Continuing its reputation as a culturally diverse university,SMU, like many schools across the country, offers several studyabroad programs intended to immerse students in a variety ofcultures.

Wednesday evening, students attended a study abroad open housein McFarlin Auditorium to learn about the various study abroadprograms.

Students can study in countries ranging from Britain toAustralia and almost everywhere in between.

“The programs are designed to maximize the educationalexperience for each student based on their individual needs,”Ben Wallace, assistant provost and director of the study abroadprogram said.

Wallace, a member of the SMU community since 1969 and formerchairman of the anthropology department, has visited every countryoffered by the program. We want to make sure the students enjoy thecultural aspects of each program as well as the academics, hesaid.

New to the study abroad family is SMU’s engineeringprogram in Konigswinter, Germany. The program educates students inconjunction with Texas A&M’s engineering department. SMUMechanical Engineering Professor Dr. Jose Lage co-directs theprogram with Texas A&M Nuclear Engineering Professor Dr. JohnW. Poston, Sr.

Konigswinter, the only flat land in northern Germany, is a smalltown near the Rhine River with easy access to Cologne and theformer capital of West Germany, Bonn. It is located in the middleof, Siebengebirge, Germany’s oldest nature park meaning”seven mountains.”

Students stay in Adam-Stegerwald-Haus, a four-star study centercomplete with classrooms and a restaurant. However, when needed,the University of Bonn allows SMU and A&M to use its labs.

Students interested in art as opposed to engineering can enjoythe SMU-in-Italy program.

The courses offered center around fine arts; the programincludes a cultural formations course about theatre history, an arthistory course involving on-site study of masterworks of art andarchitecture and a drawing class for both beginning and advancedstudents which involves drawing the landscapes of Umbria, thesculpture of Florence, the environment of the medieval hill town ofOrvieto and the art and architecture of ancient, Renaissance andBaroque Rome.

“It’s a great chance to let the students be in frontof magnificent works of art,” drawing professor Kathy Windrowsaid.

If learning a new language seems too intimidating, SMU offersstudy abroad in Australia.

It is the only study abroad program that spends the first monthtraveling through south Asia, allowing students to learn about avariety of cultures rather than academics.

“I’ve never done so much traveling in mylife,” 2004 SMU anthropology graduate Nadia Kumar said.

SMU Australia students travel through countries such as Cambodiaand Vietnam while visiting various embassies and looking atdifferent social and political issues in each country. Once theyreach Australia, students stay in dorms at Curtain University inPerth, located on the western coast.

Other possible destinations include France, Britain andChina.

Roy Ferrill, an international studies and French alum studied inParis.

“It’s a unique city that holds to its roots.It’s not spoiled by American culture,” he said.

Faculty members and Ferrill advise students in the Paris programto purchase a rail pass, but it is not required to travel.

SMU Paris students stay in Reid Hall with other study abroadstudents from Dartmouth, Colombia and Tulane.

Unique to the Paris program is the opportunity to stay with aFrench family.

“Immersing yourself in the culture is very beneficial. Youlearn the language very fast. This program is perfect forbeginners,” Ferrill said.

“Cultural learning is a big part of the [study abroad]program,” Corporate Communications and Public AffairsProfessor Nina Flournoy said.

SMU-in-London offers many opportunities for students to go outinto the city and conduct interviews with various people from manybackgrounds with varying points of view, she said.

Students stay at Regent’s College in northwest London,previously Henry VIII’s hunting grounds.

The campus sits in the middle of the Queen’s gardens,surrounded by a moat.

Students declaring a language as their major can take severalintensive language programs including SMU in Beijing.

The program is managed by Hamilton College and affiliated withAssociated Colleges in China. Students stay on the CapitalUniversity of Economics and Business campus while immersingthemselves in Chinese culture.

In addition to academics, students meet once a week to learn TaiChi, cooking or choral singing. Before returning to the states,students exhibit their skills in front of classmates, faculty andfriends.

Effective this semester, students will not be allowed to studyabroad during the last semester of their senior year unless theyhave completed all requirements for graduation.

However, seniors are eligible to study abroad their lastsemester if the courses they need are normally offered in thatspecific program.

For more information visit http://www.smu.edu/studyabroad.