international insurance.
If you would like to add another leader or teaching assistant, additional expenses must be covered by the co-leader's college, department, or personal means. To lead a program, both leaders must have permission from the departmental chair.
Deadline: February 1
Learn more about the Proposal & Review Process.
Lindsey Lahr, Freshman Seminars Abroad Program Director
Amy Garwood-Diaz, Freshman Seminars Abroad Associate Program Director
Erica Qualheim, Freshman Seminars Abroad Associate Program Director
Whitney Westley, Freshman Seminars Abroad First Contact/Enrollment Specialist
