This summer, students have the opportunity to study abroad inChina following last summer’s bout with SARS.
“[Not going to China] was a big disappointment for us,especially since that was the first year we were supposed togo,” said Ben Wallace, the director of the study abroadprogram.
According to Nancy Simmons, a study abroad advisor and one ofthe faculty members traveling to China this summer, the trip wascanceled mainly for the concern of students’ health.
“We didn’t want to take any chances,” Simmonssaid.
While last summer’s SARS scare kept the SMU communityclose to home, 12 students are now going to China this summer. Theywill study under foreign language professor Lisa Ahnert, who is nostranger to conducting class on a different continent.
“We have had foreign language programs in Beijing and somein Taiwan,” she said, “but this is the firstnon-language class that has ever been taught in China.”
While abroad, students will take a cultural formations classentitled A Cultural Journey Into China.
The choice to expand studies abroad to China was one based upona need for diversity in the program.
“After looking around the world, [China] is where we feltit would be best for the students to study,” Wallace said.”There are five billion Chinese people around the globe, andwe possessed a weakness in the Far East.”
Students will have to attend two orientations before they leave,covering the customs, etiquette and basic language needed tosurvive in China. Once there, most of the students’ time willbe spent in the city of Suzhou, home to roughly 5.71 millioncitizens.
The trip costs $3,300, which covers three hours of academictuition, room and board, lectures, extracurricular activities,cultural activities and field trips.
In addition to tuition, students will be responsible for theirown airfare and visa expenses.
The program will last about three and a half weeks, withstudents leaving on May 25 and returning on June 16.
For more information on study abroad programs, please contactthe study abroad office at (214) 768-2338.
