SMU faculty member Kartik Pashupati showing SMU student student Emily Langille study abroad opportunities in India and Bali. (NATHAN HARRIS/The Daily Campus)

Paris, India, Italy, China, Bali, Moscow and Germany— these are just seven of the 14 SMU Study Abroad programs that will be offered this summer. To advertise this unique opportunity, the SMU Abroad team held a fair Tuesday afternoon in the Hughes-Trigg commons.
 

The crowd in the commons grew, as students continued to arrive: a plethora of information was available for each of the 14 programs featured. A majority of the programs even had directors available to share their experiences and answer questions.  
 

Financial aid advisors and the Dallas Passport Agency were also there to assist students who are concerned about the financial aspect of studying abroad. Meleah Chriss, an advisor for the Study Abroad Program, explained their presence there.
 

“We invited the financial aid advisors because students want to know how studying abroad will affect their current aid, or what assistance will be available,” she said.
 

With more than 500 students studying abroad during the school year and 300 during the summer, the fair’s high attendance was both expected and encouraged, according to Chriss.
 

 “We had a steady flow of students, because we have very popular abroad programs,” she said.  
 

SMU senior Nicola Muchnikoff said she enjoys studying abroad because it encourages new levels of understanding.
 

“I went to Rwanda in 2009 and it was the most powerful and eye-opening experience of my life,” Muchnikoff said.
 

Some students said they study abroad to experience a new culture, while others just want a change of scenery from their typical classroom environment. Regardless of their reasoning, it appears that students continue to enjoy the experience of studying abroad.  
 

However, it is not only students who enjoy the trips; the directors and advisors also enjoy it, according to Rita Kirk, director of the SMU-in-London program.
 

 “It is a great opportunity to watch students gain confidence as international travelers,” she said.
 

 Chriss, who graduated from SMU last year, had an opportunity to study abroad in Paris and she greatly enjoyed her adventure. In fact, she valued her experience so much that she has found a different way to be a part of the experience without actually traveling.  
 

“As the advisor of the program, I get to promote what I was a part of,” Chriss said.
With numerous students already committed to going abroad this summer, the outcome seems promising for the program.
 

The fair provided valuable information for students about a part of SMU that is continually expanding. In order to further promote the Study Abroad Program, a second information session, “SMU Abroad 101,” will be held in Blanton 211 Monday through Thursday at 4 p.m.